4:50 from paddington; agatha christie
The surge of confidence I felt turning page one hundred ninety-four could be described as ridiculous and slightly embarrassing. On this particular leaf, I believed I had uncovered the solution to Agatha Christie’s 4:50 From Paddington mystery, victims, suspect, motives, and all. Ultimately, I was proven quite wrong, surprised at the outcome, and pleasantly satisfied by the end. While the title of this novel deeply irks me—it doesn’t roll off the tongue smoothly—I was impressed by my first Agatha Christie read. Over the course of her career as a mystery novelist she authored around 75 works of literature. For my county library branch, this might as well take up an entire aisle. After randomly picking up one of her mysteries on a whim, I found myself oddly captivated by this particular story. So much so that I set down my previous reading endeavor in order to finish 4:50 From Paddington.
Ugh. I really do loathe that title.
Excluding the ill-fated title, Christie surprised me with her swift plot line and relatively quick start to the story. Side note, If you select the particular copy that I did, be sure to skip over the introduction. I personally failed to have patience for it, but it’s not necessary to understand the work as a whole. I would, however, encourage readers to skim it after finishing the book; it provides a fascinating analysis of Christie’s work in relation to 4:50 From Paddington. The first chapter of 4:50 From Paddington was spent introducing mundane characteristics, developing character interactions, and ultimately getting right on with the murder!
When one attempts a new piece of classic literature, the language and era of speech can be a challenging obstacle. Contrarily, Agatha Christie composes her works with a polite and mannered tone. For example, 4:50 From Paddington’s random commentary about the surrounding scenery, unpleasantries, everyday dishware, and unsavory characters was genteel and tempered. While her literary style is not as simple and blunt as Hemingway, her writing omits any excess “fluff”. Her prose could be described as direct, yet feminine and classy. I found this to contribute greatly to the overall story and was particularly refreshing to read. Although the language is dated, this book grasped my attention from the start. Throughout the entirety of the text, I was enthralled by its contents. Christie’s polite writing remains consistent, but still manages to provide an exceedingly satisfying conclusion with a bittersweet cliffhanger, allowing readers to interpret the future fate of the characters.
between viewpoints. While reading, it is crucial to be aware of Christie’s fluid perspective shifts; comprehending the role of the present speaker is necessary to understand the information and clues being uncovered. In retrospection, Agatha Christie is brilliant for including this literary technique. She ultimately uses her words to manipulate the reader and influence the reader’s temperament towards possible suspects. I was surprised to find the lead investigator, Miss Marple, was not the main perspective. Rarely did I feel I ever heard from her personal thoughts, except for her intentional input in the beginning and finale. This notion completely contrasts the Kenneth Branagh film retellings as Hercule Poirot that all mystery-buffs know and love. In Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, the audience parallels Poirot as he uncovers possible leads. Hercule Poirot, as seen in the listed films, is only one of Christie's great detectives. Christie wrote her novels in collections, each told from a different gumshoe. Poirot and Miss Marple are most popular; however, she also wrote from Tommy & Tuppence, Ariadne Oliver, Harley Quin, and Parker Pyne—excluding her assemblages of short stories.
If newborns had the capability to decipher proper English, they could read this novel. 4:50 From Paddington was completely appropriate. While this work revolves around the scheming of a murder, there was an obvious lack of gore, violence, and overtly graphic language. I felt that the absence of skin-crawling graphics readers are used to didn’t take away from its captivating elements. I would certainly recommend 4:50 From Paddington for any reader. In totality, this selection is presumably not her best or worst work yet I was still entertained thoroughly until the last page.
Miss Marple will forever have my heart as the sharp and exceptionally old detective, assuredly young at heart. I feel the world would be better if we were all a little more like Miss Marple. I look forward to experiencing more of Agatha Christie’s riddles in the future, whether it be Poirot, the lovely Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence, or her other famous sleuths. Christie was undoubtedly a literary genius ahead of her time; she has proven her success and influence in both female authorship and the mystery novel.
Sincerely,
Evelyn Harrier
