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A review by lezreadalot
A Study in Honor by Claire O'Dell
4.0
Me, a black lesbian obsessed with scifi and ACD Holmes, reading this book:
- WATSON. We stan one (1) PTSD doctor. I loved that the narrative didn't shy away from showing her as hurt and fragile and vulnerable, but she also got to be righteously angry and brave and wonderful. Holmes was probably my favourite character, as Holmes generally tends to be in all universes, but I love Holmes because we get to see her through Watson's long-suffering normie eyes. Every time Watson wanted to take off her prosthetic and smack Holmes with it I was like girl same.
- The politics, honestly? I'm so used to authors dancing around real life politics in fiction books, it was really surprising that the author approached it in such a frank and explicit manner? But then I decided that I liked it.
- "My love", and all it's iterations. Fucking... SWOON. All a Holmes adaptation really needs for me to like it is good Holmes/Watson interaction and this had SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much of that. Gah. Also not to get into specifics but HELL YEAH for turning subtext into text.
- The world-building/tech. Futuristic sci-fi civil war America makes a unique setting, especially since it's apparently not that far into the future. Made it feel very grounded, while clearly being science fiction.
- Just... everything!!! All the references and shout-outs and little details... I LOVED feeling like I was reading another Holmes story.
My one nitpick that didn't detract TOO much from my enjoyment:
- Black queer lady Holmes in the future is a fucken... cop?? I'm sorry, even worse: a FED??? Lol... ?_? I couldn't get behind it. I solidly expected at some point she would come out and be like 'psyche, I've just been impersonating one for this case, FTP'. I guess it threw me not only because it's such a clashing role for Holmes, and THIS Holmes in particular, but also Holmes is stalwartly NOT one of the regulars, and seeing her with an actual j-o-b, instead of being a consultant was just... weird. She was suitably cavalier about it, and the blurb for the next book calls her a 'former agent' so like... fingers crossed.
ETA: Actually, one more nitpick:
- Where were the DEDUCTIONS? Like I said, I loved that this was sci-fi and I would have been disappointed if Holmes DIDN'T make use of some sort of gadgets, but I wanted to see more of her figuring shit out. What's the point of her keeping shit from Watson if she doesn't smugly explain it all at the end of the book while smoking a clove cigarette while lounging in her armchair in Q Street? I know, I know, the science of deduction has many holes in it, and people have poked at them plenty, but it's such an integral and charming part of the mythos... I missed it, and really hope there'll be some of it in future books.
I've been looking forward to this book ever since I heard about it. I put off reading it for a good long while, but I really enjoyed it, and it ended up being the perfect way to bow out of 2018. The fact that it's a series makes me very happy. Really looking forward to the next one!
Spoiler
Things I liked!- WATSON. We stan one (1) PTSD doctor. I loved that the narrative didn't shy away from showing her as hurt and fragile and vulnerable, but she also got to be righteously angry and brave and wonderful. Holmes was probably my favourite character, as Holmes generally tends to be in all universes, but I love Holmes because we get to see her through Watson's long-suffering normie eyes. Every time Watson wanted to take off her prosthetic and smack Holmes with it I was like girl same.
- The politics, honestly? I'm so used to authors dancing around real life politics in fiction books, it was really surprising that the author approached it in such a frank and explicit manner? But then I decided that I liked it.
- "My love", and all it's iterations. Fucking... SWOON. All a Holmes adaptation really needs for me to like it is good Holmes/Watson interaction and this had SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much of that. Gah. Also not to get into specifics but HELL YEAH for turning subtext into text.
- The world-building/tech. Futuristic sci-fi civil war America makes a unique setting, especially since it's apparently not that far into the future. Made it feel very grounded, while clearly being science fiction.
- Just... everything!!! All the references and shout-outs and little details... I LOVED feeling like I was reading another Holmes story.
My one nitpick that didn't detract TOO much from my enjoyment:
- Black queer lady Holmes in the future is a fucken... cop?? I'm sorry, even worse: a FED??? Lol... ?_? I couldn't get behind it. I solidly expected at some point she would come out and be like 'psyche, I've just been impersonating one for this case, FTP'. I guess it threw me not only because it's such a clashing role for Holmes, and THIS Holmes in particular, but also Holmes is stalwartly NOT one of the regulars, and seeing her with an actual j-o-b, instead of being a consultant was just... weird. She was suitably cavalier about it, and the blurb for the next book calls her a 'former agent' so like... fingers crossed.
ETA: Actually, one more nitpick:
- Where were the DEDUCTIONS? Like I said, I loved that this was sci-fi and I would have been disappointed if Holmes DIDN'T make use of some sort of gadgets, but I wanted to see more of her figuring shit out. What's the point of her keeping shit from Watson if she doesn't smugly explain it all at the end of the book while smoking a clove cigarette while lounging in her armchair in Q Street? I know, I know, the science of deduction has many holes in it, and people have poked at them plenty, but it's such an integral and charming part of the mythos... I missed it, and really hope there'll be some of it in future books.
I've been looking forward to this book ever since I heard about it. I put off reading it for a good long while, but I really enjoyed it, and it ended up being the perfect way to bow out of 2018. The fact that it's a series makes me very happy. Really looking forward to the next one!