letsbebookpals's reviews
208 reviews

A Psalm for the Wild-Built is a cozy sci-fi about a tea monk (Dex) and a robot (Mosscap) in a wonderful world that gives me hope for the future. 

The most impactful part for me was a discussion about meaning/purpose that happens toward the end. Mosscap’s perspective is exactly what I wanted/needed to hear.

I gave it 3.5 stars because while I liked it, I felt that Dex wasn’t very relatable. I guess I’m just not restless like they are, so it made reading their perspective a little frustrating at times. Even so, I did appreciate them.

I want to emphasize that I did like it overall, and I’d highly recommend it. Looking forward to continuing this series! 

“It is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it… You are allowed to just live.”

In Murder on the Links, Poirot and Hastings head to France to answer a letter from a man in danger. Unfortunately, they arrive too late. The man has been murdered and they must find his killer…

This was a fun one! So many twists and turns, interesting characters with intriguing identities, and a cute love story to top it all off. This book was an absolute treat.

“Mon ami, a clue of two feet long is every bit as valuable as one measuring two millimeters! But it is the romantic idea that all important clues must be infinitesimal.”

Just not the moment for this one. I’ll read it later.

John Christow has it all: a family, a career, a mistress; but he’s still not happy. Then, on a weekend trip, he ends up murdered. Luckily, Hercule Poirot is on the scene!

The most memorable moment in this one is definitely the discovery of the body. The reveal at the end felt anticlimactic, but by that point, the revelation of whodunnit wasn’t nearly as important as where the characters ended up. There was such a tangle of relationships! I found that part of  the ending satisfying enough.

You can really tell Agatha Christie did not want Poirot in this one. It feels more like her other books, shifting POVs and focusing on the interpersonal relationships of the suspects. Poirot himself isn’t in it much at all. :(

There are a few conversations from this book that will stick with me. I’m sure I’ll be thinking about this book for the rest of my life.

“Truth, however bitter, can be accepted, and woven into a design for living.” 

Dr James Sheppard’s friend Roger Ackroyd is murdered. Luckily, he lives next door to Hercule Poirot! The retired detective can’t help but get involved in the investigation. Growing his vegetable marrows will have to wait…

The reveal of the killer is very good, but I was misled by the hype. People say you absolutely cannot figure it out, so I suspected every background character. The killer is completely guessable. Even so, the reveal is powerful.

This story will change my expectations for every book I read after it. I love the characters, the narration, the pacing… It’s a masterpiece.

“The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to the seeker after it.”

I might come back to this later. It’s just so wordy and old and British… It’s hard to follow.

This one was really tricky. I couldn’t exactly guess whodunnit, but it was a fun ride anyway. 

That last line though… wtf?

This book is so vulnerable and real. “The Price of Your Body” in particular resonated with my experience of the healthcare system.

Taussig’s questions will stick with me for years to come, especially, “You have what we want! What barriers can we remove so we can have you around?”

She presents the current reality and a moving but very attainable vision for the future.

A different narrator this time: Nurse Amy Leatheran! I really enjoyed her voice and it was fun to see Poirot from her perspective. 

A comment near the end

places this book chronologically before Murder on the Orient Express,

which I thought was interesting.

This is the second time I’ve been able to guess whodunnit, but I couldn’t work out how. Made for a fun read. :)