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yourbookishbff's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This was a reread, and my enjoyment only improved from my first read! The first half of this series-start is very character-driven, and readers should be prepared for a lot of world and character building. The mystery plot takes off in the second half, and its conclusion can be a bit confusing given the wide cast of characters. That said, I loved revisiting Charlotte's launch into the world, and you can't beat narration by Kate Reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Death, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual content, Child abuse, Stalking, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
jess_justmaybeperfect's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The first book in this series does not disappoint (even on a reread).
Charlotte Holmes is brilliant, basically neglected by her parents, and has no desire to be a properly married lady. So, she purposely ruins herself and then runs away from home. Through the help of friends and strangers she finds her way and her purpose, and starts to find her love.
From the dense but gorgeous Roger and ruination, the “moo” when Charlotte sneaks out, the Mrs. Watson origin story, Inspector Robert Treadles and his beloved Alice, Ash and Charlotte and their friendship/feelings, the mystery (check the CWs, the resolution is brutal), the sisters, and THAT kiss.
Charlotte Holmes is brilliant, basically neglected by her parents, and has no desire to be a properly married lady. So, she purposely ruins herself and then runs away from home. Through the help of friends and strangers she finds her way and her purpose, and starts to find her love.
From the dense but gorgeous Roger and ruination, the “moo” when Charlotte sneaks out, the Mrs. Watson origin story, Inspector Robert Treadles and his beloved Alice, Ash and Charlotte and their friendship/feelings, the mystery (check the CWs, the resolution is brutal), the sisters, and THAT kiss.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Child abuse and Sexual assault
rafacolog's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Murder, and Pedophilia
rkfmiller's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
ramakn22's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Murder, and Incest
sabrinaboyk's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Child abuse
knit_the_resistance's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I do not recommend this as an audiobook. It's very confusing to try to keep the characters straight. I enjoyed it. I did not see the plot twist coming at all and it was really disconcerting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Fatphobia, Incest, Homophobia, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Death
ynadavis's review against another edition
lighthearted
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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Body shaming, Incest, Pedophilia, and Fatphobia
Minor: Murder
ashwaar's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I have not had much luck when it comes to retellings of classic books and historical fiction. I'm unsure what compelled me to start a Sherlock Holmes gender-bending series. I've never been a big fan of the novels, but I was obsessed with the BBC series as a teenager.
This retelling hinges on Sherlock being a woman, which is challenging to pull off in Victorian England because, of course, women couldn't do much of anything. The start of the novel focuses on our main character's origin story and their struggle to start a detective business in the face of many, many obstacles. It is significant that even once Charlotte (our version of Sherlock) appears to have succeeded, she is still, inevitably, supported in many ways by the men she has tried to avoid relying on.
It was also refreshing that Charlotte is the opposite of everyone's expectations. She is a plump, round-faced, well-mannered society woman with a penchant for cakes, sweets and anything frilly. The author rejects the traditional expectations of what a great mind looks like and instead gives us a character far more realistic and relatable.
Despite the noticeable differences, A Study in Scarlet Women still reads much like the original novels. However, this makes it so incredibly boring to try and get through. The original books were also quite dull, and although I like the idea of writing the Lady Sherlock novels in this style, they are not getting read by a Victorian audience. It's also very long as Charlotte's background is told alongside a mystery story, which in the end, is solved with a letter and Charlotte's sentiment of 'knowing all along.
Despite trying to do something different, this ends reading like a traditional Arthur Conan Doyle novel, and I was bored. At several points, I didn’t understand what was happening in the investigation, and too many threads were left unexplained, resulting in me feeling a bit stupid for not following along.
Read more on Wordpress at Bookmarked by Ash: https://book990337086.wordpress.com/
This retelling hinges on Sherlock being a woman, which is challenging to pull off in Victorian England because, of course, women couldn't do much of anything. The start of the novel focuses on our main character's origin story and their struggle to start a detective business in the face of many, many obstacles. It is significant that even once Charlotte (our version of Sherlock) appears to have succeeded, she is still, inevitably, supported in many ways by the men she has tried to avoid relying on.
It was also refreshing that Charlotte is the opposite of everyone's expectations. She is a plump, round-faced, well-mannered society woman with a penchant for cakes, sweets and anything frilly. The author rejects the traditional expectations of what a great mind looks like and instead gives us a character far more realistic and relatable.
Despite the noticeable differences, A Study in Scarlet Women still reads much like the original novels. However, this makes it so incredibly boring to try and get through. The original books were also quite dull, and although I like the idea of writing the Lady Sherlock novels in this style, they are not getting read by a Victorian audience. It's also very long as Charlotte's background is told alongside a mystery story, which in the end, is solved with a letter and Charlotte's sentiment of 'knowing all along.
Despite trying to do something different, this ends reading like a traditional Arthur Conan Doyle novel, and I was bored. At several points, I didn’t understand what was happening in the investigation, and too many threads were left unexplained, resulting in me feeling a bit stupid for not following along.
Read more on Wordpress at Bookmarked by Ash: https://book990337086.wordpress.com/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Suicide
elsebeok's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Murder, and Suicide