Sitting in the corner of the room, my night table humbly accepts all the books I dump on it. It stands like a butler, somberly waiting for its master’s order. And when it does, it does not speak back with attitude; it receives me with a polite and obedient vibe. While doing this, it has been privy to everything that I have read so far, and my changing book tastes and fashions. One book that has probably changed my reading forever, is Agatha Christie’s masterpieces.
I remember the first time I came across one of her unique characters in ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ and ‘Five Little Pigs’. The legendary Hercule Poirot, a rounded little man with a perfectly trimmed moustache, grew on my mind. Agatha Christie was very good at putting ‘character’ into her characters! I love how comical Poirot can get. In most of the Poirot stories, the egg-headed detective tends to show off, and when he does, he puts up a good animated comedy! This part of the author is the funny and creative side, along with an amazing ‘who-dun-it’ plot. Not to forget the ticking time bomb for the big twist.
While I became obsessed with Agatha Christie’s ‘Poirot’ novels, I have also read her other impressive creations. Miss Marple, was this elderly spinster who ‘solved’ mysteries that happened to come by. She seemed peaceful and serene, but sometimes I thought that she was just a nosy old lady, who liked to interfere in public affairs. Nevertheless, she was a complete character, just like Poirot.
From a time when I was accustomed to reading books on fantasy and adventure, I have now metamorphosed into a completely different person after reading Agatha Christie’s books. After a while ‘Percy Jackson’ and ‘Harry Potter’ felt like they were lacking the thrilling punch and seemed to be just bland quests and spells. When I got my hands on Christie’s books, it felt like a whole new world. It also felt more realistic, and for the first time, I wanted something more real, than residing in my made-up world.
The more you read, the more knowledge you gain. After reading some of Christie’s books, I found myself with a new vocabulary. A lot of her books were written during the World War, so it was enlightening to see how people lived at that time. And I also became a spectator to many of the political discussions in the book making me want to know more about it.
This dame’s books have changed my perspective of reading entirely. From comical little dwarves to elderly crime solvers. From stories of fun to psychological thrillers that keep you awake and burning at night. The ‘queen of crime’ has taught me to ‘use my little grey cells’!
-A Tribute to Agatha Christie
Comments