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YMMV / The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side

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  • Harsher in Hindsight: This book could take on an unfortunate new relevance in the wake of the anti-vaccination movement and subsequent rise in measles cases in the US and Europe, as well as the 2020 coronavirus pandemic and the orders in many nations to not break quarantine.
  • Unintentionally Unsympathetic: Margot Bence has good reason to dislike Marina after what had happened between them, but her harsh words for Marina's disabled child comes off quite distasteful to modern readers. In the Julia McKenzie adaptation, upon hearing Margot's words, Dolly Bantry replies "You hate [Marina] that much?" in response.
  • Values Resonance:
    • The book takes a potshot at celebrities adopting children without really wanting to care for them. It's revealed that Marina adopted three kids, but neglected them after she was pregnant with her own; she doesn't even recognize her grown daughter at a party. Because of her connections, she was able to send them to other families, and they haven't forgiven her. Miss Marple realizes none of them was the killer because they'd rather have nothing to do with Marina after the way she treated them.
    • The crux of the mystery is a reminder of why quarantining is so important during disease outbreaks—even if you aren't feeling sick, you can still spread illnesses to other people and infect them, which could cause severe problems, especially if they are immunocompromised or otherwise affected by a medical condition.

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