And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie -

And Then There Were None

by Agatha Christie

Slmz and Hello there Book People!

I hope you’re feeling awesome!

This month, our little book club read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, a masterpiece that blends classic elegance with crime fiction suspense. It’s been a brilliant read, and I’m excited to share my thoughts with you.

Imagine being invited to a luxurious island by a mysterious host, only to find out that you are the next target of a ruthless killer.

That’s exactly what And Then There Were None is about.

We have remote island with ten strangers just turning all together with no way off the island (I suppose that’s what remote means).

The setting alone gives you goosebumps and foretells of some doom and gloom in the near future. Our ten visitors discover that they are all connected by their own dark past and are being hunted down one by one by an unseen killer. There’s some great and clever plot twists and of course red herrings along the way, ending with shocking and unexpected finale.

BE WARNED – SPOILERS AHEAD!

The characters are diverse and realistic, each with their own personality, motives, and secrets. The book explores of themes of guilt, justice, and retribution, and challenges us to question our own assumptions and judgments. All of this is done in some 300 pages – amazing!

Christie does a fabulous job of showing the inner workings of each character’s mind, how they cope with the stress and fear of being trapped and targeted. The characters have different reactions, some resorting to denial, some to rationalization, some to defiance, and some to repentance – their actions mirror their moral values, personal histories, and their psychological states.

We had a lot of fun with this one transforming into like a mini detective agency, texting each other at all hours our guesses about the mysterious killer. We had 20 people live at the bookmeet, and only 3 of us guessed the culprit correctly. The rest of us were as clueless as the characters on the island, lol.

Some of the main discussions in the club were around:

The setting of the story was suitability creepy and foreboding. Some of us found it thrilling and atmospheric, while others found it unrealistic and a bit contrived. We discussed how the isolation and lack of escape affected the characters’ behaviours and choices. We also wondered how we would react in such a situation. Would we panic, cooperate, or turn on each other?
Our sympathy with some of the characters, especially those who committed their crimes unintentionally or out of compassion. Some of us had strong opinions that these characters were guilty and deserved their fate, regardless of their intent. Others felt sorry for them and hoped theyd survive. We also debated who was the most and the least likable character.
The moral implications of the killer’s intent – we had mixed views on this. Some of us agreed with the killer’s motives and methods, while others condemned them as cruel and unjust. Who made the killer the judge, jury and executioner!! As was the killer not as guilty as the rest of them?
Agatha Christie’s writing style and skill in creating suspense and mystery. Most of us loved it, while some of us found it a bit outdated and predictable. Interestingly……those who found it predictable did not guess the killer correctly!!! So….
The clues in the text and how they misled us or revealed the truth. We tried to spot the clues and see if they made sense in hindsight. We also compared our guesses with the actual solution and laughed at how wrong we were.
The psychological aspects of the story and the themes of guilt, betrayal, and human nature. We agreed that this was not an action-based plot, but rather a character-driven one. We analysed the characters’ personalities and motivations and how they changed throughout the novel. We also reflected on our own feelings and reactions to the book and the killer’s intent and character type. We shared our emotions and thoughts and how it affected us.

All in all, most of us felt that And Then There Were None is a must-read for anyone who loves classic literature and crime fiction. Its Agatha Christie at her best, keeping us hooked until the very very end…

We gave it an overall 7/10.

What do you think of the book? Do share your thoughts with me by commenting below.

Thanks for reading!