While this blog is about reading and writing and the study of these two things, in my downtime (when I'm not reading or writing or studying) I enjoy watching tv. I've recently gotten caught up with BBC's Sherlock - a modern adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
I finally watched the Sherlock Christmas special, which was mostly set in Conan Doyle's original 19th century setting. I loved the episode. It wasn't what I expected and I'm grateful at being at least a little sated until next year's Season Four airing. If you're a Sherlock fan like me, you're super excited that we're finally getting another season but if you really just can't endure the six month wait, here are four books that I've read that might hold you over.
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The Devil's Grin by Annelie Wendeberg
I have so many things to say about this adult novel! I found this book on goodreads.com while looking for Sherlock Holmes related reads. I had never heard of it before and thought I'd give it a chance based on the synopsis. This book follows a female bacteriologist at the turn of the nineteenth century who is posing as a man in order to have and keep her profession. She crosses paths with Sherlock Holmes during a case (a murder where cholera may have been involved) and at once he knows her secret (thanks to his skills in observation and deductive reasoning). This is literally the synopsis and the opening scene of the book.
Things just get more interesting from there. The story is told from the perspective of Anna (or Anton) Kronberg our crossdressing bacteriologist. We get to see the dichotomy of the two personas she must live with, the medical hardships of the people and the inequality of rights between men and women during this time period. Anna as a whole, is a gripping and dynamic character and trying to find out if she would be exposed kept me reading the story as much as the mystery that was unfolding.
Through the book Anna and Sherlock must confirm whether or not doctors are experimenting on patients and who the culprits are. The dynamic between the two characters is interesting, though sometimes a bit stilted, and Holmes is more a consultant to Anna than anything else. It is enjoyable to read the scenes where the two challenge each other since they are both incredibly intellectually driven people and it is fun to see Sherlock admit that he sees Anna as an equal. There are some parallels drawn between Anna and Irene Adler but this doesn't progress much further in this first novel.
The mystery is the main focus of this novel and there is a lot of scientific knowledge (jargon) thrown in for authenticity. These scenes did not bother me but can be repulsive to those who cannot read about a doctor cutting a body open in order to examine it for cause of death in a coroner's office.
Some readers have stated that Sherlock does not read true to the original character but this did not bother me as it was someone's interpretation of the original character. The one thing that did bother me in the beginning of the was the way the narration was written. For the first thirty or so pages, I found it slightly off. But when I became engrossed in the story, I honestly forgot about it altogether.
Overall, I found that this book (as a Holmes read) was more about the mystery and the rivalry dynamic between Anna and Sherlock than it was about enjoying Sherlock as a character (in that he was not always portrayed authentically and didn't have much screen time altogether). If you enjoy how detailed some of the Holmes cases are and how the minute clues must come together in order to solve a case, this is a definitely a read I think you will enjoy.
--> As an aside, if you have never heard of or read the Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle (how in the world could this be possible?!), I strongly urge you to do so. The language can feel a bit dense to someone who isn't used to reading Victorian literature but once you get through the first ten or fifteen pages, it gets easier. The stories follow the mysteries of a detective named Sherlock Holmes as told by his roommate and detective partner John Watson. The writing is just wonderful - especially if you're reading it aloud, it just rolls off the tongue - and the characters and plot are entertaining and intriguing. It's a hell of a lot of fun to read and a great start to anyone who wants to trying reading a mystery or wants a fun introduction to Victorian literature.
I finally watched the Sherlock Christmas special, which was mostly set in Conan Doyle's original 19th century setting. I loved the episode. It wasn't what I expected and I'm grateful at being at least a little sated until next year's Season Four airing. If you're a Sherlock fan like me, you're super excited that we're finally getting another season but if you really just can't endure the six month wait, here are four books that I've read that might hold you over.
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I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this book! And did you catch the reference to a Study in Scarlet?! This teen fiction novel centers around James Watson, Dr. John Watson's great great grandson and his meeting Charlotte Holmes, Holmes' great great granddaughter. Both characters have known of each other's existence (since their families have been tied together since Sherlock and John) and our two main characters meet at boarding school where shortly thereafter a murder happens. Who are the two most likely suspects? Our protagonists of course. Despite a rocky start, the two must team up in order to clear their names.
This book is a lot of fun. It is written in the point of view of Jamie (James) Watson and is filled with witty high school insight - especially about boarding schools where family money and association can define your place in the social hierarchy. I also really appreciated that Caralloro gave us a great narrator in Jamie Watson. He is curious, humorous, and in awe of Charlotte Holmes (much the same way Conan Doyle's Watson was with Sherlock). But what is new about this modern adaptation is that the Holmes character is a girl and this allows for a whole new dynamic between Watson and Holmes.
