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growe16's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
I need to preface this by saying how surprised I was to learn that Agatha Christie KNEW HER STUFF when it came to Egyptology. She didn't just take a quick trip there and decided to write books based on it. No, Christie's second husband was an archeologist in Egypt. She learned about ancient Egyptian religion, hieroglyphics, daily life, etc. around the height of the Egyptian dig and relic hype.
Christie decided to write this story after hearing about the curse inscribed in the seal on a particular tomb, and the archeologist who died shortly after uncovering and entering the tomb.
This book is unlike any other Christie book I've ever read in the sense that 1, it takes place is Ancient Egypt and is immersed in a realistic daily life from back then and 2, it is one of her only novels that has never been adapted to film.
It is very much like most Christie books in the sense that one might briefly guess at the killer, but the red herring are sufficient to throw readers off. The three characters I suspected most all died. 😅
Like all Christie books I've read, this didn't change my life or alter my brain chemistry. But it was a really enjoying, and difficult puzzle to solve. And I LOVED her immersive and effortless portrayal of ancient Egyptian life. She didn't belabor or over explain anything about history, but she still captured it very well. This is a hidden gem for mystery or history fans. Bravo to Agatha Christie!
Christie decided to write this story after hearing about the curse inscribed in the seal on a particular tomb, and the archeologist who died shortly after uncovering and entering the tomb.
This book is unlike any other Christie book I've ever read in the sense that 1, it takes place is Ancient Egypt and is immersed in a realistic daily life from back then and 2, it is one of her only novels that has never been adapted to film.
It is very much like most Christie books in the sense that one might briefly guess at the killer, but the red herring are sufficient to throw readers off. The three characters I suspected most all died. 😅
Like all Christie books I've read, this didn't change my life or alter my brain chemistry. But it was a really enjoying, and difficult puzzle to solve. And I LOVED her immersive and effortless portrayal of ancient Egyptian life. She didn't belabor or over explain anything about history, but she still captured it very well. This is a hidden gem for mystery or history fans. Bravo to Agatha Christie!
booktrovertjen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
atang's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ember14's review against another edition
3.5
Enjoyable read, but if I can guess the culprit as early on as I did, I can't give it a 4.
stardustkai's review against another edition
3.0
As a young child I've always been interested in ancient Egypt and to dig out Agatha Christie's Death comes as the end while an adult was a very happy coincidence cause I immediately knew this reading would pair two great loves of mine, egyptology and criminal investigation. Can't say it is the best of her work but it sure isn't bad. For a book its length it's very capable of making my mind travel round Egyptian tombs, feel the sand under my toes and the sun on my back. Cleverly written, as always Christie makes it impossible to guess the murderer or the culprit's next move and she leaves me shaking over the chance that my favorite character will end up being the killer, after all they all look equally guilty. Achieving to freeze the blood in my veins until the truth surfaces on the Nile's waters, this book combines crime literature with a subtle hint of romance and existential thinking over life and death. It sure is a ride to enjoy.
anpu325's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic! The mystery queen working outside of her comfort zone and pushing the limits of her powers as a storyteller and weaver of mysteries. I love the way she integrated Egyptian expressions and proverbs into the way that characters spoke. It made the ancient Egyptian setting feel authentic. The meticulous research she carried out is apparent.
bethanywomack's review against another edition
3.0
My first Agatha Christie novel! I got a good feel for her style which I liked overall. I think I might like a different one of her books a little better that maybe feels somewhat closer to present day. It’s a little hard to listen to the audiobook with significantly different names from what I’m used to hearing. The setting just wasn’t my favorite, but I think Christie did a good job navigating relational dynamics
natebrantly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The cover of this edition bills this as '[Agatha Christie's] most unusual murder mystery', and I found it to be an interesting departure from her other novels. It is certainly ambitious. There is no Hercule Poirot, Ms. Marple, or even Tommy and Tuppence. Instead, Christie explores the setting of ancient Egypt with an entirely new cast of characters. She seems to have enjoyed digging into the setting and culture of ancient Egypt, including customs and religious beliefs and traditions. As usual, Agatha Christie does a great job of keeping most characters in the running as potential murders until the very end. Another distinction in this novel is that the murderer takes the lives of more than five characters (rather than one). While I enjoyed this novel, I did not feel the sense of satisfaction with the reveal that I was hoping for. I would still recommend for those interested in the genre and the works of Agatha Christie.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death