Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
Very fun read. Everyone should have a chance to enjoy these classic stories.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
It was better when I imagined Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock and Martin Freeman as Watson!
I really enjoyed this whole collection of stories. It was fun to read each one and try and deduce what Sherlock Holmes was going to come up with this time! The only thing I was disappointed in was that it seemed to end all too soon and without a solid conclusion... but perhaps that is the point! Perhaps we are meant to believe that Sherlock Holmes is still out there, diligently solving cases for the seemingly hopeless populous. Definitely a fun classic to read!
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Many of these stories end with an oddly abrupt or open quality, like "The Five Orange Pips" where Holmes swears vengeance on the KKK--except then the ship the Klansman villain is on sinks so that was that. I would have loved to see Holmes travel to America to take down the Klan. Still, that only makes Holmes and Watson seem more real, somehow, and even when the mysteries themselves are absurd (the infamous milk-drinking sound-hearing snake in "The Speckled Band") the characters and the milieu live and breathe.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a reread for me, but the last time I read it was probably 20 years ago! Some of the stories were better than others, but some favorites for me were The Red-Headed League, The Blue Carbuncle, The Speckled Band, The Beryl Coronet, and the Copper Beeches. Stephen Fry was excellent as a narrator--I could listen to him for hours! My goal is to slowly make my way through the Holmes books this year, so this was a great start!
January 23, 2022:
Another reread, because I couldn't stay away. Stephen Fry was just as good, and my favorites were the same as previously listed, although as I listened to the Five Orange Pips, I was struck anew about how much Doyle was fascinated with cults and secret societies. With the Scandal in Bohemia, I have to admit I was picturing Benedict Cumberbatch and Lara Pulver the whole time, lol. Looking forward to listening to the rest of the books; this time I'm listening to them in order, rather than jumping around. However, I can highly recommend this recording of the complete works, especially because the menu makes it very easy to navigate to whichever tale you might be interested in.
Some famous quotes that caught my ear:
“You have a grand gift for silence, Watson. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion.” The Man with the Twisted Lip
"You see but you do not observe" Scandal in Bohemia
January 23, 2022:
Another reread, because I couldn't stay away. Stephen Fry was just as good, and my favorites were the same as previously listed, although as I listened to the Five Orange Pips, I was struck anew about how much Doyle was fascinated with cults and secret societies. With the Scandal in Bohemia, I have to admit I was picturing Benedict Cumberbatch and Lara Pulver the whole time, lol. Looking forward to listening to the rest of the books; this time I'm listening to them in order, rather than jumping around. However, I can highly recommend this recording of the complete works, especially because the menu makes it very easy to navigate to whichever tale you might be interested in.
Some famous quotes that caught my ear:
“You have a grand gift for silence, Watson. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion.” The Man with the Twisted Lip
"You see but you do not observe" Scandal in Bohemia