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A review by mrej
The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
While I love Arthur Conan Doyle and his work on Sherlock Holmes, this is my least favourite of his works I've read so far. It is still well written and an interesting mystery with the classic twists and turns.
However, my main problems with this story is firstly the blatant racism that was so prevalent in the story. I understand that these view are typical for a work published in 1890 but part of the case being solved by figuring out what race a person was by their footprint was not just appalling but also highly unlikely.
Additionally, this felt like a short story that belongs in a collection drawn out into a novella. It was so long when it did not need to be and I could tell that Doyle was attempting to make it longer with John's romance which was actually very sweet.
However, my main problems with this story is firstly the blatant racism that was so prevalent in the story. I understand that these view are typical for a work published in 1890 but part of the case being solved by figuring out what race a person was by their footprint was not just appalling but also highly unlikely.
Additionally, this felt like a short story that belongs in a collection drawn out into a novella. It was so long when it did not need to be and I could tell that Doyle was attempting to make it longer with John's romance which was actually very sweet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs