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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
This was a pretty fun easy read. After a while I started to get bored so even though this wasn't all of the adventures I think I read enough.
adventurous
funny
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
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall, quite a fun collection of stories. I think that the solutions are often easily guessed, but perhaps that's not the point of Sherlock Holmes stories. Rather, the point is to see Holmes apply his methods and the amazing conclusions he can accurately draw. I also find that Watson's presence provides an excellent balance to Holmes' eccentricities. I have rated each story separately and written a little tidbit about them below.
A Scandal in Bohemia - ★★★★★
Disaster in the Bohemian royal household is averted as well as Holmes is thwarted by the inimitable Irene Adler. A fun story told in three parts.
The Red-Headed League - ★★★☆☆
A man has a curious job offer due to the color of his hair. Holmes recognizes something fishy going on and manages to suss out the larger game afoot.
The Case of Identity - ★★☆☆☆
A woman's betrothed disappears under suspicious circumstances and seeks Holmes to find out what happened. This story is a bit silly, I thought. Still, we get a glimpse at Holmes' personal passion for justice here.
The Boscombe Valley Mystery - ★★★☆☆
A murder has occurred and all signs point to the son of the deceased. Naturally, Holmes suspects otherwise. This one was rather easy to predict, but of course watching Holmes apply his method and having the chance to get to know both Holmes and Watson better are not to be overlooked.
The Five Orange Pips - ★★★☆☆ (2.5 rounded up)
A man comes to Holmes explaining a mysterious set of deaths which have occurred in his family. He now fears his time has come. Holmes is on the case. This is a story that was probably more mysterious to the British readers back when it was written. For today, the central "initials" which appear on an important envelope are far more well-known. Also, I think I prefer the stories where Holmes is out there examining the crime scene in person rather than simply rummaging through his library and going out to run errands.
The Man with the Twisted Lip - ★★★★☆
I enjoy it when we get to see Holmes out in the wild. In this case, Watson happens upon Holmes on a stake out. A woman's husband has mysteriously disappeared, seemingly right before her eyes, and has sought out Holmes to help her find him. I thought this one was fun. The end was not much of a surprise, but I think these stories are just as much about the journey as the resolution.
The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle - ★★★★☆ (3.5 rounded up)
Holmes finds himself examining a lost hat and uses the opportunity to test Watson's deductive abilities. Quite soon the commissioner arrives with new information that turns this simple demonstration of Holmes' powers into a criminal investigation already in progress. This story shows us a bit of Holmes' compassion.
The Adventure of the Speckled Band - ★★★★☆
A young woman fears for her life after she notices curious happenings around her which also occurred the night of her sister's death years before. Holmes is on the case, and we are brought through a twist of clues and red herrings. I think this is a pretty well-rounded short story, and I had thought I guessed it very early on, but as more clues came to light later I amended my guess to the correct one. Good show!
The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb - ★★★★☆
A man turns up at Watson's medical practice with a missing thumb and an incredible and mysterious story to tell. Watson quickly takes him to Holmes to get to the bottom of it. I like how Watson prefaces this story by saying it's not one that allows Holmes' skills to shine, but is nonetheless a particularly interesting tale due to the strangeness of the events. It shows us that Holmes wasn't always the singular hero of every mystery.
The Adventure of the Nobel Bachelor - ★★☆☆☆
A lord's wife disappears the morning of their marriage. I though this one was all right. Holmes figures out the mystery, but it's something that likely would have been resolved eventually anyway.
The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet - ★★★☆☆
A prestigious banker gives a £50,000 loan to a prestigious client who provides a one-of-a-kind and incredibly valuable beryl coronet as collateral. The banker finds himself in the position of being responsible for this piece of jewelry only to face disaster. All signs point to a single suspect, but Holmes suspects otherwise. This one was easily guessed early on, and Holmes really didn't have to do a whole lot of sleuthing to figure it out, so it felt a bit lacking on all fronts. Still, the story was not without excitement.
The Adventure of the Copper Beeches - ★★★★☆
A young woman accepts an unusual job as a governess at a residence where they are paying her an exorbitant sum in exchange for some peculiar requirements. Again, I guessed the ending fairly early on, but even so, this story had plenty of the sinister, creepy, and exciting to make up for it. Holmes himself explained the solution as quite evident without any objection from Watson, so I suppose it was meant to be that way. However, I think the thrills more than made up for the lack of mystery, and there was always the curious possibility that things could go in a completely unexpected direction.
