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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation
It’s a product of its time. The casual racism, sexism, classism and xenophobia is scattered throughout and occasionally startling but also interesting as an insight into the mindset of the people in the time and place it was written. None of this is to say that any of these attitudes are acceptable, just to give context to the warnings for people who are considering reading it.
There is also a lot of something I don’t know how to label - a blend of phrenology, classism, racism and pretty privilege. After a while you can tell if a character is going to turn out to be a goody or a baddie from the first description of them. It reminds me of early anthropology.
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
second (?) read:
the reason for the question marks is because i know i've read this more than twice. i've read this at least 3 times, but i cannot recall the dates. i know i first read it sometime in 2019, and a couple times after that, aside from this year, but i don't think i documented any of that-
anyhow, i love these stories. the adventures of sherlock holmes were my introduction to the iconic sherlock holmes and my introduction to my favourite genre, mysteries. sherlock holmes has always been a character that i loved and i think he will always be. he was one of the first characters i ever related to in literature and his relationship with watson is something that's so beautiful; i love to talk about it incessantly.
i personally think that the adventures are the best sherlock holmes stories, second to "a study in scarlet". the collection here is the most intriguing, the most peculiar and interesting cases that holmes has ever handled and i think that it also gives the reader insight, a good amount of it, on what holmes and watson are really like (because they're a bit awkward in "study in scarlet" as they don't know one another too well) and what their friendship is like. my personal favourite out of these stories has always been, and i think it might always be unless i change my mind, "the scandal of bohemia". the character of irene adler has always been one that i admired a lot. she's brilliant and i think that she's amazing honestly. a true badass.
i just love this book and i love the holmes stories. they mean a lot to me :)
first (?) read:
I really liked this! The adventures were pretty interesting and I really enjoyed them!
the reason for the question marks is because i know i've read this more than twice. i've read this at least 3 times, but i cannot recall the dates. i know i first read it sometime in 2019, and a couple times after that, aside from this year, but i don't think i documented any of that-
anyhow, i love these stories. the adventures of sherlock holmes were my introduction to the iconic sherlock holmes and my introduction to my favourite genre, mysteries. sherlock holmes has always been a character that i loved and i think he will always be. he was one of the first characters i ever related to in literature and his relationship with watson is something that's so beautiful; i love to talk about it incessantly.
i personally think that the adventures are the best sherlock holmes stories, second to "a study in scarlet". the collection here is the most intriguing, the most peculiar and interesting cases that holmes has ever handled and i think that it also gives the reader insight, a good amount of it, on what holmes and watson are really like (because they're a bit awkward in "study in scarlet" as they don't know one another too well) and what their friendship is like. my personal favourite out of these stories has always been, and i think it might always be unless i change my mind, "the scandal of bohemia". the character of irene adler has always been one that i admired a lot. she's brilliant and i think that she's amazing honestly. a true badass.
i just love this book and i love the holmes stories. they mean a lot to me :)
first (?) read:
I really liked this! The adventures were pretty interesting and I really enjoyed them!
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A collection of short stories, great for dipping in and out when you have a fair bit of time to kill. Most of the crimes are not only well thought out, but also very ingenious; the only obvious crime is the final 'Adventure of the Copper Beeches'. The criticism of Holmes appearing overly omniscient stands at times, but isn't as detrimental to the stories as some make out.
As I make my way through the Holmes canon, the atmosphere Conan Doyle creates using the characters, their brotherly relationship and their surroundings keeps these books amongst my favourites.
As I make my way through the Holmes canon, the atmosphere Conan Doyle creates using the characters, their brotherly relationship and their surroundings keeps these books amongst my favourites.
4/5
Yep, Sherlock works a LOT better in short stories.
Yep, Sherlock works a LOT better in short stories.