AND THEN THERE WERE NONE- AGATHA CHRISTIE

Had been reading a lot of my old favourites with the purpose of writing about them, when i chanced upon this. Christie was a die hard romantic and she may have written stuff much better than this, but for me, its her best. Not just for the genius way in which the drama unfolds, but also for the lengthy character portrayals. She has tried to achieve a somewhat less descriptive narration and has instead focussed on her characters more than their actionsor surroundings. Every page of the book eggs you on to read it. And before you know, its evening, you're hungry because you skipped lunch and you feel 13 again!



ESSENTIALS


The story has 10 characters. They're hoodwinked into thinking that a lottery has given them an all expense paid trip to an island. Upon reaching the island they realize that they've been duped and that they've been summoned for what can only be called an "informal court hearing", as a gramaphone record booms out it reveals the horrific pasts of each of them during their first meal together. Upon one of the bedroom walls there hangs a poem about Ten Little Soldier Boys who all fall to awful deaths. There are also ten little soldier boys placed on the dining room table.

One by One they start to fall into mishaps and perish- the characters and subsequently the "soldier boys" representing them. The order of their deaths is poetic, so is the justice. See, all deaths happen in rhyme with a pathetic little poem- "ten little soldier boys".

The guests scramble across the island trying to find an explaination for the deaths. They search every inch of the house and island but find no one and no answer. As their stay continues and more guests mysteriously die, those who remain begin to suspect one another as the murderer.




NON ESSENTIALS

This is not Crime Fiction. It is about insane justice. More of a Psychological thriller. And one very ahead of its time- both in terms of the layout and the characters. One can relate it to almost all good hollywood psycho thrillers.

My favourite character would easily be

Philip Lombard, a soldier of fortune. Literally down to his last square meal, he comes to the island with a loaded revolver. Though he is reputed to be a good man in a tight spot, Lombard is accused of causing the deaths of a native African tribe. It is said that he stole food from the tribe, thus causing their starvation and subsequent death. He can in some respects be termed "the hero" of the novel.

IN PART ESSENTIALS

The genius lies in the poem- the verse of death. It is what binds the whole story together and keeps you chained to the book. It is eerily silly.

Ten little Soldier boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Soldier boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Soldier boys traveling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Soldier boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Soldier boys playing with a hive;
A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Soldier boys going in for law;
One got in Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Soldier boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Soldier boys walking in the zoo;
A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two Little Soldier boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Soldier boy left all alone;
He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

Her Words Exactly

"everyone made such a fuss over things nowadays. they wanted injections before they had teeth pulled. they took drugs if they couldnt sleep. they wanted easy chairs and cushions...."

I read it for the devil dwelling within. I read it for the graphic murders. But most of all for the epilogue....