Texts Through Time

A good text can do all kinds of things. It can teach, transport and transform. You can be inspired by stories of adventure, form empathy through tales of courage, or just enjoy a well told yarn. Perhaps an underrated aspect of texts is how they can facilitate relationships between real people. On one level we know this. The existence of fan clubs is proof enough. Through a connection with a text or mutual love of a character, genre or author, you can connect with almost anyone.

Never have I appreciated this more than during Covid-19. My sister, Clare (who lives 5 hours away), and I have primarily kept in touch in this way. We have read the same books at the same time and through this simple act, we were able to recapture some semblance and feeling of connection.

Similar stories have captured our attention and imagination since we were young. As children, we journeyed together through the adventures of the Famous 5 and Secret 7. As we grew older we longed for mysteries where the stakes were higher than a missing dog, and a serious consequence was missing supper. We began to obsess over crime-solving sleuths such as Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. After devouring these our appetites were not yet sated.

Enter, Agatha Christie. Her stories, featuring the vain yet brilliant Belgium detective Hercule Poirot and a frail yet observant old lady, Miss Marple, supplied us with everything we wanted. The stakes were life or death. The language of Christie’s novels was plain and easily understood by young minds. There was no obtuse descriptions or meandering critiques of subtle concepts. The sparse dialogue, swift plots, and consistent structure that the whodunnit genre brings worked to intrigue and immerse us time and time again. The genre’s structural limitations never made the writing boring. To this day ‘And Then There Were None’ is probably the scariest and most unpredictable story I have read.

Agatha Christie’s novels were perfect for revisiting during Covid-19. They even managed to undo some of the trauma inflicted by the 2017 film version of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’.

Here’s why we love Christie’s novels:

Christie has an amazing ability to create multi-dimensional characters in a short amount of time. Her detectives are obviously the most developed, but all of her characters quickly gain traction within the stories. Their motivations and relationships, whilst complex, are easy to follow. The nature of the whodunnit genre limits the amount of ‘air’ time each character gets. However, as you read you quickly develop interest and even empathy for a vast array of differing characters.

The settings and locations are often exotic and idyllic, giving you an alluring escape from reality. For a short time, you are taken to the Nile, on a luxury train, to an Island resort, or a mysterious manor. The books never delve into fantasy (except in ‘The Big 4’, which I don’t talk about), but each story creates a mood consistent with both the cast of characters and the chosen location.

Christie is aware of her audience and skilfully manipulates the reader. Surprise and plot plausibility are the end goals of the ‘Whodunnit’ genre. This is difficult to do within a contained location and with a set cast of characters. Christie’s plots are intelligent, her clues subtle, and the inevitable reveal will almost always leave you satisfied. You will wonder why it was that you did not get the solve. If you’re like me, you rarely will.

Christie is aware of the genre’s stereotypes and structures and she manipulates them to great effect. Rest assured, there is always a surprise around the corner. The novels rely on physical clues, observation, and psychology. She writes with sparse prose, devoid of flowery descriptions. The stories never get bogged down and the plot moves at a rapid trot. Despite the lack of description, the narrative still transports you effectively.

Christie’s books are not long or difficult to read. They are cheap, and they are satisfying. They have given my sister and I much enjoyment and many excuses for connection and conversation. I can recommend them to you as we continue in isolation for a little bit longer.

Send me a message if you want my top Christie book recommendations.