When I started with this read, I had some difficulty in connecting with it; something I have not experienced with my previous reads of the Poirot series. I was a little disappointed as to why it is so since this is said to be one of her best works. I think it all had to do with the structure of the story and the way it was presented which I felt to be quite different from the previous reads of the series. While perhaps it gives more order to the flow of the story, it also found me mechanically reading the first third of the book with no real interest. From there onward, however, the story picked up its pace keeping me well engaged and building my interest in the story till the very end.
On an overall reflection, <i> Murder on the Orient Express</i> is another ingenious murder mystery by Agatha Christie. The story is based on a complex plot and Christie takes us through a difficult guessing game. Although I wasn’t engaged with the story as I ought to be at the beginning, once the outline was laid and the story picked up, I found myself engaged eagerly in the guessing game.
Poirot shines here, with his “little grey cells” working their magic. It is his expertise, long experience, and, of course, the brilliant analytical mind that sees him through the tangled evidence to unravel the mystery behind the murder. Overall I felt that this was one of the stories where Poirot was in his best element.
And that ending! I was completely knocked off. It is quite different from what I have come across in a Poirot story so far. And I feel I should say a few words about it. First, I never expected that outcome! As I said, it really took me by surprise. Second, I was more surprised by Poirot’s actions. He proved not only to be a brilliant detective but also to be a humane soul who believes that justice does not always find in strict rules and procedures. Well done Poirot! I love your human heart.
Rating: 4/5
