Title: Pretentious Jargon
Product review: Pierre Bayard's Who Killed Roger Ackroyd? reminds me of the pretentious literary theory jargon of Deconstructionism--it sounds like it should mean something, but it's never clear what. Chapters 2 and 3, in which he discusses the theory of writing mystery novels, are interesting and informing. The two chapters in which he identifies the "true" murderer gives one much on which to exercise the little grey cells. (I won't pull a spoiler on either book.) However, the bulk of the book is Freudian psychobabble that confounds rather than reveals meaning. The best thing that I can say about Who Killed Roger Ackroyd? is that it reminds me that I haven't re-read Agatha Christie in a long time, and I should.
Would you say this review depicts the product in a flattering or unflattering light?
