Murder on the Orient Express By Agatha Christie - Novel Review

Christie’s Brilliant Work

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie is a famous mystery novel that is painstakingly put together and then expertly deconstructed by the legendary Hercule Poirot. The book takes place aboard the opulent luxury train that bears the same name. It is a gilded cage full of mystery and tension where the savage murder of American businessman Samuel Ratchett, who has a questionable past, upends what appears to be a flawless world.

Source - Goodreads

A snowdrift stops the train in its tracks, turning it into a miniature version of society—a little area where each person is a possible suspect. Every character has secrets and purposes of their own, ranging from the mysterious Colonel Arbuthnot to the aristocratic Countess Andrenyi. To find the truth, Poirot, the famous Belgian investigator with an egg-shaped skull and perfect logic, must disentangle the intricate network of falsehoods and alibis.

Complex Storyline

The novel's complex storyline, a masterwork of suspense and deception, is its central theme. Christie skillfully presents a diverse group of individuals, each with a logical reason for the homicide. The reader is pulled deeper and deeper into a maze of possibilities as the novel goes on, making them doubt their own conclusions at every turn.

The main topic of the book is its intricate plot, which is a masterwork of suspense and deceit. Christie deftly introduces a wide range of characters, each with a plausible explanation for the murder. As the narrative progresses, the reader is drawn farther and further into a labyrinth of options, leading them to question their own judgment at every turn.

What Does the Novel Represent?

The Orient Express, a representation of both solitude and wealth, plays a role in the narrative. As the protagonists face their pasts and the repercussions of their choices, the train's trip through the wintry environment represents their own personal journeys. The suspense builds as the passengers' secrets become more and more imprisoned in the cramped train atmosphere.

Christie's mastery of the mystery genre is demonstrated in Murder on the Orient Express. This is a book that demands close reading because there are hints hidden throughout the text just waiting to be found. The novel's ongoing popularity has been secured by its intricate narrative, enduring characters, and thought-provoking ending.

Idea of Retributive Justice

The novel's main theme is retributive justice, which holds that punishment should be commensurate with the crime done. Samuel Ratchett, the victim, is a morally repugnant individual who participated in the kidnapping and killing of a small boy. With a personal connection to the victim, everyone of the passengers on the train harbor strong feelings of injustice and a desire for vengeance.

They plan to kill Ratchett when the chance presents itself because they think that his demise is a fair penalty for his transgressions. They act out of moral outrage and a desire to put things back in the proper perspective. This coordinated act of vengeance might be viewed as a type of vigilante justice, in which the law is disregarded in favor of a quicker and more pleasurable form of retribution.

Morals of the Story

Christie skillfully delves into the depths of this matter, compelling readers to contemplate the ethics of the passengers' deeds. Their techniques are definitely illegal, even though their motivations are understandable. The novel poses concerns regarding the boundaries of justice, the function of the legal system, and the possible repercussions of resolving issues on one's own.

The detective in the book, Hercule Poirot, is put in an unusual situation. Although he respects the passengers' right to justice and their reasons for wanting it, he still has a professional obligation to enforce the law. In the end, Poirot decides to shield the offenders because he understands that, despite being against the law, their actions were motivated by a strong sense of justice.

Final Words

An insightful examination of the inner psyche of human nature and the hazy boundaries between justice and retaliation can be found in Murder on the Orient Express. Christie compels readers to think about the shortcomings of the legal system and the possible repercussions of pursuing justice outside of it by depicting a situation in which the distinction between victim and offender is blurred.


Written By Divya

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