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itisallmydoing's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ks2_alwaysreading's review against another edition
1.0
Ugh. Such an interesting concept but I absolutely hated the book. It dragged on and on and I couldn't get in to it. I debated stopping and not finishing numerous times but I kept going. I really wish this was better because the twists of having Sherlock and Holmes be female is so cool.
thebookberrie's review against another edition
After just rewatching the masterpiece (don't fight this!!) that is the BBC Sherlock show, I was thirsty for more Sherlock Holmes content and I found myself here. I appreciate the effort but this just didn't do it for me.
A Study in Scarlet Women is about a young Charlotte Holmes who to get out of having to marry, causes a scandal that rocks London. At the same time, a couple of people have shown up dead, seemingly unrelated. Charlotte connects the dots and gets on the case using the name Sherlock.
I liked all the nods to the original stories and thought they were fun. Instead of John Watson it was a Mrs Watson, his widow who finances Charlotte's masquerade as Sherlock on Baker Street. But it just wasn't enough??
I feel bad but oh my god this Sherlock sucked. Every plan she has felt poorly planned and she overlooked many things, and her deductions felt very basic. Maybe it was just a problem with the case itself but meh. Charlotte never takes an active role in the case and mostly does so via letters to multiple men and then they do all the work?
So much of the book is based on the restrictions of society and being a woman in that time which is fair but also I'm bored and I wanted Charlotte to get out there and do stuff. She likes fashion and frivolous things and we were told this a bit too much. She even has a romance with a random married man and I'm just ???? I wanted more clever characters and an interesting case, not just how much being a woman in this time period sucked if you didn't want to marry.
It took me so long to get into this and even then it was WORK. The book takes forever to actually get to Charlotte solving anything or even meeting Watson, instead spending what felt like a million pages of set up. There are so many POV changes and for what? None of the characters were interesting at all and there were so many?? Maybe this is just because I don't read / am the biggest fan of historical fiction but everyone was just so formal and stuffy, with no actual personality.
I was completely separated from the characters and the story because of the writing style and I can't say I will read anymore by this author. I'm glad this female Sherlock Holmes was at least the Sherlock Holmes and not his niece, daughter, or descendant though.
A Study in Scarlet Women is about a young Charlotte Holmes who to get out of having to marry, causes a scandal that rocks London. At the same time, a couple of people have shown up dead, seemingly unrelated. Charlotte connects the dots and gets on the case using the name Sherlock.
I liked all the nods to the original stories and thought they were fun. Instead of John Watson it was a Mrs Watson, his widow who finances Charlotte's masquerade as Sherlock on Baker Street. But it just wasn't enough??
I feel bad but oh my god this Sherlock sucked. Every plan she has felt poorly planned and she overlooked many things, and her deductions felt very basic. Maybe it was just a problem with the case itself but meh. Charlotte never takes an active role in the case and mostly does so via letters to multiple men and then they do all the work?
So much of the book is based on the restrictions of society and being a woman in that time which is fair but also I'm bored and I wanted Charlotte to get out there and do stuff. She likes fashion and frivolous things and we were told this a bit too much. She even has a romance with a random married man and I'm just ???? I wanted more clever characters and an interesting case, not just how much being a woman in this time period sucked if you didn't want to marry.
It took me so long to get into this and even then it was WORK. The book takes forever to actually get to Charlotte solving anything or even meeting Watson, instead spending what felt like a million pages of set up. There are so many POV changes and for what? None of the characters were interesting at all and there were so many?? Maybe this is just because I don't read / am the biggest fan of historical fiction but everyone was just so formal and stuffy, with no actual personality.
I was completely separated from the characters and the story because of the writing style and I can't say I will read anymore by this author. I'm glad this female Sherlock Holmes was at least the Sherlock Holmes and not his niece, daughter, or descendant though.
mvbookreviewer's review against another edition
4.0
A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas is a novel that I had been studiously avoiding for a while. All because I am still “mad” at Sherry Thomas, one of the most evocative voices in the romance genre, for not writing romances anymore.
In all fairness, Sherry Thomas is a perfectionist (as most who are brilliant usually tend to be), and she has answered questions on Twitter as to why she has not published a romance title in ages! Something which I begrudgingly understand as well. Doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it. Either way, I succumbed, because lets face it, novels by Sherry Thomas are gold and that is how I ended up reading the debut novel of the Lady Sherlock series.
