Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I'm Thankful NOT To Be- Classics Edition

 

TOP TEN TUESDAY

HOSTED BY THAT ARTSY READER GIRL

Today I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl book blog. I've wanted to do this for awhile but hadn't found the time. I love the idea of posting top ten lists each week and while I may not get to all of them, it's still fun to try! This week in honor of Thanksgiving the topic is Thankful Freebie. Here is my top ten list of characters I'm thankful not to be. I loved this idea and have to give credit to Cindy at The Speedy Reader blog for this creative idea. 

1. Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca 

by Daphne Du Maurier

The creepy, clingy, obsessed head housekeeper of Manderly was not a happy lady. I was glad she didn't win in the end. 

2. Melanie Hamilton in Gone With the Wind

by Margaret Mitchell

I always felt sorry for poor Melanie. She's too sweet and compliant....she gets taken advantage of left and right and then dies in the end. I can't help it...I always preferred to be Scarlet!

3. Oliver in Oliver Twist

by Charles Dickens

This one almost needs no explanation. How can you not feel compassion and pity for this poor kid? It's a hard story to get through for sure. Happy ending...but tough getting there.

4. Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath

by John Steinbeck

He has the weight of the world and his family on his shoulders. Tom means well but can't seem to ever get it right or catch a break. It's a tough life for him.

5. Marley in A Christmas Carol

by Charles Dickens

As a child I felt so sorry for poor Marley. I'm glad he tries to pass on the knowledge of what NOT to do in life but I always felt bad he's stuck in the underworld. 

6. Napolean in Animal Farm

by George Orwell

There's something pathetic about a character who can't see how oppressive he's become. You can't help but feel sorry for those who abuse others because they have become so evil. 

7. Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

This one is meant to be funny. I just love the Father in this book and how long suffering he is with his wife. But would I want to be him in that house of chattering women? Nope :) 

8. Daisy in The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This character just comes across as an empty headed fool who uses those around her and won't take responsibility for her actions. I wouldn't want to be Daisy as she grows older and looks back on her life. 

9. Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment

by Feodor Dostoevsky

Watching the character try to justify his horrible crimes is frustrating. It is humbling to see him come to terms with what he has done. 

10. Gilbert in Anne of Green Gables

by Lucy Maud Montgomery

I always felt a little sorry for poor Gilbert.....always chasing dramatic Anne. Sometimes I wanted to tell him to go find someone more sensible and worthy of his adoration.  

Murder In Mesopotamia (A Hercule Poirot Mystery) by Agatha Christie

 

Publication Date: July 6, 1936

Length:  288 pages

My Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK:

Okay so I fully admit this reason is pretty pointless but I loved the title and the cover. That's the honest truth. Having read the first Elizabeth Peters book set in Egypt amid an archaeological dig site and loved it, I figured this book might have that same flavor. I wanted to read another Poirot mystery since my last review was Miss Marple. So when I saw this book for a great price I had to buy it! Some of Christie's books just don't appeal to me due to the setting and I'm pretty picky about which ones I will try. Also, this one doesn't seem to be super well known (at least I'd never heard of it) and I wanted to review a book not as renowned. 

SUMMARY:

Our story begins with a foreword written by a Dr. Reilly, M.D., which is designed to seem like an introduction to the actual story, written by the main character, Nurse Leatheran. At Dr. Reilly's prompting, Miss Leatheran has been asked to recount the events in Iraq on a University archaeological dig that led to the deaths of two people as he believes her to have "professional character of the highest." Amy Leatheran opens her story by explaining how she came to be in Iraq. She is asked by a Dr. Leidner to care for his wife, Louise, who seems to be a nervous sort. As Amy gets to know Louise's story she learns that she was previously married to a man named Frederick Bosner, who supposedly died in World War I and Louise is distraught because she inexplicably seems to be receiving death threats from him. 

We are introduced to the many colorful characters who are residing with the Leidners and are part of the dig. It is observed that they seem to be overly polite and tolerant with one another but as the story develops there is an obvious undercurrent of tension, seemingly caused by their direct relationships with Louise. She is not what she seems at first glance. When Louise turns up dead in her bedroom, struck by a heavy object, all are suspects, including Amy. Enter Poirot, who just happens to be in Iraq and is able to lend his services to investigate the murder. 

He begins with his usual wit and insight, noticing inconsistencies and unusual, behind the scenes details that most would miss. As more information comes to light about the threats to Louise's life and her husband's supposed death in the war, Poirot unravels a strange story of switched identities and and when a second death occurs, he has to find the cause quickly before anyone else falls victim.