Charlotte herself is a great character. She is flawed in many of the same ways Sherlock was - has substance abuse problems, can't relate well to others, can sometimes belittle those around her for having inferior intellect. But she also has a lot of his strengths as well. She is fiercely loyal and protective and is undeniably intelligent and observant. Charlotte also brings a new and interesting vulnerability to the story with serious personal experiences that are revealed within the story.
Of course, like most Sherlock Holmes stories the plot revolves around the mystery - in this case the murder of a boarding school student - and a lot of the usual deductions, chemical experiments, and misdirections are present. Watson is of course protective of the misunderstood Holmes and a lot of the traditional tropes are featured. But in all honesty, I found that the mystery (although the driving force of the plot), was a bit generic and predictable. In fact, I was able to guess the culprit close to half way through the book, which made the resolution a bit dissatisfying.
I don't want this to take away from how great I think this book is. It was incredibly entertaining and I finished it relatively quickly. I liked getting an insight to how the Holmes and Watson families have operated through the different generations and found that this book (at least to me) was more about the characters (the parallels to the original characters and the idiosyncrasies of the new characters). So if what drew you to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries was the characters, this book is definitely for you! If not, my other picks may interest you.
This book is a lot of fun. It is written in the point of view of Jamie (James) Watson and is filled with witty high school insight - especially about boarding schools where family money and association can define your place in the social hierarchy. I also really appreciated that Caralloro gave us a great narrator in Jamie Watson. He is curious, humorous, and in awe of Charlotte Holmes (much the same way Conan Doyle's Watson was with Sherlock). But what is new about this modern adaptation is that the Holmes character is a girl and this allows for a whole new dynamic between Watson and Holmes.
Charlotte herself is a great character. She is flawed in many of the same ways Sherlock was - has substance abuse problems, can't relate well to others, can sometimes belittle those around her for having inferior intellect. But she also has a lot of his strengths as well. She is fiercely loyal and protective and is undeniably intelligent and observant. Charlotte also brings a new and interesting vulnerability to the story with serious personal experiences that are revealed within the story.
Of course, like most Sherlock Holmes stories the plot revolves around the mystery - in this case the murder of a boarding school student - and a lot of the usual deductions, chemical experiments, and misdirections are present. Watson is of course protective of the misunderstood Holmes and a lot of the traditional tropes are featured. But in all honesty, I found that the mystery (although the driving force of the plot), was a bit generic and predictable. In fact, I was able to guess the culprit close to half way through the book, which made the resolution a bit dissatisfying.
I don't want this to take away from how great I think this book is. It was incredibly entertaining and I finished it relatively quickly. I liked getting an insight to how the Holmes and Watson families have operated through the different generations and found that this book (at least to me) was more about the characters (the parallels to the original characters and the idiosyncrasies of the new characters). So if what drew you to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries was the characters, this book is definitely for you! If not, my other picks may interest you.
This book I read a few years ago. I read the synopsis - a novel about a retired Sherlock coming out of retirement to train a female protege - and was set on reading it. This book follows Mary Russell, our young female protagonist, over several years. In the beginning of this adult fiction novel, Mary Russell is a teenager who meets Sherlock who is fifty four years old and retired. He is intrigued by her succinct observations. He takes her under his wing and trains her in the art of unfolding a mystery - of understanding information that isn't immediately obvious. He teaches her the art of disguising herself, deduction, and how to track suspects.
Over the years she solves cases with Sherlock and becomes known as his apprentice. But when she goes to college, someone begins to target not only her but Sherlock and Watson. She must distance herself from her mentor in order to solve this mystery and to put a stop to the danger on all of their lives. This is honestly as much as I can say without spoiling the plot.
I liked this novel. I really enjoyed Mary as a narrator and protagonist but I did feel that Sherlock as a character was rather muted. He didn't exude enough presence for me (something Sherlock generally does without trying as a character) and I felt that there was something missing in how he was portrayed. I also had a slight issue with how Watson was portrayed. He was spoken of as "poor uncle Watson who has a good heart but is too simple too keep up with us". It rubbed me the wrong way and made Mary as a narrator a bit off for me in that one scene.
The mystery was enjoyable and had a lot of references to the Sherlock mysteries written by Conan Doyle.