Sherlock Holmes is a character that has fueled imaginations of many a writer and TV adaptations as well. Bringing that fine twist to Sherlock’s character, Sherry Thomas delivers readers with a female Sherlock Holmes, aka Charlotte Holmes. Charlotte who has always been different, even as a child, a curiosity that had driven her to different depths in terms of inquisitiveness in comparison to most. Charlotte who is also beautiful, has a penchant for food and a sweet tooth (if one cannot relate to that, I forever deem you as a lost cause), and serene in a way that makes one feel that Charlotte is a placid pond, with still waters that run really deep.
25 years old and the youngest of four sisters, Charlotte commits the ultimate sin that any woman of her time could, and that is how in a way her career as “Sherlock Holmes” sets off. Setting out on her own, finding her own footing even amidst all the precarious pitfalls in society that awaited women, especially in the 1800’s, and how everything comes together towards the end proved to be delightful on many fronts.
Tightly woven together within the mystery elements is the story of Lord Ingram and Charlotte, Ingram who is the scion of a ducal family and married. There is a deep reservoir of history between Ingram and Charlotte that just practically leaps off the pages. I guess being the romantic that I am, I was more deeply engrossed and riveted by the riot of emotions that Sherry Thomas managed to pull off of every scene in which these two came together.
Lord Ingram fascinated me on so many levels. That control of his just makes me want to see it all shot wayward, just because (because I am wicked that way). The state of affairs between Charlotte and Ingram and the delicious possibilities therein, the angst, and the pain – reminded me of every other angst-filled romance that filled me with longing, all in a good way of course. The elements of mystery while intriguing, lost me a little in between – some plots I have determined, are just too smart for this brain of mine.
In short, I enjoyed the debut book of the Lady Sherlock series and of course would be coming back for more. But with a little pout of course, reserved for Sherry Thomas, all because I need my romance fix from her!
Recommended for folks who love a good mystery and a strong and uniquely crafted female lead.
Final Verdict: A Study in Scarlet Women is a novel that carries itself wonderfully when it comes to rich characterization and laying down the groundwork for the Lady Sherlock series.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
In all fairness, Sherry Thomas is a perfectionist (as most who are brilliant usually tend to be), and she has answered questions on Twitter as to why she has not published a romance title in ages! Something which I begrudgingly understand as well. Doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it. Either way, I succumbed, because lets face it, novels by Sherry Thomas are gold and that is how I ended up reading the debut novel of the Lady Sherlock series.
Sherlock Holmes is a character that has fueled imaginations of many a writer and TV adaptations as well. Bringing that fine twist to Sherlock’s character, Sherry Thomas delivers readers with a female Sherlock Holmes, aka Charlotte Holmes. Charlotte who has always been different, even as a child, a curiosity that had driven her to different depths in terms of inquisitiveness in comparison to most. Charlotte who is also beautiful, has a penchant for food and a sweet tooth (if one cannot relate to that, I forever deem you as a lost cause), and serene in a way that makes one feel that Charlotte is a placid pond, with still waters that run really deep.
25 years old and the youngest of four sisters, Charlotte commits the ultimate sin that any woman of her time could, and that is how in a way her career as “Sherlock Holmes” sets off. Setting out on her own, finding her own footing even amidst all the precarious pitfalls in society that awaited women, especially in the 1800’s, and how everything comes together towards the end proved to be delightful on many fronts.
Tightly woven together within the mystery elements is the story of Lord Ingram and Charlotte, Ingram who is the scion of a ducal family and married. There is a deep reservoir of history between Ingram and Charlotte that just practically leaps off the pages. I guess being the romantic that I am, I was more deeply engrossed and riveted by the riot of emotions that Sherry Thomas managed to pull off of every scene in which these two came together.
Lord Ingram fascinated me on so many levels. That control of his just makes me want to see it all shot wayward, just because (because I am wicked that way). The state of affairs between Charlotte and Ingram and the delicious possibilities therein, the angst, and the pain – reminded me of every other angst-filled romance that filled me with longing, all in a good way of course. The elements of mystery while intriguing, lost me a little in between – some plots I have determined, are just too smart for this brain of mine.
In short, I enjoyed the debut book of the Lady Sherlock series and of course would be coming back for more. But with a little pout of course, reserved for Sherry Thomas, all because I need my romance fix from her!
Recommended for folks who love a good mystery and a strong and uniquely crafted female lead.
