BOOK REVIEW 'And Then There Were None'

And Then There Were None

By: Agatha Christie

It just goes without saying, that books you read in middle school are generally horrible. I don't blame the teachers, you are restricted to appropriate topics to the diploma-less mind, sans swaring or anything of the nature, and can appeal to a large auidence. To find a teen book that fits that criteraia gets increasingly more difficult as the teen section at your local book store grows more and more into "the four catagories" as I like to call them. That's my theory that every book in the teen book section can fit into one or more of four groupings, paranormal creatures, death, romance, or high school problems. I bet you now whenever you go into a book store you'll metally put this theory to the test. I've been there. A book being in anyone of these catagories often means it's in one of the others, and serverely limits it's likeability to at least half your class, and how well it will go over with some of the stricter parents.

Anyway, it's a huge accomplisment when a teacher can rise about the school book stereotype and deliever a really great story to read in class. I loved this mystery (even thought the ending my teacher tried so hard to hide got ruined for me right after we began.) I completely understand why Christie has made the mark that she has in the mystery world because the logic and timing in this novel  is so airtight there is no possible other way or motive for the murder's actions.

10 people are all brought to Indian Island, off the coast of Devon, England, and completley cut off from the mainland. On the surface, each of them looks completley innocent, and in the eyes of the courts they are. But, each one of them committed a crime that there is no way they will ever get punished for, whether it be for careful planning, lack of evidence, or just doing their job. Though, in the eyes of an outside force, they have committed a crime and justice will be served. Not long after, the outside force, that has been determined to be one of the 10 lured there, starts picking off the guests one by one, according to a children's nursary rhyme until, as the title of the book states, "And Then There Were None."

I think this is the best mystery novel I have ever read. If I didn't screw up the ending for myself, I don't think there is anyway I would have guessed the murderer, or even their motive for that matter. How the crimes were completed is the even more astounding part for me. This novel took an insane amount of planning in order to be written so perfectly, and the end result is flawless. A huge round of applause to the queen of mystery for her dedication to a truely head scratching crime novel.   

Pages: 259

Read In: 3 weeks (school reading time)

Rating: 10/10 (first time! history in the making here people!)

Ages: 11+ up