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The Never Re-read Again List

Frndorfoe 18 Jul 09 at 4:48 p.m. GMT

I was having a discussion with WINNEBAGO1901 on another thread about books which we have hated and will not like to re-read again. Like me and WINNE do any of you have any Agatha Christie book or books that you will not like to re-read again? If you have any please tell me which ones are they and why you didn't like them.

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Lone_Wolf 01 Mar 10 at 2:04 p.m. GMT

go_leafs_nation

It's interesting enough on the first read, but gets rather dull on subsequent ventures, I must admit. It has some very good scenes packed in there somewhere, but overall, it isn't worth walking through the mud to reach these scenes.

It's the opposite for me. It was dull for me at first read, but rather poignant at second read, when I knew what pages and even chapters I can skip.

go_leafs_nation 01 Mar 10 at 1:01 p.m. GMT

This reply contains spoiler information. Show reply

But Nemesis has arguably the most interesting flat-out-murder method with the boulder attack. Honestly, a blow to the head would be jolly enough, but here we get to enjoy a murderer who dresses up so as to be noticed and rolls a great big boulder down a hill to murder someone dangerous to them.

It's interesting enough on the first read, but gets rather dull on subsequent ventures, I must admit. It has some very good scenes packed in there somewhere, but overall, it isn't worth walking through the mud to reach these scenes.

Lone_Wolf 01 Mar 10 at 4:51 a.m. GMT

The thing with Nemesis is that it really should be half the size it is. The basic literary themes and plot are sound, but it's a very redundant read - I've lost track of the times miss Marple meets an authority figure or other and begins telling us about mr. Rafiel's mission in painful detail. Redundant dialogue that adds nothing to the plot or to the characterization was somewhat endemic in the later Christies.

Dolly_B 28 Feb 10 at 7:37 p.m. GMT

Never read again:  Sleeping Murder, Postern of Fate, Nemesis, Halloween party, Endless Night, Third Girl, At Bertrams's Hotel, Passenger to Frankfurt, Elephants Can Remember.

MissQuin 24 Feb 10 at 6:20 p.m. GMT

The ones I never read again are The secret of Chimneys. Not because it's badly written, but because of the fact it's not my type of book.

I read Cat among the pigeons and I didn't like it. But one day years later, I was stuck without a book, so I reread CATP and I liked it! So I give some books a second chance.

The other is the Poirot book The Big Four. I really disliked it, it was too far fecthed. Yet somehow if it had been a non Poiot, it could be more believable. Poirot must be getting on in years even then, but he's traveling from country to country. There may have been a scene where he jumps from or train, or am I mixed up? Anyay, it's my least favourite Poirot. Even Hasting's wife was given the wrong name in this one.

HeiseiHolmes 24 Feb 10 at 4:12 p.m. GMT

Ordeal by Innocence, One, Two Buckle my Shoe, Endless Night, because I found them all too slow and slightly confuzzling.

TheMole 20 Jul 09 at 2:36 p.m. GMT

'Death Comes As The End was boring but I admire Agatha's attempt at writing a book set in that period.

It must have been strenuous to do all of that research & write a mystery at the same time. It truly is a one of a kind novel --you have to admit -- even if you don't care for it.

Tommy_A_Jones 20 Jul 09 at 1:24 p.m. GMT

Hi Moley, I agree with Silverdore, "After The Funeral is a very good book and you are right I did think 'Death Comes As The End was boring but I admire Agatha's attempt at writing a book set in that period.

TheMole 19 Jul 09 at 12:49 p.m. GMT

My good friend "Silverdoe" likes "After the Funeral" too, but I still find that there  were too many bland characters & thus I cease to waver on my opinion.

And I remember you saying that you found Death Comes as the End as long & boring, winne. I liked it very much, though, particularly b/c I enjoy reading about ancient Egypt.

Tommy_A_Jones 19 Jul 09 at 10:35 a.m. GMT

As I said to Frndorfoe I agree about Passenger To Frankfurt and Endless Night, I had to force myself to finnish both books aswell as 'Death Comes As The End' and with 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyed' and 'Lord Edgware Dies' the endings made me so Angry I wouldn't want to read them in fact I found 'Lord Edgware Dies so boring I spoilt it for myself and kept looking ahead. 'The Big Four' is another I would not re-read. 

go_leafs_nation 19 Jul 09 at 12:49 a.m. GMT

I personally loved After the Funeral, and consider it one of AC's best. I disagree with your statement that there were too many characters. The major, essential players are simple to remember. It was extremely interesting in its pessimistic atmosphere, too, recreating the feel of the 50s, as England got richer, and servants could get better-paid jobs elsewhere. Besides, Aunt Cora was such an innocent character, I really wanted to know who dared murder her so brutally.

Endless Night, on the other hand, is one that I don't much like. The books struggles with an obvious, over-extended plot (some of the solution is laughably ridiculous, the target of much mockery on the old site), and its only interesting feature is the narration. The effect wears off quickly. Say what you like about character study, this book redefines the concept of sheer boredom for me.

One book that I find is overrated (and I'm in no rush to re-read it) is The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Agatha wasn't in her finest form just yet. Sure, it's a great introduction to Poirot, but it isn't a great Poirot. The solution is SOMEWHAT interesting. but it isn't "drop-the-book-in-surprise" brilliant. Certain characters (the victim's huband jumps to mind) seem like distant cardboard caricatures, hard to sympathize with.

TheMole 18 Jul 09 at 11:37 p.m. GMT

My first one would have to be "Elephants Can Remember". It was boring from beginning to end, & the solution was NOT suspenseful. The characters (besides, Poirot & Ms. Oliver) were bland & it was kind of sad to read it as Poirot was really getting up in years along w/ the fact that it was his next to last case.

The second one for me would have to be "The Man in The Brown Suit". Which is probably the worst AC book I have ever read. I think AC had a lot of well rounded characters in the book but the plot was way too melodramatic: it wasn't even merely close to being real. And for all the drama that did occur none of it was interesting.

Another one would have to be "After the Funeral". It seems to be a fan favorite on here, but I can't comprehend why. There were too may characters & essentially there were 'too many cooks in the kitchen' that one could easily find themselves losing track of them all, not to mention that besides Poirot they were all boring! I only finished it b/c I never do not want to finish reading a Christie.

But the majority of her books are not bad.

go_leafs_nation 18 Jul 09 at 5:21 p.m. GMT

First on the list is The Mysterious Mr. Quin. I was never fond of Quin's theatricality and harlequinade. The stories focus more on making Quin mysterious, and less on the stories themselves, which are often huge disappointments.

Postern of Fate is another one. It is the only novel in which Agatha Christie doesn't employ the rules of fair play, and it has an extremely rambling nature, quite unlike her best work. You can tell this isn't the same Agatha who wrote Crooked House.

Another one is Passenger to Frankfurt. The introduction is worth reading, as it sheds some light on the craft of writing. However, the book itself is hugely disappointing- it runs around in complicated circles, failing to build suspense, but successfully confusing the reader. By the end, I couldn't care less who the culprit was-- I wanted to get on to another book.

Also, when rereading Nemesis, I found it to be far less of an achievement than my originally enthusiastic response would suggest. Again, Agatha rambled too much, and the characters felt really distant. This is one rare case where the TV adaptation (Hickson's, of course) improved the plot of the book (although the book's neat atmosphere was lost in the process).