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garfunkleha345's review against another edition
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
4.75
isabella_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
4.0
baldwig's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes #6) 4
• "“Come, Watson, come!” he cried. “The game is afoot.""
• The Norwood Builder is my favorite Sherlock Holmes short story so far. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes so well with deft scene setting, playful charm, relatable characters and sustaining balance.
I The Empty House
• Sherlock Holmes, "once again Mr. Sherlock Holmes is free to devote his life to examining those interesting little problems which the complex life of London so plentifully presents.”
Hercule Poirot is not alone in his third-person self-reference.
Ii THE NORWOOD BUILDER
• "My friend had no breakfast himself, for it was one of his peculiarities that in his more intense moments he would permit himself no food, and I have known him presume upon his iron strength until he has fainted from pure inanition. “At present I cannot spare energy and nerve force for digestion,” he would say in answer to my medical remonstrances."
inanition- 1 the state or quality of being empty : a) the loss of vitality that results from lack of food or water b) the absence or loss of social, moral or intellectual vitalty or vigor : lethargy
remonstrate- to plead in opposition to something : speak in protest or reproof • synonyms expostulate, object
• "Lestrade laughed loudly. “You don’t like being beaten any more than the rest of us do,” said he. “A man can’t expect always to have it his own way, can he, Dr. Watson?"
• "At one end of the corridor we were all marshalled by Sherlock Holmes, the constables grinning and Lestrade staring at my friend with amazement, expectation, and derision chasing each other across his features."
• Holmes to Lestrade, "You may possibly remember that you chaffed me a little, some hours ago, when the sun seemed on your side of the hedge"
• "It was amusing to me to see how the detective’s overbearing manner had changed suddenly to that of a child asking questions of its teacher."
• Holmes, "Well, this injury, as he would consider it, has rankled in his wicked, scheming brain, and all his life he has longed for vengeance, but never seen his chance."
"But he had not that supreme gift of the artist, the knowledge of when to stop. He wished to improve that which was already perfect—to draw the rope tighter yet round the neck of his unfortunate victim (the only child of the woman who once refused him)—and so he ruined all."
• Affirms the old adage, 'Leave well enough alone.' By trying to add one final nail for the his crime's coffin, the criminal only opened up his own can of worms.
III THE DANCING MEN
IV THE SOLITARY CYCLIST
• ostler- var of hostler 1 one who takes care of horses or mules 2 one who services a vehicle (as a locomotive or truck) or a machine (as a crane)
V THE PRIORY SCHOOL
priory- a religious house under a prior or prioress
dint- n 2 force, power 3 dent
chandler- a maker or seller of tallow or wax candles and usu soap
VI BLACK PETER
VIi CHARLES AUGUSTUS MILVERTON
• plethora- an excessive quantity or fullness; also : profusion
VIII THE SIX NAPOLEONS
IX THE ADVENTURE OF THE THREE STUDENTS
X THE ADVENTURE OF THE GOLDEN PINCE-NEZ
• "It has been pouring rain and blowing a hurricane ever since,” said (Holmes). “It will be harder to read now than that palimpsest. Well, well, it can’t be helped. What did you do, Hopkins, after you had made certain that you had made certain of nothing?”"
• Sherlock Holmes, "“It would be difficult to name any articles which afford a finer field for inference than a pair of glasses, especially so remarkable a pair as these.""
• aquiline- 1 of or resembling an eagle 2 hooked like an eagle's beak (an ~ nose)
• "(Anna, Professor Coram's wife) cast a look of the deepest disdain in his direction."
XI THE ADVENTURE OF THE MISSING THREE-QUARTER
• ascetic- practicing self-denial esp for spiritual reasons : austere
XII THE ADVENTURE OF THE ABBEY GRANGE
• Captain Crocker passed Holmes' test by affirming he would not abandon Anne Fraser to be accused as his accomplice.
XIII THE ADVENTURE OF THE SECOND STAIN
• sardonic- disdainfully or skeptically humorous : derisively mocking • synonyms ironic, satiric, sarcastic
austere- 1:stern, severe, strict 2 abstemious 3 unadorned
ascetic- practicing self denial esp for spiritual reasons : austere
conflated demur (vb to take exception: object) and demure (adj 1 quietly modest: decorous 2 affectedly modest, reserved or serious : prim • synonyms shy, bashful, coy, difficult, retiring, unasserive)
opalescent- iridescent (iridescence- a rainbowlike play of colors)
sensatiional- 2 arousing an intense and usu superfical interest or emotional reaction
haggard- having a worn or emaciated appearance • synonyms careworm, wasted, drawn
foment- incite
blind- n 1 something (as a shutter) to hinder vision or keep out light 2 a place of concealment 3 subterfuge
commend- 1 to commit to one's care 2 recommend 3 praise
• "“Come, Watson, come!” he cried. “The game is afoot.""
• The Norwood Builder is my favorite Sherlock Holmes short story so far. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes so well with deft scene setting, playful charm, relatable characters and sustaining balance.
• Sherlock Holmes, "once again Mr. Sherlock Holmes is free to devote his life to examining those interesting little problems which the complex life of London so plentifully presents.”
Hercule Poirot is not alone in his third-person self-reference.
