Dec 25, 2004 10:19 PM
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(Updated Dec 25, 2004 10:19 PM)
The Plot Overview:
When the train starts from Istanbul, it had certain number of passengers in the first class compartment. However, it was not meant to reach with all passengers at its destination… one of the passengers was dead half way… brutally stabbed multiple times.
This is how Agatha Christie sets up one of her greatest novels on a great train: The Orient Express.
Probably the murderer had not accounted for two things.. Hercule Poirot being on the train and the train stopping due to heavy snow on its tracks. As the story progresses, the true identity of the victim is revealed, which gives an entirely new direction to the plot. There have been several witnesses to the various events taking place in the train that night and at times they are confusing and at times they are unbelievable…. The suspicion can practically point to every one!!
The Questions:
There were several blows on the body… why did the killer keep on stabbing if one or two of them were enough to kill the victim?
The blows were of different depth and direction, was it a man who killed or a lady? Was (s)he left handed or right handed? The stab marks indicate either way!!
Who was the lady with a Kimono walking in the corridor in the night?
Howcome nobody heard anything of any resistance offered by the victim?
If the victim was afraid for his life (which was made clear in the early chapters of the novel), then why did he take sleeping pills?
The Build-up:
As usual, Agatha Christie has done a phenomenal job of building up the story. In fact, the interlinks and the characterization gets so intense in the middle, that one wonders, how did she keep track of the characters without making anyone insignificant!!
As ususal, she has clearly indicated to the culprit during the build up of the novel. That’s one thing that I admire about her… She gives enough indications on the murdere in her novel, which we realize only after knowing the climax!!
The Climax:
Hey… I am not revealing the climax.. so cool down!!
Unlike most of her other novels, here the suspense does not reveal at once leaving the reader shocked. The climax is a lengthy process here and by the time onefourth of the novel is remaining, the reader starts getting the feeling of what is happening.. but still, take my words, its not possible to keep the book at this stage.
Interestingly, in this novel, Poirot offers not one, but two solutions and leaves it to others to accept whichever one they agree to!!
Finally:
For all mystery readers, this is a MUST Read.