Reviews

The Burden by Mary Westmacott, Agatha Christie

kyspsy's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I don’t quite know how to process this book. I will literally just finish it. I have mixed feelings on the ending. I have 1 million problems the representation of disabled people and chronically ill people in this book, but I’ve got to remember it was public in 1956  there, is rampant sexism in this book, which is weird, considering it was written by a woman, I have clarify, but it mainly feels sexist because  the mc does not challenge any of the male characters when they say something ridiculous about woman groups might be the point . I am an atheist, so I don’t particularly connect with one of the main themes of the book but it didn’t bother me too much. I don’t know if I would recommend this book but there we go. I’m conflicted.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death, and Sexism

stirlitza's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

golumn_'s review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

jburns13's review

reflective medium-paced

3.0

maplessence's review

2.0

This has been sitting half finished on my e reader for a while, so I'm accepting that I may just not finish this (bizarrely, since I've had the e reader I've been finishing all sorts of dreck that I would have tossed aside if they had been in paperback form)
This book starts of as bleak & sinister, then turns into dull & mundane. Just couldn't work up the interest to keep reading & see if it goes back into sinister.

nikel_kaz's review

3.0

It has been a honor to read the different genre book of The Queen. After quarter of the book I came to a conclusion that it's not Queen's regular book, this book will be quite different. But what I got at the end of the book? The book is totally different. No one will believe it's Queen's book if it not for her name at the front.

The book deals with the love and affection of an elder sister towards her younger one. Though I don't have any blood sister, I felt the love Laura felt for Shirley. The screenwriting will hold you till the end. Every character is given their importance. We can't tell who is the main character of the book and I personally think the burden everyone carries throughout their life is the main character of the book

Ultimately it says Too much Love is a burden

josee_hg's review

emotional fast-paced

3.5

mazza57's review against another edition

3.0

this has does not have the pulling power of a more traditional Agatha Christie

hashtag_alison's review against another edition

2.0

Maybe it was just because I was glutted on Westmacott by the time I got to this one, but it didn’t capture me especially. It was just a rehashing of themes covered in the other stories and the characters didn’t particularly mean anything to me in any special way. Again I think it was probably just Author Fatigue.

foxybrain's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars
This was a book of compelling psychological drama, the type that makes you stare at the wall and think over the dialogues you just read. It captures the feeling of wanting to be loved, the inability of letting go of someone you love despite knowing better and curiously, the 'burden' of love through different characters.
It's the kind of book that I'd like to come back to on some other day and I know I'll probably understand and like it better then.