Does spark notes help?

Question

well i have to read murder on the orient express for my summer reading

but i dont really want to read the book so i was wondering if i had a test on the book would sparknotes help

Answer 1

We teachers know all about the cheat sites.  Cliff's notes and sparknotes.com and pinkmonkey.com are all good references to help clarify what you've read or to refresh your memory.  They're not meant as substitues for the book.  If you want to see what I mean, go to sparknotes.com and look up a book that you have read.  You'll see that there are lots of details that don't appear in the summary.  You lose the personality of the book.  You don't get a feel for the writer's style or mood.  There's just no substitue for the book.  Will you pass the test? Probably.  You'll be missing a good book, though.

Answer 2

Use "Study Guides" to get a clearer understanding but remember there is no substitute for reading the book; the guides should be used as an aid to and not in place of.

Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie - Study Guides:

Features: Chapter-By-Chapter Summary and Commentary, Plot Summary, Character Descriptions, Study Quiz, Message Board

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/orientexpr...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_on_t...

Answer 3

There's no tellin'.  It would all depend on the teacher and how in depth she/he makes the questions on the test.  It's always best to just read the book.  At least skim it and use sparknotes as a summary guide so you know a little about what's going on.

Answer 4

That book is so good though! I read it for my summer reading a few years ago! Don't worry about annotating, because that can make it worse to read. Just read it like you picked it up at Barnes and Noble and you're reading for fun.

SparkNotes HELPS, but it certainly doesn't beat the real thing. What I mean is, don't expect to get great grades if you just read Sparknotes. I had tests with quotes, and if I didn't read the book, I wouldn't have passed.

Answer 5

It is a great book and it is not hard to read.  If your teacher is any good s/he will know about cliff notes, spark notes, paper sites etc.  Why start off your year with your teacher wondering if you are a cheat?