There are a lot of reasons to enjoy Agatha Christie's writing style. As someone who revels in mystery, she's capable of controlling the reader's attention through even the most mundane of passages, believing that something greater is lying in an innuendo, a poorly planned decision. She perfectly crafts her narratives to reflect an interactive nature that is addictive. With "Murder on the Orient Express," she finds ways to do so not just with the plot, but with a protagonist who is one of her most animated, otherworldly figures. Hercule Poirot doesn't feel like a real person, and yet his existence as the master detective is strangely fitting for these pages, finding him not leaving any stone unturned and doing so with a mustache-twirling flamboyance that is compulsory. What this story lacks in a satisfying mystery it more than makes up for with approach, consistently serving as an entertaining look into the ensemble drama that serves as its own worthwhile experience. It's a great story that at times feels anticlimactic and underwhelming, but like the best of writers, she makes it count where necessary.
The appeal of this story lies in Christie's infatuation with Poirot. The international detective who has a greater eye for detail than just about anyone who ever lived, he manages to exist in this middle ground. He's able to flirt with just about anyone, seducing information out of them while impressing them with his high-class accent and ability to intertwine English with French phrases. He has a lust for life that makes him perfect for getting dragged into situations that are coincidental. Given that this narrative has one of the juicier hooks, the goal of solving the crime is both rudimentary and capable of so much more. Who is hiding their truth? Considering that not everyone is from a similar place, there is an ability to be devious and have certain biases misdirect, or even to use the cultural differences to the plot's advantage. Poirot does this on multiple occasions, and it works to make the subtext feel more alive, more able to challenge this straightforward mystery.
Again, a lot of the appeal is experiencing the prose play out in this meaty, giddy fashion where a detective follows his own moral codes. He is superior, and that's what makes him intimidating. Who would want to cross his path and be proven guilty? That is why the book's structure works despite being a simple three-act "conflict, questioning, resolution" format that spends most of the middle section asking questions that more give character development than provide depth to the mystery. It's a clever way to withhold information, and a perfect example of how Christie made characters who were just exciting to be around. Whenever someone seems disingenuous, Poirot breaks conversation to establish his own believed line of reason. It's impressive, at times what keeps the book producing curiosity from page to page.
If there is a conflict, it's that the central mystery is not a particularly satisfying one. Once again, Christie does a great job of establishing misdirects and small moments that hold bigger clues, but the overall twist plays out in the final pages with abrupt conclusions. Sure it says plenty about moral codes and whether murder itself is a deserving act, but for those seriously wanting to play the game of detective, it may end up with more shoulder shrugs. One can enjoy being lost in Poirot's quarters, but it's mostly a great compensation for the fact that outside of a great setting and colorful characters, there's not a lot that is satisfying. It's a good time, but mostly in that this world is populated with great fictional characters and moments that pop with their own life.
"Murder on the Orient Express" is a solid anomaly in Christie's bibliography. On the one hand, it's a perfect showcase for her grasp of characters. Everyone gets a stellar moment to shine, developing in ways that are meticulous but entertaining. The only issue that comes with anyone who is more in it for the big reveal, the need to have it say something more profound. It doesn't entirely deliver on that, even if it's a satisfying and reasonable conclusion. As a result, the satisfaction lies somewhere in the middle, rewarding more as an experience than a puzzle to solve. Just hop on board and try to have a good time. That's all that this book really offers, but it does that with enough personality to compensate for any real shortcomings.
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