I did feel like the story centered very closely around a small group of characters and made the plot and mystery easy to follow and I couldn't guess who the culprit was, which I appreciated! Though you do get to see Holmes and Watson (albeit in their older years), I felt the novel was more geared towards the mystery and the idea of intellect and deduction itself than any of the characters other than Mary. Because of this, I would suggest this read to those who are more interested in the mystery of a case than in the familiarity of the traditional Sherlock Holmes characters.
Over the years she solves cases with Sherlock and becomes known as his apprentice. But when she goes to college, someone begins to target not only her but Sherlock and Watson. She must distance herself from her mentor in order to solve this mystery and to put a stop to the danger on all of their lives. This is honestly as much as I can say without spoiling the plot.
I liked this novel. I really enjoyed Mary as a narrator and protagonist but I did feel that Sherlock as a character was rather muted. He didn't exude enough presence for me (something Sherlock generally does without trying as a character) and I felt that there was something missing in how he was portrayed. I also had a slight issue with how Watson was portrayed. He was spoken of as "poor uncle Watson who has a good heart but is too simple too keep up with us". It rubbed me the wrong way and made Mary as a narrator a bit off for me in that one scene.
The mystery was enjoyable and had a lot of references to the Sherlock mysteries written by Conan Doyle.
I did feel like the story centered very closely around a small group of characters and made the plot and mystery easy to follow and I couldn't guess who the culprit was, which I appreciated! Though you do get to see Holmes and Watson (albeit in their older years), I felt the novel was more geared towards the mystery and the idea of intellect and deduction itself than any of the characters other than Mary. Because of this, I would suggest this read to those who are more interested in the mystery of a case than in the familiarity of the traditional Sherlock Holmes characters.
I have so many things to say about this adult novel! I found this book on goodreads.com while looking for Sherlock Holmes related reads. I had never heard of it before and thought I'd give it a chance based on the synopsis. This book follows a female bacteriologist at the turn of the nineteenth century who is posing as a man in order to have and keep her profession. She crosses paths with Sherlock Holmes during a case (a murder where cholera may have been involved) and at once he knows her secret (thanks to his skills in observation and deductive reasoning). This is literally the synopsis and the opening scene of the book.
Things just get more interesting from there. The story is told from the perspective of Anna (or Anton) Kronberg our crossdressing bacteriologist. We get to see the dichotomy of the two personas she must live with, the medical hardships of the people and the inequality of rights between men and women during this time period. Anna as a whole, is a gripping and dynamic character and trying to find out if she would be exposed kept me reading the story as much as the mystery that was unfolding.
Through the book Anna and Sherlock must confirm whether or not doctors are experimenting on patients and who the culprits are. The dynamic between the two characters is interesting, though sometimes a bit stilted, and Holmes is more a consultant to Anna than anything else. It is enjoyable to read the scenes where the two challenge each other since they are both incredibly intellectually driven people and it is fun to see Sherlock admit that he sees Anna as an equal. There are some parallels drawn between Anna and Irene Adler but this doesn't progress much further in this first novel.
--> As an aside, the story evolves much more over the next two books in the series, and comes to include Moriarty as a prominent character though he is not really featured in the first book. Honestly I would recommend for anyone to read the first book just so they can continue on with the series. Even though I did not like the end of the last book, I still think this was a great read.
The mystery is the main focus of this novel and there is a lot of scientific knowledge (jargon) thrown in for authenticity. These scenes did not bother me but can be repulsive to those who cannot read about a doctor cutting a body open in order to examine it for cause of death in a coroner's office.
Some readers have stated that Sherlock does not read true to the original character but this did not bother me as it was someone's interpretation of the original character. The one thing that did bother me in the beginning of the was the way the narration was written. For the first thirty or so pages, I found it slightly off. But when I became engrossed in the story, I honestly forgot about it altogether.
Overall, I found that this book (as a Holmes read) was more about the mystery and the rivalry dynamic between Anna and Sherlock than it was about enjoying Sherlock as a character (in that he was not always portrayed authentically and didn't have much screen time altogether). If you enjoy how detailed some of the Holmes cases are and how the minute clues must come together in order to solve a case, this is a definitely a read I think you will enjoy.
This was an interesting read. This book is not specifically about Sherlock Holmes but has a very similar vibe in terms of story structure, characters, and tropes. Jackaby is a teen fiction novel marketed as a cross between Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes. I can't attest to the first (I've never watched Doctor Who) but I can say that there are many nods to the Sherlock Holmes series.
