January 2023 Books

I didn't finish a lot of books in January as I was too busy re-reading L.M. Montgomery's books for Rachel's We Love L. M. Montgomery Week but mostly because I was not in the mood for reading. I don't remember how I occupied my time in January but I was certain it was definitely full of mundane tasks, hazy activities and forgotten thoughts. But overall, not a bad month. Here are the books I managed to read in January:

01 - A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher > link
What's it about: magic, baking, murders, a 14-year-old indecisive heroines
This does start with a murder but it quickly became less about the murder and more about 14-year old Mona (who will remind you she's 14 on many occasions) and many adventures she had while trying not to get murdered. It really was a good read until they start on the talks of sewage stuff which is not enjoyable, then things turn from that point on. Then they make this point about how adults should have fixed the problem so that a 14-year-old didn't have to be a hero but what's the point of pointing that out? If adults have fixed the problem, then there wouldn't be a book so why make the point?
    I liked the baking magic but with Mona panicking most of the time, it's hard to enjoy it. This is consider a dark book but only because it involves a murder of a child and a child being chased by a murderer and some dark themes but I don't see this as a dark book. This, to me, is neither dark nor light, neither too humorous nor too serious, it's not a kid's adventure and yet, it's not an adult book either, it's stuck in the middle. But at least, I sort of enjoy reading it.

02 - The unexpected guest by Agatha Christie and novelized by Charles Osborne > link
What's it about: murders, revenge, people moving around
At first, I didn't know this was novelized by Charles Osborne based on Christie's play. Even on the cover, his name is in the shadows so I didn't see it right away. I wasn't going to read this when I discovered this but then I thought, I should give it a try. Not the best reading decision I made but it's not the worst book I read.
    Charles Osborne was a student of Agatha Christine which probably, maybe, qualified him to novelize her novels but I don't think he quite captured Christie's writing style. The writing is too amateurish and it sometimes reads like a play because the descriptions of the characters' movements are too obvious. You definitely get this feeling that every character is playing a game of rotation where they open and closes doors, come and go, constantly moving about. All the dialogues are mostly presented in a way that even when two people are talking, it feels like a setup. And he did the one thing I hate with dialogues. After a person had spoke, it ends with, 'John told Jane' or 'John told her' - I really think using 'John said' or 'he said' would have been better. This novelization is just not novelized enough, it still kind of read like a play. And I guessed who was the murderer right away which if you've read a lot Christie's books like I have, you can also guessed who it was.  

03 - Hercule Poirot's Christmas (A Hercule Poirot Mystery) by Agatha Christie > link
What's it about: murders, family gathering, diamonds
It's titled Hercule Poirot's Christmas but really, it could take place any time actually. The murderer was a surprise to me. I didn't even suspect the guy. I think I would prefer the old man killed himself just to annoy his children, he seemed the type. As far as locked-room mystery goes, this was a bit unbelievable but when Poirot explained, it did seem a little more believable.

04 - Elephants Can Remember (A Hercule Poirot Mystery) by Agatha Christie > link
What's it about: past murders, memories, elephants
I wouldn't say this was a boring story but it was kind of boring with a long beginning where we get a lot of repetitive talk about the mystery and not much else. I don't usually read the synopsis so I don't know what the mystery is going to be but when I got to the part where they mentioned identical twins, I sort of knew what might occurred and I was corrected.
    I don't enjoy mysteries where you have to dig up the past to find answers, where the evidences are all gone and there is only people's memories to solve the mystery and this book is that kind of mystery. The answers is exactly what you would expect if you have read any mysteries involving twins so I didn't like this all that much. The appearance of Mrs. Ariadne Oliver was somber and Hercule Poirot was his usual self but neither one made the mystery worth dredging through all this. And the mention of elephants throughout the book wasn't funny or was it not supposed to be funny? The ideas of elephants having good memories is just overused.

05 - Curtain: Poirot's Last Case (A Hercule Poirot Mystery) by Agatha Christie > link
What's it about: past murders, people on vacation, wives, husbands, bed-and-breakfast
SPOILERS AHEAD (though I do not name the murderer): I knew this is the book where Poirot dies but it's just odd. It seemed he took his own life by removing the drug that couldn't save him? I'm not quite certain but it seemed like he was in really bad health and then to find out he wasn't immobilized as we thought and yet, he is in bad health. I'm just confused by that bit.
    I suppose it's good that Poirot's last case has an intriguing murderer who used the power of persuasion to make people kill and the murderer is a good foe for Poirot. What I don't understand, even toward the end, Poirot doesn't tell Hastings who the killer was. So yes, in the beginning, it did seem reasonable for Hastings not to know but at the end, Poirot still didn't tell him. He only found out after Poirot has died.
    Then there was the ending as a postscript explanation aka a letter to Hastings, much like And then there were none. It's nice we hear directly from Poirot but still, it's a written statement. He didn't get to gather people around and reveal the killer. And Hastings and Poirot are both made killers, Hastings by accident and Poirot by deliberation. I'm not sure I like Poirot killing another human especially for someone who values life so much. END SPOILER.
       I don't really like this ending to the series but then again, it wasn't entirely a bad way to end. Honestly, I would have preferred Poirot going on retirement or getting married to a lady with a bunch smart children but that's not his style.
    Favorite quote: "Truth is seldom appreciated. And yet it saves a lot of time and a lot of inaccurate speech." - Chapter 15

Read any good books in January? How is your February going?