Reviews

I am reading all of Christie’s novels, plays and short stories. However, this was rather jarring. I am very sensitive and forgiving towards the zeitgeist of when then book was written, but even from that perspective this work is depressing, horrific and confusing. The main character is really horrible. I know the tortured genius composer thing would have to be taken into account, but still, his racism and treatment of his family and friends is absolutely unforgivable now and would have been 100 years ago as well. I wish Christie studied and described more of the music and art movements of the time as that would have added value to this work. The 3 young women in his life probably meant something symbolic, but are all tragic in their own way, but also very forgettable. Sebastian is a solid and sympathetic character at least. I really miss Christie’s crisp descriptions and understanding of the time and people. It doesn’t feel like it was only written under another name, it feels written by a completely different writer completely: maybe a moody cousin who wanted to publish something too. If you are a Christie fan, skip this and rather read her murder mysteries or spy novels again.

Content Warnings

mamiles's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

mazza57's review

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1.0

I think I will stick to Agatha and give the pseudonymous books a miss. The whole thing was tedious and the narration did not help

hashtag_alison's review

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5.0

This novel is an interesting take on the human condition. None of the characters are very realistic on paper, but the emotional turmoil is depicted with truth. Christie’s depiction of English life in the 30s and 40s is always fascinating to me. Things that sound completely foreign and nonsensical to me, like people with enormous ancestral homes but no money; things that are relics from another time, like a woman battling with herself over marrying a passionate lover or rich suitor because it’s literally the only way society will let her support herself; and of course a protagonist that’s so caught up in his pursuit of art and his own private world that he can’t even be bothered to tell his own story; these are all woven together with Christie’s trademark storytelling that has you chasing after each chapter.

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