This teen fiction novel is about Jackaby has the unique ability to be able to see magical creatures and their auras - this is not a spoiler, it's on the synopsis. Enter out main character, Abigail Rook, who becomes Jackaby's new assistant and we have the same dynamic Conan Doyle created between Sherlock and Watson. Ms. Rook has to help Jackaby solve a murder cause by a magical creature that none, other than Jackaby (with his unique skills), can detect. The interaction between the two characters is amusing in that most people (including Abigail) find Jackaby to be odd and often delusional. But the longer Abigail works for Jackaby the more she is drawn into his world of ghosts, banshees, werewolves, and fairies.
Abigail chronicles the case as a way to help Jackaby keep track of his thoughts and the incoming facts and clues as she narrates the story. As a woman in the late nineteenth century, she is bold, doesn't conform to gender roles, and is a "roll with the punches" kind of woman. She is running from familial obligations and has a need for independence. I really enjoyed learning all of these mystical new things as she learns them and find that she narrates with a great sense of dry humor.
Ritter does a great job with his characters. He has an amusing narrator in Abigail, creates more humor in Jackaby with all of his oddities (and his dismissal of everyone who doesn't understand his reasoning) and has a plethora of interesting side characters. But he does an even better job balancing all of this with a great murder mystery plot. The plot is always moving forward with amazing pace and with every new clue, a new interesting character is added to either help find the next piece of the puzzle or to create suspense as a possible suspect. While I did also guess the culprit of this novel correctly before the end of the book, I do think that Ritter gave a great deal of attention to the mystery aspect of the story and that the reveal at the end was satisfying.
Ritter does create a lot of parallels in the story telling to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries in the dynamic between his two main characters, the way Jackaby is a misunderstood savant who cannot relate well with others, and the way that the mystery unfolds. Jackaby also deduces things that others can't (if only because of his special talents) and goes to his lab to test his theories. Abigail is understanding of Jackaby and indulges his neuroses.
Overall I find that this is a more well-rounded Sherlock Holmes-esque read (save the magical and fantasy elements). It presents both characters and a plot that have a Holmes feel to them and in the end was enjoyable and satisfying in terms of its resolution.
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These are great Sherlock Holmes themed or inspired books for any Sherlock fan to read and I hope that you guys will enjoy them. If you've read any of these books, please let me know your thoughts and I hope you guys have a wonderful week!
This teen fiction novel is about Jackaby has the unique ability to be able to see magical creatures and their auras - this is not a spoiler, it's on the synopsis. Enter out main character, Abigail Rook, who becomes Jackaby's new assistant and we have the same dynamic Conan Doyle created between Sherlock and Watson. Ms. Rook has to help Jackaby solve a murder cause by a magical creature that none, other than Jackaby (with his unique skills), can detect. The interaction between the two characters is amusing in that most people (including Abigail) find Jackaby to be odd and often delusional. But the longer Abigail works for Jackaby the more she is drawn into his world of ghosts, banshees, werewolves, and fairies.
Abigail chronicles the case as a way to help Jackaby keep track of his thoughts and the incoming facts and clues as she narrates the story. As a woman in the late nineteenth century, she is bold, doesn't conform to gender roles, and is a "roll with the punches" kind of woman. She is running from familial obligations and has a need for independence. I really enjoyed learning all of these mystical new things as she learns them and find that she narrates with a great sense of dry humor.
Ritter does a great job with his characters. He has an amusing narrator in Abigail, creates more humor in Jackaby with all of his oddities (and his dismissal of everyone who doesn't understand his reasoning) and has a plethora of interesting side characters. But he does an even better job balancing all of this with a great murder mystery plot. The plot is always moving forward with amazing pace and with every new clue, a new interesting character is added to either help find the next piece of the puzzle or to create suspense as a possible suspect. While I did also guess the culprit of this novel correctly before the end of the book, I do think that Ritter gave a great deal of attention to the mystery aspect of the story and that the reveal at the end was satisfying.
Ritter does create a lot of parallels in the story telling to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries in the dynamic between his two main characters, the way Jackaby is a misunderstood savant who cannot relate well with others, and the way that the mystery unfolds. Jackaby also deduces things that others can't (if only because of his special talents) and goes to his lab to test his theories. Abigail is understanding of Jackaby and indulges his neuroses.
Overall I find that this is a more well-rounded Sherlock Holmes-esque read (save the magical and fantasy elements). It presents both characters and a plot that have a Holmes feel to them and in the end was enjoyable and satisfying in terms of its resolution.
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These are great Sherlock Holmes themed or inspired books for any Sherlock fan to read and I hope that you guys will enjoy them. If you've read any of these books, please let me know your thoughts and I hope you guys have a wonderful week!
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