Reviews with content warning for Racism - A Study in Scarlet

To go from A Study in Scarlet -- where Holmes and Watson have only just met, regard each other with suspicion, and are utterly unknown to the world -- right into The Hound of the Baskervilles -- where Holmes and Watson trust each other implictly, desperately seek each other's praise and approval, and have become so famous that people associate one with the other by name alone -- makes no sense. Still, these are both deeply satisfying rereads, and I am delighted to have done so.

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nrogers_1030's review against another edition

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mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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jennasophia's review against another edition

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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

3.5

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spacxxoddity's review against another edition

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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? No

5.0

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clarabooksit's review

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

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librarymouse's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

A Study in Scarlet was an enjoyable read. Sherlock Holmes, for all his quirks, is history's best detective, and this was a fun introduction into his adventures. The plight of Jefferson Hope and his love for Lucy was charming, and then heart breaking. I got to the second section of the novel I did a double take of sorts and googled it to make sure that my digital copy of the book hadn't accidentally been merged with another book. The difference in the plot in the flashback section was jarring, but the writing style stayed consistent between the actual investigation and the explanation behind it. The character of Watson was far different from his modern iterations. I kind of enjoyed him being characterized as being choosey about what's worthy of him leaving the house, in order to conserve his limited energy after being injured while serving in the military. There was racism and classist sentiment sprinkled throughout the book that was considered acceptable at the time it was written.

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bookshopvampire's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? No

3.0

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laurenmayb's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

2.0

After becoming invested in the plot of Part 2, it was not quite so irritating as others have admitted.

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