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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
social_eyes's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia and Murder
Minor: Fatphobia
anntharai's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5⭐️A fine premise, a suitably tangled mystery, and likeable enough characters. I like the take on Holmes and Watson, but something was lacking. Not lacking enough to dissuade me from reading it in one sitting, but just short of being truly compelling. I docked a .5⭐️ because of the authors instance on including the almost mandatory bemoaning of wearing corsets as being a vain and universally painful experience 🙄 when the rest of the book rests in decent research the least they could have done is look beyond the ‘corsets are evil’ line touted since it became fashionable to do so.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Rape, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Suicide
grubrednuf's review
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I wish I had some content warnings before I read this book. It seriously hindered my ability to enjoy and get into the book. Also, fairly long conjecture and setup because it's obviously the first of a series (which is fine but took SO long to get anywhere). Some unresolved plot lines or tidied up quick without deference to all the prior build up. Intrigued enough to read the second of the series but also can't be bothered to search it out. I recognize it is a beloved series which also makes me consider continuing to see if it gets better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Rape and Fatphobia
Minor: Incest
missjeann's review against another edition
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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia and Body shaming
Minor: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Child death, and Suicide
bookworm_leilani's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Murder
Moderate: Fatphobia and Pedophilia
linesiunderline's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It’s a pretty ambitious undertaking for an author to reinterpret a character as iconic and beloved as Sherlock Holmes. It’s a testament to Sherry Thomas’s skill that the absolute best part of this very successful book is its main character.
Charlotte is incredibly memorable. She is bold. She’s enough like Holmes that you enjoy the parallels but she has plenty of her own surprising and pleasing quirks (her love of flouncy fashions and cake, to name just two). She knows what she wants and she goes for it. I can’t wait to follow her through the rest of the series. (Also loved Mrs Watson - she is fabulous and I couldn’t be more delighted to have both of these characters reimagined so successfully as women). I’d say that spending time with the characters was the most satisfying aspect of the book.
It had a bit of a slower start, though I understand that the author had to get a lot of set up accomplished with Charlotte’s situation. That took time. Also, the mystery did not really hook me completely. At times I was not as invested as I hope to be when I read a mystery (and I was a tad confused now and then).
But the tone, the dynamic between the central characters, the ways that Thomas shifted the original story to make it her own while paying homage to Conan Doyle’s work, it all worked very successfully and I found myself more wrapped up in it as I read and eager to get my hands on the next book by the time I reached the end.
Very much looking forward to all of the rest in the series!
Charlotte is incredibly memorable. She is bold. She’s enough like Holmes that you enjoy the parallels but she has plenty of her own surprising and pleasing quirks (her love of flouncy fashions and cake, to name just two). She knows what she wants and she goes for it. I can’t wait to follow her through the rest of the series. (Also loved Mrs Watson - she is fabulous and I couldn’t be more delighted to have both of these characters reimagined so successfully as women). I’d say that spending time with the characters was the most satisfying aspect of the book.
It had a bit of a slower start, though I understand that the author had to get a lot of set up accomplished with Charlotte’s situation. That took time. Also, the mystery did not really hook me completely. At times I was not as invested as I hope to be when I read a mystery (and I was a tad confused now and then).
But the tone, the dynamic between the central characters, the ways that Thomas shifted the original story to make it her own while paying homage to Conan Doyle’s work, it all worked very successfully and I found myself more wrapped up in it as I read and eager to get my hands on the next book by the time I reached the end.
Very much looking forward to all of the rest in the series!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Fatphobia, Murder, and Sexual assault