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blindlyadoringlymadly's review against another edition
5.0
ohhhh enola we are really in it now..... she's so huge for lonely girls who hate the patriarchy and are left feeling isolated from all their peers because they're on a different intellectual or political or social wavelength with anyone they could possibly form a real connection with. the scene where she looked at lady cecily and saw some sense of kinship and sisterhood with her all while knowing that could never be possible was genuinely heartbreaking i feel like i'm going to throw up it's so serious :/
um and the story was good. yay mysteries... i'm normal about her btw
um and the story was good. yay mysteries... i'm normal about her btw
lynsey23's review
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
Of course, since I watched the movie first, I compared the first book to the movie. I can assure you that the case is a lot more complicated and impressive in the movie. However, in this second book I wasn't sure what to expect, since the movie didn't capture this. And since I was expecting more of a Middle Grade than a Young Adult I was actually quite positively surprised by this second book. Because this was certainly a lot more serious than the first book!
This book shows very clearly the circumstances of women in the time of Sherlock Holmes. We get to see the women living on the streets, trying to survive another day without getting much help. We also get to see women in much better positions and although they might not struggle to survive, they do struggle to live. In a way this is one of the most raw portrayals of this time period I've read in a YA novel. It's not romantic. It's not pretty. It's only very very sad.
Just like the case of the Left-Handed Lady. Even though we only got to meet the girl near the end of the story, we got a heartbreaking image of her life. And therefore we also got a heartbreaking image of the life Enola would have if Mycroft would get what he wants. The contrast between the Enola we see and the life she knows she should have is huge. And therefore I'd say that this book is not so much about the case, but more a very well done history lesson.
And that history lesson works because we see the world through Enola's eyes. We live inside her head, we see how smart she is, how intelligent she is, how she has dreams and wishes and what she has to do to make them come true. Enola is only 14, but because she's quite resourceful and aware of her own flaws, she's easy to like and root for. And although I'm quite sure Sherlock will warm up to her, it might take him a few books to see her for who she is.
It's an amazing book for young girls to realize how far we've come, but also to realize that those prejudices are not entirely gone yet. However, the atmosphere and everything that's being said can be quite heavy. I'm curious to read the next books and to see where the story will end!
This book shows very clearly the circumstances of women in the time of Sherlock Holmes. We get to see the women living on the streets, trying to survive another day without getting much help. We also get to see women in much better positions and although they might not struggle to survive, they do struggle to live. In a way this is one of the most raw portrayals of this time period I've read in a YA novel. It's not romantic. It's not pretty. It's only very very sad.
Just like the case of the Left-Handed Lady. Even though we only got to meet the girl near the end of the story, we got a heartbreaking image of her life. And therefore we also got a heartbreaking image of the life Enola would have if Mycroft would get what he wants. The contrast between the Enola we see and the life she knows she should have is huge. And therefore I'd say that this book is not so much about the case, but more a very well done history lesson.
And that history lesson works because we see the world through Enola's eyes. We live inside her head, we see how smart she is, how intelligent she is, how she has dreams and wishes and what she has to do to make them come true. Enola is only 14, but because she's quite resourceful and aware of her own flaws, she's easy to like and root for. And although I'm quite sure Sherlock will warm up to her, it might take him a few books to see her for who she is.
It's an amazing book for young girls to realize how far we've come, but also to realize that those prejudices are not entirely gone yet. However, the atmosphere and everything that's being said can be quite heavy. I'm curious to read the next books and to see where the story will end!
booklover81's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
3.5
rlisaacs's review against another edition
4.0
More a 3.5, but I didn't want to just leave it at 3. Still a very good and solid book in the Enola Holmes series. I still love Enola, and am growing to love her even more. She still has a long way to go and to grow, and she knows it, but she is still already so clever, so smart, and she cares so much about finding things and people who are lost and need saving.
And I have a bit of hope for Sherlock now. So yay!
And because I think it might be spoiler-ish... Spoilers ahead! You've been warned:
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Just so I can say, comparing to Netflix again, my hope for Sherlock made me smile at the end of this book. Enola, by the end, has revealed quite a bit of herself to her favored brother that she was hiding from. And in so doing, may have messed up some of her plans for how she'll continue finding lost things and people going forward. And Sherlock still tries to catch her. Tries to insist she come home and take her 'proper place' as a woman of society.
Needless to say, Enola refuses, and so cleverly dupes him into spending his whole night searching for her when, TA DA!, she had ended up finding her way into his house, into his very room, for the remainder of the night. The one location he never thought to look for her, because why would she have come to the home of the one trying to capture her. (Capture may be too strong a word, but I'm using it anyway. Sherlock in this book has what he feels are good intentions... but he is wrong. So very wrong. Even if Enola is only fourteen.)
In any case, all of this to finally get to the end of the book, where Sherlock realizes that Enola not only evaded escape, but did so by breaking into his room and stealing some of his disguises from his wardrobe. And at first he's furious at the audacity of Enola and what she did.
And then he smiles. And then he even laughs.
And I do love Enola, I truly do. All of the book is about Enola, and how she once again uncovers the truth of the mystery when her brother Sherlock did not bother, and the police couldn't do it themselves.
But I LOVE Sherlock Holmes. Always have, and always will. And while in the first book, I wasn't very pleased with him... the ending of this one gives me hope that he may still come around.
Still not as likeable as the Netflix version. I feel like at the end of that first movie, Sherlock was on board with Enola being her own person. No boarding schools or corsets too tightly laced or other things that, in that time, women were just expected to do or were considered nuts for not doing. And in this second book, Sherlock still has a long way to go. But, I have hope, and I will take it.
Continuing on to the next one, dear readers. Thank you for reading my ramblings.
And I have a bit of hope for Sherlock now. So yay!
And because I think it might be spoiler-ish... Spoilers ahead! You've been warned:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Just so I can say, comparing to Netflix again, my hope for Sherlock made me smile at the end of this book. Enola, by the end, has revealed quite a bit of herself to her favored brother that she was hiding from. And in so doing, may have messed up some of her plans for how she'll continue finding lost things and people going forward. And Sherlock still tries to catch her. Tries to insist she come home and take her 'proper place' as a woman of society.
Needless to say, Enola refuses, and so cleverly dupes him into spending his whole night searching for her when, TA DA!, she had ended up finding her way into his house, into his very room, for the remainder of the night. The one location he never thought to look for her, because why would she have come to the home of the one trying to capture her. (Capture may be too strong a word, but I'm using it anyway. Sherlock in this book has what he feels are good intentions... but he is wrong. So very wrong. Even if Enola is only fourteen.)
In any case, all of this to finally get to the end of the book, where Sherlock realizes that Enola not only evaded escape, but did so by breaking into his room and stealing some of his disguises from his wardrobe. And at first he's furious at the audacity of Enola and what she did.
And then he smiles. And then he even laughs.
And I do love Enola, I truly do. All of the book is about Enola, and how she once again uncovers the truth of the mystery when her brother Sherlock did not bother, and the police couldn't do it themselves.
But I LOVE Sherlock Holmes. Always have, and always will. And while in the first book, I wasn't very pleased with him... the ending of this one gives me hope that he may still come around.
Still not as likeable as the Netflix version. I feel like at the end of that first movie, Sherlock was on board with Enola being her own person. No boarding schools or corsets too tightly laced or other things that, in that time, women were just expected to do or were considered nuts for not doing. And in this second book, Sherlock still has a long way to go. But, I have hope, and I will take it.
Continuing on to the next one, dear readers. Thank you for reading my ramblings.