Scan barcode
rmwh's review against another edition
5.0
Here's the thing: I'm glad I bought this book because the proceeds go to The Trevor Project, and I'm all about that. However, it's not quite what I wanted. I'm giving it five stars for the quality of some of the vignettes, because there were some I truly enjoyed. Also, I appreciate the work that went into this, and just because it isn't my cup of tea doesn't mean it isn't good.
It's... a lot of porn. Which is fine! I prefer light, domestic, romantic but not sexual storytelling when it comes to this classic duo. If you want porn, though, go for it. The writing is pretty good, especially when it comes to the Victorian-era vignettes.
My point is, it taught me the difference between purchasing books with euphemistic language about "romance" on the back cover and simply romantic books. Honestly though, I probably would've bought it to support the cause anyway since I gave it to a friend as a gift after trying to finish it.
It's... a lot of porn. Which is fine! I prefer light, domestic, romantic but not sexual storytelling when it comes to this classic duo. If you want porn, though, go for it. The writing is pretty good, especially when it comes to the Victorian-era vignettes.
My point is, it taught me the difference between purchasing books with euphemistic language about "romance" on the back cover and simply romantic books. Honestly though, I probably would've bought it to support the cause anyway since I gave it to a friend as a gift after trying to finish it.
claudia_violamoon's review against another edition
5.0
A Nectar to Make You Feel Good.
This book is composed of 24 stories and a poem, and I have loved every single one of these entries. I had already read stories from a few of the authors and they had never disappointed me: they didn't this time either. From the shortest to the longest story they all tap into the heart and soul of what makes Sherlock Holmes and John Watson important to me: their relationship, their investigations and adventure and flavour it all with the bee theme that acts as a fil rouge. Every author has a unique style, and loads of talent, so the small bios at the end of the book are incredibly precious to help people like me find more of their wiritings, or simply get in touch with them to thank them, not just for their contribution but also because every penny they get from the book goes to the It Gets Better Project.
For this alone, the book would have been worth it, good thing it is also full of great stories.
This book is composed of 24 stories and a poem, and I have loved every single one of these entries. I had already read stories from a few of the authors and they had never disappointed me: they didn't this time either. From the shortest to the longest story they all tap into the heart and soul of what makes Sherlock Holmes and John Watson important to me: their relationship, their investigations and adventure and flavour it all with the bee theme that acts as a fil rouge. Every author has a unique style, and loads of talent, so the small bios at the end of the book are incredibly precious to help people like me find more of their wiritings, or simply get in touch with them to thank them, not just for their contribution but also because every penny they get from the book goes to the It Gets Better Project.
For this alone, the book would have been worth it, good thing it is also full of great stories.
ladyvictoriadiana's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this short story collection. Holmes and Watson are just so in love in all of these stories that you can feel it while reading, which makes the good writing even more enjoyable!
veevoo's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
3.5
zwilde's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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
ghostbasil's review
Was given this book as an ARC by Improbable Press in exchange for an honest review.
“‘Here is the fruit of my leisured ease, the magnum opus of latter years!’ He picked up the volume from the table and read out the whole title, Practical Handbook of Bee Culture, with Some Observations upon the Segregation of the Queen.” — His Last Bow by Arthur Conan Doyle
A Murmuring of Bees is one of the first works to come out of romance/erotica publisher Improbable Press, a publishing house mainly focused on publishing works of fiction about Holmes and Watson being in love. This work specifically is a collection of short stories that all involve bees somehow, whether literally or figuratively. In the introduction, editor Atlin Merrick points out that, “Well, in the over six hundred thousand words he wrote about the legendary detective, Arthur Conan Doyle mentions Holmes' bees only three times, each mention little more than a single sentence.” As a theme for a collection of queer reimaginings, I think it’s particularly apt; a Holmes fan who has read all the stories can pick up on small mentions of Holmes’ love for bees in the same way a queer reader of the canon will pick up on queer themes and the strong bond between the two men. In a similar way, his love of bees humanizes him, and pokes holes in Watson’s portrayal of him as a “logic machine” with no feelings—and queer readings of the character achieve a similar goal, recasting his disinterest in women and sex as a consequence of his homosexuality, not his misanthropy or a flaw in his character. I wish this collection had mined these themes more deeply, but overall, it had a solid execution and commitment to the core concept.
My biggest personal issue with this collection was its characterizations and fan fiction-y feel. It’s not bad! Just not my thing. There was a lot of explicit sex and the characterization of many of the stories felt much more in line with BBC Sherlock than the original canon. They call each other by their first names, Again, not a problem but not my thing. I’ll read more from this imprint but hesitantly! Would recommend if you’re a fan of: H/W fan fiction/erotica, BBC Sherlock or other contemporary retellings, and very short stories about characters you love.
“‘Here is the fruit of my leisured ease, the magnum opus of latter years!’ He picked up the volume from the table and read out the whole title, Practical Handbook of Bee Culture, with Some Observations upon the Segregation of the Queen.” — His Last Bow by Arthur Conan Doyle
A Murmuring of Bees is one of the first works to come out of romance/erotica publisher Improbable Press, a publishing house mainly focused on publishing works of fiction about Holmes and Watson being in love. This work specifically is a collection of short stories that all involve bees somehow, whether literally or figuratively. In the introduction, editor Atlin Merrick points out that, “Well, in the over six hundred thousand words he wrote about the legendary detective, Arthur Conan Doyle mentions Holmes' bees only three times, each mention little more than a single sentence.” As a theme for a collection of queer reimaginings, I think it’s particularly apt; a Holmes fan who has read all the stories can pick up on small mentions of Holmes’ love for bees in the same way a queer reader of the canon will pick up on queer themes and the strong bond between the two men. In a similar way, his love of bees humanizes him, and pokes holes in Watson’s portrayal of him as a “logic machine” with no feelings—and queer readings of the character achieve a similar goal, recasting his disinterest in women and sex as a consequence of his homosexuality, not his misanthropy or a flaw in his character. I wish this collection had mined these themes more deeply, but overall, it had a solid execution and commitment to the core concept.
My biggest personal issue with this collection was its characterizations and fan fiction-y feel. It’s not bad! Just not my thing. There was a lot of explicit sex and the characterization of many of the stories felt much more in line with BBC Sherlock than the original canon. They call each other by their first names, Again, not a problem but not my thing. I’ll read more from this imprint but hesitantly! Would recommend if you’re a fan of: H/W fan fiction/erotica, BBC Sherlock or other contemporary retellings, and very short stories about characters you love.
More...