Final Verdict: A Study in Scarlet Women is a novel that carries itself wonderfully when it comes to rich characterization and laying down the groundwork for the Lady Sherlock series.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
desertlover's review against another edition
3.5 STARS
This book has come recommended from book friends, and I've found myself fascinated with YA historical fiction in recent months. I adored the gender reversal aspect of Holmes/Watson; it is brilliant. However, I found the actual mystery aspect a little slow. I LOVED the ending and can't wait for the second installment.
This looks to be promising new series.
Audible notes - Kate Reading is fabulous! I will likely listen to the entire series if she's the narrator.
This book has come recommended from book friends, and I've found myself fascinated with YA historical fiction in recent months. I adored the gender reversal aspect of Holmes/Watson; it is brilliant. However, I found the actual mystery aspect a little slow. I LOVED the ending and can't wait for the second installment.
This looks to be promising new series.
Audible notes - Kate Reading is fabulous! I will likely listen to the entire series if she's the narrator.
koppelwoman's review against another edition
3.0
3 Stars
I’m quite surprised that I did not like this book more. It seemed like it would be right up my alley.
✅ I love Sherlock Holmes.
✅ I love a feminist retelling of a classic.
But there were problems that made this one less enjoyable. First, the initial 150 pages were jumpy and slow. Going back and forth just made it choppy. Second, Charlotte seemed inconsistent as a character. For example, what is with her gluttony, her obsessive concern over her chin size, and how it impacts how she is treated by society? Third, the big mystery was not very compelling.
By now you may be thinking “why give it three stars?”
Well, the book (or my enjoyment of the book) improved considerably with the arrival of Mrs. Watson. She was delightful and made me hopeful that Charlotte might improve in the future.
I’m quite surprised that I did not like this book more. It seemed like it would be right up my alley.
✅ I love Sherlock Holmes.
✅ I love a feminist retelling of a classic.
But there were problems that made this one less enjoyable. First, the initial 150 pages were jumpy and slow. Going back and forth just made it choppy. Second, Charlotte seemed inconsistent as a character. For example, what is with her gluttony, her obsessive concern over her chin size, and how it impacts how she is treated by society? Third, the big mystery was not very compelling.
By now you may be thinking “why give it three stars?”
Well, the book (or my enjoyment of the book) improved considerably with the arrival of Mrs. Watson. She was delightful and made me hopeful that Charlotte might improve in the future.
nnbb's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lesserjoke's review against another edition
3.0
I cannot over-emphasize how much I love Charlotte Holmes, author Sherry Thomas's take on the famous consulting detective. She's every bit as genius as the original figure, and Thomas writes insightfully about the restrictive Victorian gender roles that would stifle a woman like that. Charlotte is absolutely brilliant as she invents a brother to bring her talents to the outside world, and her every scene faintly crackles with wit and energy.
The problem is that far too many scenes in this first Lady Sherlock novel are missing our heroine, and the narrative sags in her absence. The plodding investigation of Inspector Treadles is pretty interminable, and it effectively reduces Charlotte to guest-starring in her own book. I hope that's an issue that Thomas handles better in the sequels, because this story is great when she lets it actually be about Holmes.
The problem is that far too many scenes in this first Lady Sherlock novel are missing our heroine, and the narrative sags in her absence. The plodding investigation of Inspector Treadles is pretty interminable, and it effectively reduces Charlotte to guest-starring in her own book. I hope that's an issue that Thomas handles better in the sequels, because this story is great when she lets it actually be about Holmes.
lareinadehades's review against another edition
DNF @ 36%
So much for turning Sherlock into a woman. Charlotte (mc) bears no inkling to the character that she is supposed to be.
Also I really HATE that the way she's introduced is in bed loosing her virginity with a married man who already has a mistress, all just to get out of marriage obligations. Of course this is a scandal for the daughter of a Lord of the Victorian era, but of course, her father doesn't care and sneers down at his apoplectic wife. What? How does that make sense? If she wanted a scandal to get out of society, maybe I don't know, use the supposed brain she has and maybe do something less extreme.
And besides that, too many characters thrown in too fast; timelines are confusing as hell and still, Charlotte feels like a secondary character rather the female version of Sherlock.
So much for turning Sherlock into a woman. Charlotte (mc) bears no inkling to the character that she is supposed to be.
And besides that, too many characters thrown in too fast; timelines are confusing as hell and still, Charlotte feels like a secondary character rather the female version of Sherlock.