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starthelostgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely my favorite set of Holmes stories. I’d place these even above many of Conan Doyle’s originals. Faye gives the characters a heart and vibrancy they have never had before. I’ve read dozens of Holmes pastiches, but none had me feeling like Sherlock and Watson could actually be real people like this set did. She saw through the usual tropes and gave them depth and humanity, as well as writing engaging and creative mysteries for them to solve.
I am excited to read more by Faye!
I am excited to read more by Faye!
kayteeem's review against another edition
I thought the voices of Sherlock/Watson were very well done in this one, and the stories were carefully crafted to fit just so between the canon.
acacia_happy_hour's review against another edition
5.0
How is her Watson voice SO good??????? Sounds as though it came straight from the pen of Conan Doyle himself. I am ever impressed.
pippsissewa's review against another edition
I had to return it to the library before I could finish it
heidenkind's review against another edition
1.0
Rewriting Holmes so that he's way too woke. Also the stories were kinda boring.
mwgerard's review against another edition
5.0
Holmes fanatics rejoice! Finally there is a collection of stories that adequately celebrate, and imitate, the original.
I am always suspicious when approaching a book that carries on where the original left off. Death Comes to Pemberley, Rebecca’s Tale, The House of Silk, and The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes all failed with varying degrees of embarrassment. As a reader, I was left angry, disappointed and frustrated by those titles.
A fatal flaw in those and so many similar books is the temptation to somehow recreate a more formal past. Silk dresses and fancy mansions overshadow a good story with interesting characters.
I’ve often argued that what makes Holmes so good, and so evergreen, is the simplicity. The style of writing is not fanciful and the adventures are varied. The loss of a gem or a horse is found next to dictionary transcription and a quiet child in equal measure.
Please read my full review: http://mwgerard.com/review-the-whole-art-of-detection/
I am always suspicious when approaching a book that carries on where the original left off. Death Comes to Pemberley, Rebecca’s Tale, The House of Silk, and The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes all failed with varying degrees of embarrassment. As a reader, I was left angry, disappointed and frustrated by those titles.
A fatal flaw in those and so many similar books is the temptation to somehow recreate a more formal past. Silk dresses and fancy mansions overshadow a good story with interesting characters.
I’ve often argued that what makes Holmes so good, and so evergreen, is the simplicity. The style of writing is not fanciful and the adventures are varied. The loss of a gem or a horse is found next to dictionary transcription and a quiet child in equal measure.
Please read my full review: http://mwgerard.com/review-the-whole-art-of-detection/
readingfourme's review against another edition
All told in the narrative style of sitting around telling a story. Wasn’t for me.
nickleby_shepherd's review against another edition
5.0
Simply great. Faye is remarkable at finding Dr. Watson’s voice. There two Mr. Holmes narrated tales that were just as delightful. Some inspired accommodations to Canonical holes. Splendid stories in the spirit of the originals. Great reading for sprints or an enjoy-a-tale put-the-book-awhile-come-back-again-later marathon.
beemini's review against another edition
5.0
Lyndsay Faye is just so good at 19th century mystery. Her Holmes and Watson feel natural and the scene-setting of Victorian London is wonderful. Her writing is superb, effortlessly giving us the flowery prose of Arthur Conan Doyle while imbued with witty asides. The stories penned by Holmes instead of Watson were very entertaining thanks to their distinct style and emotional undercurrents (if you know, you know). Watson's first draft of a story, complete with edits, is another standout. She used the short adventures to flesh out the heroes' emotional lives as well, which updates the appeal of the tales for our modern literary tastes.