WHAT I LIKED:

I enjoyed this mystery because it really kept me guessing. I found myself completely stumped and when I finished the book I realized that the subtle details Christie adds throw you off track. You are steered in one direction only to pull back at the end and see that it wasn't that way at all. I thought the slow reveal of Louise as at first odd, then neurotic, scheming and seductive, and then finally, the victim was good character development. The narration of Amy as the outsider who witnesses it all was an interesting take. And then of course the funny little quips from Poirot are always good for a laugh. The ending was a little far fetched, but then, it is fiction.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

I am getting used to Christie's style a little more. She is all about the detective side of the mystery story, not so much personal stories. So the part I didn't like is what I usually don't care for in her books.....its' very clinical and clues oriented. But now that I realize that I'm expecting it and so going in I knew that it would feel more like a puzzle than a tale. There is no involved plot with historical details and intricate, personal, back stories but that's okay because that is not the kind of novel she writes. So honestly, not a lot to complain about. Good setting, lots of twists, and a satisfying ending. 

RECOMMEND? OR NOT?   Yes, it is a good one. Especially if you are already a Poirot fan. I think the added touch of the location in the Middle East made it unique and different from some of her other books. 

My Top 10 Favorite Series Books of 2022

 

Don't you just love books that are part of a series?  The idea that you have another waiting to read when you already love a book and all its characters so much is a comforting feeling. At least it is for us bibliophiles, although occasionally I hate the pressure I feel to finish them all. That's just never gonna happen!  I thought this week I'd list my top 10 favorite series books of 2022. I could probably do this post several times a year because I'm always starting new ones. What are your favorite series books?

1. Verity Bright's Eleanor Swift Mysteries

Wonderful cozy mystery series set in 1920's England. Eleanor, her beloved butler Clifford, and her trusty bulldog, Gladstone solve mysteries while charming everyone  in the quaint village of Chipstone. I have read the first three in this series and can't wait to read the next Christmas themed one soon. These just make you feel happy.

2. Anne Perry's Thomas Pitt Mysteries

Thomas and his wife Charlotte mingle with the upper class in their stately drawing rooms and  tackle the dark underworld of Victorian England in this gripping series. I am up to book 9 and am always eager to read the next one. Perry provides plenty of suspense, history, and authentic dialogue, making you feel like you've been transported to the 1800's. 

3. Anne Perry's William Monk Mysteries

William Monk and Nurse Hester Latterly risk danger and societal discord to unravel the clues to multiple murders in Victorian England. I have read the first 15 in this series and they are all amazing. I think I enjoy them even more than the Pitt series because they are even grittier and so authentic with the depiction of Victorian society.  She has stopped writing them for now to concentrate on her newer books but I hope she will continue with them someday. 

4. Sharon Kay Penman's Plantagenets

This series is a true historical fiction literary feat covering in great detail the lives of Empress Matilda and her heirs, Henry Plantagenet and his sons with Eleanor of Aquitaine. I have read the first three books and am looking forward to tackling the last two covering the life and crusades of Richard the Lionheart.

5. Ben Kane's Lionheart 

A totally different spin on Richard and the Crusades from the Penman books. Told through the eyes of a squire, turned knight of Richard the Lionheart, Ben Kane's series is amazing and he transports the reader to the time with great depictions of battles and political intrigue. Not as romantic as the Penman Plantagenet series or as detailed but a very entertaining read on its own. I have only read the first one and would like to read the next two in 2023.

6. Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody Mysteries

Set in the late 1800's these Victorian age mysteries add a level of clever, witty dialogue that takes them up a notch from your typical cozy mystery. Amelia Peabody is a lady of her age while also maintaining an independent spirit. The first one is set in Egypt and is so delightful. I can't wait to continue this series that adds interesting, exotic locations to a suspenseful whoodunit plot. 

7. Amanda Scott's Border Trilogy

Though billed as a romance author her stories have a layer of history and political intrigue that make them much more than the standard bodice ripper. I've learned a lot about Scotland and England during the middle ages and the border wars that caused frustration on both sides. She has penned a prolific number of these books which I don't think she gets enough credit for. There is wonderful research that goes into each one. 

8. Ellis Peters' Cadfael Chronicles Mysteries

Join everyone's favorite Monk, Brother Cadfael as he solves crimes in Shrewsbury. England during the years of the Anarchy. These are great for a quick read between longer books although they do pack a lot into each one so plan to concentrate. Clever, with a subtle, underlying humor, Peters keeps you guessing throughout and you will learn a bit about the politics of the day in 1100's England and Wales. 

9. Diana Gabaldon's Outlander

Be transported from the 1940's to the 1740's and become swept up in the Jacobite cause of Scotland. An amazing series, it will hook you and make you want to know these characters as if they were real people. I have read all the big books twice and am making my way through them a third time. They are so long and detailed you will always learn something new each time you re-read them.

10.Martha Keyes' Tales From the Highlands

Keyes puts a lot of solid research into these charming romance stories. They are also clean and wholesome although often tackle serious subjects. I have read the first one and have already bought the next two. She has another stand alone novel I've read as well set in Scotland. They have a charm to them I found enjoyable and you will learn some background about the time period and location. She also has several regency era novels patterned after Jane Austen.