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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Really grabbed me at first then leveled out as we wrapped up.
I really enjoyed this gender switch of the famous Holmes and Watson.
I felt it took a bit too long for "Sherlock" to get settled in. I also really didn't enjoy the "tolerable chins" comments which, in my view, play into fatphobia and toxic diet culture practices. I did enjoy the mystery element and the characters, especially Watson. I could see myself continuing the series, it definitely fits the mood of what I was looking for.
Audio book review.
I like the twist on the Sherlock Holmes story, but I find the main character confusing. She's not exactly pleasant, intriguing, or even very memorable. I just remember thinking she reminded me of Elphaba in Wicked, so stoic and cold. I had a hard time connecting with her as the main character. Otherwise, the familiarity of the Sherlock stories made it an enjoyable read overall. Would recommend.
I like the twist on the Sherlock Holmes story, but I find the main character confusing. She's not exactly pleasant, intriguing, or even very memorable. I just remember thinking she reminded me of Elphaba in Wicked, so stoic and cold. I had a hard time connecting with her as the main character. Otherwise, the familiarity of the Sherlock stories made it an enjoyable read overall. Would recommend.
Wow, I did not figure this out ahead of the story. Great fun read. Impressed I was not able to figure it out ahead of the characters, usually I am good at predictions.
I actually just read A Study In Scarlet earlier this year as part of #theunreadshelfproject2018 so it was fun to read this retelling with it fresh in my mind. I thought Sherry Thomas did a fantastic job and I loved it! I loved the take on Sherlock Holmes being a woman
“Do not undervalue what you are ultimately worth because you are at a momentary disadvantage.”
Charlotte Holmes, one of 4 sisters who live together in the household, is quite extraordinary. She is extremely well gifted with her mental faculties, and with her superior skills of deduction and analysis, she can find out where a person was born, whether the place they were born was also the same place they grew up in, and whether they're happily married or are shattered because of heartbreak, and whether they were likely to have committed murder in the last 24 hours, all by seemingly trivial aspects such as what they are wearing at the moment. It is no surprise that with such a sharp mind, Charlotte is quite the outcast amongst her family and society, not fitting within the labels of what members of her sex were supposed to be like during her time. Not content with a regular fate such as marriage, she beseeches her father to help her achieve her ambition of becoming a headmistress and becoming a high income earner to be as self-sufficient as possible. When a series of crimes threaten the safety of her family and make them prime suspects in the murder, Charlotte decides to take matters into her own hands, and thus we witness the birth of Sherlock Holmes, her alias.
“Worrying about outcomes over which I have no control is punishing myself before the universe has decided whether I ought to be punished.”
I was in the mood to read historical fiction and came across this book, and seeing that it was also a mystery, I delved into it with enthusiasm. It was nice reading this new spin on the popular character of Sherlock Holmes, brought back to life as a female. Well known characters in the franchise make their appearances, and fans of the franchise would either be thrilled with this re-imagining of the story, or, if they are purists, find it frustrating. As for me personally, I haven't really delved into Sherlock Holmes apart from watching a few episodes of the TV series, so I didn't have a strong opinion on it. However, the narrative structure here wasn't really a strong point for me. It reads a bit too dry and tends to do a lot of info-dumping. I was intrigued by the character dynamics at the beginning but it eventually got old and I found myself bored, waiting for it to end. The mystery was mildly intriguing but nothing I was crazy about, and there were too many characters thrown at the reader and in a pretty dry style that made me struggle to pay attention. I didn't have the patience to go back and see if I could catch every little clue in retrospect, though the conclusion of the mystery was a positive point, but there was too much "data overload" and that alongside the dry prose made it difficult to focus and retain all the names.
“Though I suppose it's better to marry an idiot than someone who thinks you're an idiot.”
I might want to re-read this someday, knowing the culprit and seeing how all the things tie together exactly, when I'm in a clearer headspace. I don't know if I'll continue with the rest, but nevertheless, this wasn't too bad, and I don't regret reading it, but it didn't too quite much for me. I would feel like it's a 2.75 for me, but keeping it in the 2s feels a bit harsh because I felt more lukewarm about it alongside boredom more than outright dislike, so I'll be rounding it up to a 3. This is a recommended read if you enjoy historical fiction and are a fan of Sherlock Holmes re-imaginings. I hope the writing gets a bit more exciting in future installments though.
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“Remind yourself that you're far more likely to undercharge than overcharge, my dear, because you don't yet understand your own value and you've never been taught to demand your full worth.”
Charlotte Holmes, one of 4 sisters who live together in the household, is quite extraordinary. She is extremely well gifted with her mental faculties, and with her superior skills of deduction and analysis, she can find out where a person was born, whether the place they were born was also the same place they grew up in, and whether they're happily married or are shattered because of heartbreak, and whether they were likely to have committed murder in the last 24 hours, all by seemingly trivial aspects such as what they are wearing at the moment. It is no surprise that with such a sharp mind, Charlotte is quite the outcast amongst her family and society, not fitting within the labels of what members of her sex were supposed to be like during her time. Not content with a regular fate such as marriage, she beseeches her father to help her achieve her ambition of becoming a headmistress and becoming a high income earner to be as self-sufficient as possible. When a series of crimes threaten the safety of her family and make them prime suspects in the murder, Charlotte decides to take matters into her own hands, and thus we witness the birth of Sherlock Holmes, her alias.
“Worrying about outcomes over which I have no control is punishing myself before the universe has decided whether I ought to be punished.”
I was in the mood to read historical fiction and came across this book, and seeing that it was also a mystery, I delved into it with enthusiasm. It was nice reading this new spin on the popular character of Sherlock Holmes, brought back to life as a female. Well known characters in the franchise make their appearances, and fans of the franchise would either be thrilled with this re-imagining of the story, or, if they are purists, find it frustrating. As for me personally, I haven't really delved into Sherlock Holmes apart from watching a few episodes of the TV series, so I didn't have a strong opinion on it. However, the narrative structure here wasn't really a strong point for me. It reads a bit too dry and tends to do a lot of info-dumping. I was intrigued by the character dynamics at the beginning but it eventually got old and I found myself bored, waiting for it to end. The mystery was mildly intriguing but nothing I was crazy about, and there were too many characters thrown at the reader and in a pretty dry style that made me struggle to pay attention. I didn't have the patience to go back and see if I could catch every little clue in retrospect, though the conclusion of the mystery was a positive point, but there was too much "data overload" and that alongside the dry prose made it difficult to focus and retain all the names.
“Though I suppose it's better to marry an idiot than someone who thinks you're an idiot.”
I might want to re-read this someday, knowing the culprit and seeing how all the things tie together exactly, when I'm in a clearer headspace. I don't know if I'll continue with the rest, but nevertheless, this wasn't too bad, and I don't regret reading it, but it didn't too quite much for me. I would feel like it's a 2.75 for me, but keeping it in the 2s feels a bit harsh because I felt more lukewarm about it alongside boredom more than outright dislike, so I'll be rounding it up to a 3. This is a recommended read if you enjoy historical fiction and are a fan of Sherlock Holmes re-imaginings. I hope the writing gets a bit more exciting in future installments though.
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“Remind yourself that you're far more likely to undercharge than overcharge, my dear, because you don't yet understand your own value and you've never been taught to demand your full worth.”
Wonderful! I liked the homage to Sherlock Holmes, but loved the updated characters and new twists even more! Good mystery, compelling characters, with a smidge of romance thrown in.