A Scandal in Bohemia - ★★★★★
Disaster in the Bohemian royal household is averted as well as Holmes is thwarted by the inimitable Irene Adler. A fun story told in three parts.
The Red-Headed League - ★★★☆☆
A man has a curious job offer due to the color of his hair. Holmes recognizes something fishy going on and manages to suss out the larger game afoot.
The Case of Identity - ★★☆☆☆
A woman's betrothed disappears under suspicious circumstances and seeks Holmes to find out what happened. This story is a bit silly, I thought. Still, we get a glimpse at Holmes' personal passion for justice here.
The Boscombe Valley Mystery - ★★★☆☆
A murder has occurred and all signs point to the son of the deceased. Naturally, Holmes suspects otherwise. This one was rather easy to predict, but of course watching Holmes apply his method and having the chance to get to know both Holmes and Watson better are not to be overlooked.
The Five Orange Pips - ★★★☆☆ (2.5 rounded up)
A man comes to Holmes explaining a mysterious set of deaths which have occurred in his family. He now fears his time has come. Holmes is on the case. This is a story that was probably more mysterious to the British readers back when it was written. For today, the central "initials" which appear on an important envelope are far more well-known. Also, I think I prefer the stories where Holmes is out there examining the crime scene in person rather than simply rummaging through his library and going out to run errands.
The Man with the Twisted Lip - ★★★★☆
I enjoy it when we get to see Holmes out in the wild. In this case, Watson happens upon Holmes on a stake out. A woman's husband has mysteriously disappeared, seemingly right before her eyes, and has sought out Holmes to help her find him. I thought this one was fun. The end was not much of a surprise, but I think these stories are just as much about the journey as the resolution.
The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle - ★★★★☆ (3.5 rounded up)
Holmes finds himself examining a lost hat and uses the opportunity to test Watson's deductive abilities. Quite soon the commissioner arrives with new information that turns this simple demonstration of Holmes' powers into a criminal investigation already in progress. This story shows us a bit of Holmes' compassion.
The Adventure of the Speckled Band - ★★★★☆
A young woman fears for her life after she notices curious happenings around her which also occurred the night of her sister's death years before. Holmes is on the case, and we are brought through a twist of clues and red herrings. I think this is a pretty well-rounded short story, and I had thought I guessed it very early on, but as more clues came to light later I amended my guess to the correct one. Good show!
The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb - ★★★★☆
A man turns up at Watson's medical practice with a missing thumb and an incredible and mysterious story to tell. Watson quickly takes him to Holmes to get to the bottom of it. I like how Watson prefaces this story by saying it's not one that allows Holmes' skills to shine, but is nonetheless a particularly interesting tale due to the strangeness of the events. It shows us that Holmes wasn't always the singular hero of every mystery.
The Adventure of the Nobel Bachelor - ★★☆☆☆
A lord's wife disappears the morning of their marriage. I though this one was all right. Holmes figures out the mystery, but it's something that likely would have been resolved eventually anyway.
The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet - ★★★☆☆
A prestigious banker gives a £50,000 loan to a prestigious client who provides a one-of-a-kind and incredibly valuable beryl coronet as collateral. The banker finds himself in the position of being responsible for this piece of jewelry only to face disaster. All signs point to a single suspect, but Holmes suspects otherwise. This one was easily guessed early on, and Holmes really didn't have to do a whole lot of sleuthing to figure it out, so it felt a bit lacking on all fronts. Still, the story was not without excitement.
The Adventure of the Copper Beeches - ★★★★☆
A young woman accepts an unusual job as a governess at a residence where they are paying her an exorbitant sum in exchange for some peculiar requirements. Again, I guessed the ending fairly early on, but even so, this story had plenty of the sinister, creepy, and exciting to make up for it. Holmes himself explained the solution as quite evident without any objection from Watson, so I suppose it was meant to be that way. However, I think the thrills more than made up for the lack of mystery, and there was always the curious possibility that things could go in a completely unexpected direction.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I love all the adventure of Holmes and Watson but nothing will ever compare to Scandal In Bohemia. I love their friendship and sense of humor.
You see, but you do not observe.
-S.H.
3.5. Some of the short stories were more enjoyable than others. Overall, an enjoyable read.