and then there were none by agatha christie (1939)
summary
10 random people who apparently have nothing in common are invited to a super well-known island for no reason whatsoever. they just go. not a call, not a back letter… the island itself is enough to pique their curiosity. after arriving there, they’re met with an open, gorgeous house filled to the brim to welcome all of them. they also not know about anything. everything is borderline suspicious until the first couple of murders occur, then we have a bunch of people freaking out and going insane while the going gets though.
personal review
good murder mystery; kept me on edge. some characters annoyed me to death. boring, but understandable start (i don’t think we needed the characters’ introductions). i like the way she writes their inner-thoughts.
the characters:
- mr. ulick norman owen and mrs. una nancy owen: the ones who invited everyone to the island.
- mr. justice wargrave: a retired judge. skeptical; rational; talks verbosely.
- captain philip lombard: regular guy, i guess? nothing striking about him.
- vera claythorne: mr. owen’s new secretary. someone from her past has died drowned in the sea & she has nightmares from that event.
- mr. rogers: the newly employed butler.
- mrs. ethel rogers: ghostly, scared complexion. newly employed maid.
- general gordon macarthur: an old man who sent his wife’s lover to die in the war after he got aware of their affair.
- mr. (davis) william blore: a professional liar; detective.
- mrs. emily brent: a christian old lady. moralist. annoying asf; the worst human being there.
- dr. armstrong: a sexist doctor who accidentally killed a patient while performing surgery drunk & is mildly haunted by that.
- anthony marston: a young, boisterous, rich kid.
- fred narracott: the boatman.
memorable moments
- on chapter 11, i found myself agreeing with blore
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vocabulary
| WORD | MEANING |
|---|---|
| acquittal | a type of judgment in which the defendant is not guilty. |
| acquitted | not guilty. |
| admonitory | warning, cautious. |
| adroitness | skilfulness; dexterity. |
| assailed | to be attacked or troubled by unpleasant thoughts or experiences. |
| balmy | eccentric. |
| bedouin | a type of arab nomad. |
| bleary eyes | blurry; reddened; unfocused; exhausted (from lack of sleep). |
| bogus | fake. |
| borne in | carried in. |
| cascara | a plant that has a laxative effect. |
| château neuf du pape | a type of french wine. |
| chopper | a tool used to chop. |
| cobwebs | spiderwebs. |
| cumbrous | heavy; bulky. |
| deuced | devilish; confounded; damned. |
| dint | a dent. |
| disquieting | antonym of quiet. |
| dogged | stubborn; tenacious. |
| doggerel | mean or undignified poetry. |
| elliman’s | a medical lotion used for rubbing on aching, tired muscles. |
| epistolary | a series of letters. |
| fender | protective metal or stone frame that surrounds the hearth of a fireplace. |
| festooned | (figuratively) a type of fancy decoration or covering. |
| fitful | something that occurs in intermittent bursts. |
| gall | to affront. |
| gimlet | a cocktail made of gin and lime. |
| hearse | a type of car used to carry the body of a deceased person in a coffin. |
| heliographing | to use a device to transmit messages by reflecting sunlight. |
| huddled | crowded together. |
| hussy | sharp; clever. |
| hypodermic syringe | a syringe that has a very thin tube. |
| idiosyncrasy | an individualizing characteristic. |
| impromptu | something improvised. |
| iniquitous | morally questionable. |
| innocuous | harmless. |
| inquest | a judicial inquiry, typically held to determine the cause of a person's death. |
| knock your ruddy block off | to hit someone very hard. |
| larder | a cool area for storing food prior to use. |
| lark | (slang) something fun. |
| lassitude | fatigue; lethargy. |
| lithe | flexible. |
| mackintosh | a raincoat made of waterproof fabric. |
| manhole | an opening to a confined space such as a shaft, utility vault, or large vessel. looks like a sewer cap. |
| mantelpiece | the shelf above a fireplace. |
| marooned | to be left on a desolate island alone. |
| merriment | high-spirited; frolic; fun; hilarious. |
| muslin | a type of fabric. |
| pall (of fear) | a heavy, oppressive atmosphere of fear that hangs over a situation or place. |
| plight | a condition, state, or situation, especially an unfavourable or unfortunate one. |
| pluckily | to do something in a brave or determined manner. |
| pukka sahib | “true gentleman”. |
| purported | supposed; assumed. |
| quaint | peculiar; unusual. |
| quietus | a final freeing from something; a release from life. |
| racket | noisy activity. |
| raucous | boisterous and disorderly. |
| rheumaticky | weak. related to rheumatism. |
| rind (of the bacon) | the external covering or coat. |
| rubber truncheon or cosh | a baton, like those used by law enforcers. |
| sang-froid | (figuratively) french for “cold blood”. |
| saucers | a small recipient for sauces. |
| shrewd | sharp; clever. |
| sine qua non | an essential element or condition. |
| spinster | older woman who has not married. |
| squally | uneven; faulty. |
| stone jetty | like a pier but made out of stones. |
| suffused | permeated; spread. |
| surreptitious | something that is done secretly or in a way that avoids detection. |
| swan song | a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture or performance given just before death or retirement. |
| thoroughness | something done meticulously, with attention, completeness or perfection. |
| tinned tongue | beef tongue. |
| trickled | to flow, slowly, in a thin stream. |
| unheeded | not heeded; not listened. |
| wager | a sum of money. |