(no subject)

As I came out again, I cannoned into a little man who was just entering. I drew aside and apologised, when suddenly, with a loud exclamation, he clasped me in his arms and kissed me warmly.

"Mon ami Hastings!" he cried. "It is indeed mon ami Hastings!"

"Poirot!" I exclaimed.

-Things get... French (well, Belgian) in The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

I just finished reading the first Hercule Poirot book and let me tell you: I am a little ashamed that I only registered slightly above Archibald Hastings (He's like Watson, but think more huffy) in the figuring out clues department. Also, I am not a Hastings fan, although he became less completely irritating near the end of the book.

A run down of the book: Archibald Hastings is the narrator. He thinks he's right a lot. Poirot is this little Belgian chap he knows, who he comes across right before there's a murder. Fortunately, Belgians are always on hand for crime-solving. See: Tintin.

I pretty much ended up suspecting everyone except Hastings throughout the story, which made the ending fairly satisfactory. And Poirot even gave a good explanation for ticking me off through the book with: "Oh oh I know who it is! HASTINGS I AM NOT TELLING YOU, FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF" (Hastings goes: "screw you, Belgie!")

There is, however, what I will refer to as 'the sudden chapter of immense racism' where one character manages to get in slurs against: East Indians, First Nations, Africans, and I'm pretty sure if Poirot hadn't cut her off, we'd have gotten a few other adorable slurs. Later, there's a 'of course he's clever, he's a Jew!' which mostly just left me confused.

Then it got back to the mystery, thank you jesus.

Overall: Liked the mystery. Think maybe Dorcas the maid shouldn't have been so 'down to earth' or whatever it was Christie was going for there.

It made me think of Tintin a lot (just the Belgian association), so I hope my pal Hina does well on her GRE tomorrow so we can resume work on our Tintin fic now that she doesn't have to study all the time! Everyone who reads this, think good luck thoughts at her, okay?

Fun fact: the guy I'm voting for in the election in may is a Belgian! He has a mustache too, which is aces.