Alexandre Franc

Well, I can't imagine wanting to spend more than an hour reading about the life of an English mystery writer whose works I don't recall ever reading, but I do wish that hour had been more pleasurable. This biographical graphic novel is just a string of vignettes or happenings about a person whose life wasn't particularly interesting. The two things that intrigued me, a manufactured disappearance and marriage to an archeologist 15 years her junior, get a few extra pages but little depth. Too show more much time is wasted with Christie having dialogues with her characters, giving an ironic twist to the book's subtitle, "The Real Life of Agatha Christie." show less

How much do you know about Agatha Christie? There is probably noone that had never heard her name but I am not sure how many people know about her life - from a mysterious disappearance to being an archaeologist for awhile; from being a nurse during the war to becoming one of the most celebrated crime writers in the world.

This graphic novel tells her story - not just the story of how she wrote her novels but the story of a life lived to the full - from a little girl being told that children show more under 8 should never read books to a Dame; from being in a not so happy marriage to finding the love of her life. The story goes linearly - except for the start - because it opens with a real mystery.

The Dame of the mystery field lived through a mystery of her own. One day she disappeared - her car found next to a lake, her documents inside and she was nowhere to be seen. Her husband got accused (especially considering that he had an affair) and lived through some very unpleasant days. Until she showed up -- and claimed she does not remember anything. Despite the fact that she orchestrated everything.

And then the story returns back to her childhood and start moving through her life. Even though I knew the facts, I still liked reading the story again. She lived an interesting life and despite the brevity which the format requires, the story flowed well. A few pages for every important moment and then moving to the next one.

And somewhere between the pages of the graphic novel, we also get not only to hear about her detectives - Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and Tommy and Tuppence, but we also get to meet them. They are given real lives - advising their author and being there for her when needed. And that works - surprisingly it works beautifully.

Add to this Alexandre Franc's old fashioned illustrations. I was a bit worried about the art when I saw the book on the shelf - a modern layout and style just does not suit Agatha Christie. And Franc understood that - and created exactly the correct style for this biography. I do not know if he was selected because of his style or he chose the style for the book but it was a perfect match.

Even if you know the story, the book has so many details that there may be some surprises. I wish there were more details and some elements were more pronounced but that's always the choice of the author. And if you do not know the story, it is a nice way to learn about the woman that was Agatha Christie. show less

Agatha: The Real Life of Agatha Christie is a graphic novel telling the story of Agatha Christie's life and most famous works. Interspersed throughout are appearances from her characters, including Tommy and Tuppence, Miss Marple, and, most frequently, Hercule Poirot.

This is an excellent, creative endeavor that manages a new take on the truth of Christie's life. It opens with her infamous and still unsolved disappearance, then takes readers back to the beginning of young Agatha's life, her show more relationship with her father, her first marriage, her divorce, her second marriage, her child, her travels...and all along, her writing.

I would definitely recommend this for anyone who is a fan of Agatha Christie. show less

All the allegations in here are difficult to digest and accept, but it is necessary to witness the injustices committed by the U.S. government in the Guantánamo Bay detention facility. Why is this place still open?