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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is an anthology of clever short mysteries that are necessary for growing in affection and familiarity towards our beloved protagonists.
Favorites were The Man with the Twisted Lip, The Adventure of the Speckled Band and The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb. All stories I hope to see in the upcoming BBC series!
Liked the novellas far better. Probably not the best short story collection of Sherlock Holmes.
Individual ratings:
1) A Scandal in Bohemia: 5 stars
2) The Red-headed League: 4 stars
3) A Case of Identity: 2 stars
4) The Boscombe Valley Mystery: 2 stars
5) The Five Orange Pips: 3 stars
6) The Man With The Twisted Lip: 2.5 stars
7) The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle: 3 stars
8) The Adventure of the Speckled Band: 5 stars
9) The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb: 3.75 stars
10) The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor: 3 stars
11) The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet: 3 stars
12) The Adventure of the Copper Beeches: 4 stars
Ratings averaged and rounded to 3.5 stars
Individual ratings:
1) A Scandal in Bohemia: 5 stars
2) The Red-headed League: 4 stars
3) A Case of Identity: 2 stars
4) The Boscombe Valley Mystery: 2 stars
5) The Five Orange Pips: 3 stars
6) The Man With The Twisted Lip: 2.5 stars
7) The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle: 3 stars
8) The Adventure of the Speckled Band: 5 stars
9) The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb: 3.75 stars
10) The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor: 3 stars
11) The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet: 3 stars
12) The Adventure of the Copper Beeches: 4 stars
Ratings averaged and rounded to 3.5 stars
My new love affair with Sherlock Holmes and Watson continues!
I continue to be impressed with the modernity that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes his stories, but The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes just did not grip me as much as the first two books. I think by the end of this collection, he realizes that himself because in The Copper Beeches (likely the standout episode of the book, and also the final chapter), he says "in avoiding the sensational, I fear that you [Watson] may have bordered on the trivial." These are stories about finding missing gems and tiaras, or figuring out why someone was hired for a questionable job.
Unlike the first two books, which take their time to unravel a larger mystery, each chapter is its own mystery. I fully appreciate the art that is the serialized novel, but that loss of a through-line really cut this collection short. Vague references to previous episodes and a muddy timeline help to give this some continuity though -- and I understand that part of "The Great Game" is figuring out the order of Holmes and Watson's life.
The Copper Beeches and A Scandal in Bohemia are likely the stand-out episodes in the book, giving Adventures a strong start and finish. Unfortunately, none of the other stories really stand out for their own merits. It is interesting to see Doyle's take on Australian colonialism or the KKK, but a lot of these blend together to add up to nothing. There are multiple cases of assumed identities or tricking people through job offers. By spreading the story so thin, none of them ever quite reach the heights that I would have liked.
Unfortunately, as I understand it, most of what will follow are Sherlock Holmes short stories. (With the only (?) exception being Hound of the Baskervilles? I am unversed in Holmes' novels so I'll learn as I go.) If I'm slightly burnt out after three books, I can understand how Doyle was burnt out on the character after working on this for a lifetime.
Unlike the first two books, which take their time to unravel a larger mystery, each chapter is its own mystery. I fully appreciate the art that is the serialized novel, but that loss of a through-line really cut this collection short. Vague references to previous episodes and a muddy timeline help to give this some continuity though -- and I understand that part of "The Great Game" is figuring out the order of Holmes and Watson's life.
The Copper Beeches and A Scandal in Bohemia are likely the stand-out episodes in the book, giving Adventures a strong start and finish. Unfortunately, none of the other stories really stand out for their own merits. It is interesting to see Doyle's take on Australian colonialism or the KKK, but a lot of these blend together to add up to nothing. There are multiple cases of assumed identities or tricking people through job offers. By spreading the story so thin, none of them ever quite reach the heights that I would have liked.
Unfortunately, as I understand it, most of what will follow are Sherlock Holmes short stories. (With the only (?) exception being Hound of the Baskervilles? I am unversed in Holmes' novels so I'll learn as I go.) If I'm slightly burnt out after three books, I can understand how Doyle was burnt out on the character after working on this for a lifetime.
What could I possibly say about an author who has not only inspired many different TV and movie versions of his character, but also an entire genre of detective mysteries? BTW, currently loving Benedict Cumberbatch's modern version of Sherlock. Those are some pretty smart producers to be able to pull that series off.
3.5 ⭐ how many times does ACD need to write 'ejaculated' in one bloody novel?
adventurous
funny
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Rly got into a mystery trend for a minute there, and figured I should go back to the ~classic~ since I’ve never read the actual Sherlock books before. They were pretty great honestly, engaging, relaxing, Sherlock is way more of a full character than a lot of the tv shows give him credit for, weirdly, like… he’s always rude af in the tv shows/movies for no reason, but in this he’s a smart guy and like mildly rude sometimes but mostly pretty genial and accommodating, esp to ppl that aren’t being shady. Watson is kinda rude, weirdly, bc in the shows he’s always the one that’s like “sorry for my BITCHASS FRIEND, excuse him he has NO EMPATHY AND IS A PRICK”
but in a lot of the stories he’s way more likely to be rude to someone or make a judgment quickly about someone than Sherlock is.
but in a lot of the stories he’s way more likely to be rude to someone or make a judgment quickly about someone than Sherlock is.