The kingdom of the blind vs The Vanished Messenger: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Espionage, Spy Fiction, Fiction
The kingdom of the blind
“Lady Anselman stood in the centre of the lounge at the Ritz Hotel and with a delicately-poised forefinger counted her guests.”
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E. Phillips Oppenheim’s 1916 thriller follows the search for a German spy in Great Britain during World War I, and highlights wartime tensions among the British upper class.
The Vanished Messenger
“There were very few people upon Platform Number Twenty-one of Liverpool Street Station at a quarter to nine on the evening of April 2 - possibly because the platform in question is one of the most remote and least used in the great terminus.”
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There were very few people upon Platform Number Twenty one of Liverpool Street Station at a quarter to nine on the evening of April 2 possibly because the platform in question is one of the most remote and least used in…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The Vanished Messenger has the widest readership — 69 ratings behind its score.
Scores by source
| The kingdom of the blind | The Vanished Messenger | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.8 (56) | 3.8 (69) |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (7) | 4.5 (16) |
Reception
| The kingdom of the blind | The Vanished Messenger | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 56 | 69 |
| Editions | 188 | 241 |
| Want to read | 72 | 85 |
| Reading it now | — | 21 |
| Written reviews | 11 | 8 |
| Pages | 220 | 245 |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: The kingdom of the blind or The Vanished Messenger?
The kingdom of the blind has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The kingdom of the blind 3.8/5, The Vanished Messenger 3.8/5).
Which is shorter to read: The kingdom of the blind or The Vanished Messenger?
The kingdom of the blind is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The kingdom of the blind (220 pages, ≈ 4 h 04 m); The Vanished Messenger (245 pages, ≈ 4 h 32 m).
Which is harder to read: The kingdom of the blind or The Vanished Messenger?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — The kingdom of the blind: Challenging; The Vanished Messenger: Challenging.