Ii THE NORWOOD BUILDER
• "My friend had no breakfast himself, for it was one of his peculiarities that in his more intense moments he would permit himself no food, and I have known him presume upon his iron strength until he has fainted from pure inanition. “At present I cannot spare energy and nerve force for digestion,” he would say in answer to my medical remonstrances."
inanition- 1 the state or quality of being empty : a) the loss of vitality that results from lack of food or water b) the absence or loss of social, moral or intellectual vitalty or vigor : lethargy
remonstrate- to plead in opposition to something : speak in protest or reproof • synonyms expostulate, object
• "Lestrade laughed loudly. “You don’t like being beaten any more than the rest of us do,” said he. “A man can’t expect always to have it his own way, can he, Dr. Watson?"
• "At one end of the corridor we were all marshalled by Sherlock Holmes, the constables grinning and Lestrade staring at my friend with amazement, expectation, and derision chasing each other across his features."
• Holmes to Lestrade, "You may possibly remember that you chaffed me a little, some hours ago, when the sun seemed on your side of the hedge"
• "It was amusing to me to see how the detective’s overbearing manner had changed suddenly to that of a child asking questions of its teacher."
• Holmes, "Well, this injury, as he would consider it, has rankled in his wicked, scheming brain, and all his life he has longed for vengeance, but never seen his chance."
"But he had not that supreme gift of the artist, the knowledge of when to stop. He wished to improve that which was already perfect—to draw the rope tighter yet round the neck of his unfortunate victim (the only child of the woman who once refused him)—and so he ruined all."
• Affirms the old adage, 'Leave well enough alone.' By trying to add one final nail for the his crime's coffin, the criminal only opened up his own can of worms.
III THE DANCING MEN
IV THE SOLITARY CYCLIST
• ostler- var of hostler 1 one who takes care of horses or mules 2 one who services a vehicle (as a locomotive or truck) or a machine (as a crane)
V THE PRIORY SCHOOL
priory- a religious house under a prior or prioress
dint- n 2 force, power 3 dent
chandler- a maker or seller of tallow or wax candles and usu soap
VI BLACK PETER
VIi CHARLES AUGUSTUS MILVERTON
• plethora- an excessive quantity or fullness; also : profusion
VIII THE SIX NAPOLEONS
IX THE ADVENTURE OF THE THREE STUDENTS
X THE ADVENTURE OF THE GOLDEN PINCE-NEZ
• "It has been pouring rain and blowing a hurricane ever since,” said (Holmes). “It will be harder to read now than that palimpsest. Well, well, it can’t be helped. What did you do, Hopkins, after you had made certain that you had made certain of nothing?”"
• Sherlock Holmes, "“It would be difficult to name any articles which afford a finer field for inference than a pair of glasses, especially so remarkable a pair as these.""
• aquiline- 1 of or resembling an eagle 2 hooked like an eagle's beak (an ~ nose)
• "(Anna, Professor Coram's wife) cast a look of the deepest disdain in his direction."
XI THE ADVENTURE OF THE MISSING THREE-QUARTER
• ascetic- practicing self-denial esp for spiritual reasons : austere
XII THE ADVENTURE OF THE ABBEY GRANGE
• Captain Crocker passed Holmes' test by affirming he would not abandon Anne Fraser to be accused as his accomplice.
XIII THE ADVENTURE OF THE SECOND STAIN
• sardonic- disdainfully or skeptically humorous : derisively mocking • synonyms ironic, satiric, sarcastic
austere- 1:stern, severe, strict 2 abstemious 3 unadorned
ascetic- practicing self denial esp for spiritual reasons : austere
conflated demur (vb to take exception: object) and demure (adj 1 quietly modest: decorous 2 affectedly modest, reserved or serious : prim • synonyms shy, bashful, coy, difficult, retiring, unasserive)
opalescent- iridescent (iridescence- a rainbowlike play of colors)
sensatiional- 2 arousing an intense and usu superfical interest or emotional reaction
haggard- having a worn or emaciated appearance • synonyms careworm, wasted, drawn
foment- incite
blind- n 1 something (as a shutter) to hinder vision or keep out light 2 a place of concealment 3 subterfuge
commend- 1 to commit to one's care 2 recommend 3 praise
980emma's review against another edition
3.0
These stories are somewhat outdated. They make the basis for good spin-offs and I am reading them because I think it is an important bit of culture but I hate the character of Watson because he is one-dimensional. He is like a puppy gnawing at Holmes’ heels and there is little of his relationship with Mary of his general practice. He does whatever Holmes asks when he asks, including moving back into 221b after his marriage and it is a boring lens through which to tell a story. They also have very annoying turns of phrases like “hello, what is this?” (said curiously at least three times per story) , “my dear Holmes” or “my dear Watson” (also said about 100 times), and “features of interest”.
mo_mentan's review against another edition
4.0
this was very nice. i do prefer conan doyle's short stories over his novels. of course a lot of blatant sexism (at least three times the most beautiful woman watson has ever seen is vers proud and beautiful and/or does something very dumb and is of course saved by some old paternal figure of a chauvinist victorian not-so-gentle-man). some of them do have some agency of their own, however not the only woman of colour, she is just crazy and murders her husband because that's what "exotic and thus hot-blooded" women apparently do. urgh.
the mysteries are nice and maybe less far fetched though than in other installments (or maybe just as far fetched, but less overexplained and thus more enjoyable)
the mysteries are nice and maybe less far fetched though than in other installments (or maybe just as far fetched, but less overexplained and thus more enjoyable)
curlyhairedbooklover's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0
My favourite collection so far!
I do love when Sherlock discovers who did the crime goes “understandable” and just lets them be 😌
I do love when Sherlock discovers who did the crime goes “understandable” and just lets them be 😌
i_attri_'s review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
owlish1's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0