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elaa0907's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Murder, Death, Sexism, Stalking, and Religious bigotry
hell_demon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
having the murderer revealed halfway through the book was a choice that could have caused the second half of the book to drag but it actually worked really well. it was also interesting to see how people viewed the Mormon church as more of a cult back in the 1800s (for the record I agree that it is a cult)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Sexism
forced marriage and therefore allusion to sexual assaultnrogers_1030's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Terminal illness, Racism, Sexism, and Stalking
nicola4e's review against another edition
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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Murder, and Death
Minor: Drug use
em_davies7019'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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Religious bigotry, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Animal death, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Kidnapping
librarymouse's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A Study in Scarlet was an enjoyable read. Sherlock Holmes, for all his quirks, is history's best detective, and this was a fun introduction into his adventures. The plight of Jefferson Hope and his love for Lucy was charming, and then heart breaking. I got to the second section of the novel I did a double take of sorts and googled it to make sure that my digital copy of the book hadn't accidentally been merged with another book. The difference in the plot in the flashback section was jarring, but the writing style stayed consistent between the actual investigation and the explanation behind it. The character of Watson was far different from his modern iterations. I kind of enjoyed him being characterized as being choosey about what's worthy of him leaving the house, in order to conserve his limited energy after being injured while serving in the military. There was racism and classist sentiment sprinkled throughout the book that was considered acceptable at the time it was written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Racism, Animal death, Blood, Death, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Sexism, Trafficking, and Stalking
Minor: War and Xenophobia
laurenmayb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
After becoming invested in the plot of Part 2, it was not quite so irritating as others have admitted.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Sexism
grimviolins's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Blood and Alcohol
hot_water's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
chalkletters's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-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
3.5
Sherlock Holmes was the third fictional detective I was introduced to, after Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. My mum used to have the books on tape, and I remember that the first time I listen to <em>A Study in Scarlet</em>, I was absolutely riveted. Not so much by the relationship between Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes, that came later, but by the story of Jefferson Hope. As a teen, I accepted it without question or critical thought. And, though I remember it less clearly, that must have been how I've engaged with it every time since.
This time, however, the story that used to enthral me has absolutely enraged me. Which isn't to say that <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> is any less interesting or less well written since I first experienced it all those years ago. It's just that I've become a more discerning reader, and that's actually pretty cool.
If you haven't read <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> and you care about spoilers, come back to this review later, because what so angered me is pretty crucial to the murderer's motive.
Jefferson Hope claims to love Lucy Ferrier so much that he devotes his whole life to revenge on the men who forced her into marriage. Alright, that's a little old-fashioned, perhaps, but <em>A Study in Scarlet </em>is set in 1880, so that's not my problem. My problem is that after Lucy gets married, Jefferson Hope walks away and leaves her to die. He is right there on the spot, he's already attempted to rescue her once, but as soon as he hears that the marriage has already taken place, he turns around and walks off! He makes no attempt to rescue her from a situation that he's told is so bad she will probably die of grief. And she does, she dies, all while Jefferson Hope is plotting to avenge her death!
I think when I was younger, I just accepted that, of course, marriage is forever, there's no way Lucy could be saved from it. And, to an extent, that might be true. Lucy, it is implied, is a religious woman in 1880. She might not have been in favour of divorce, even were it legally possible. But nobody asks her. Jefferson Hope doesn't ask whether she'd rather run away with him and live in sin than endure life married to a man who killed her father. It's not even stated in the text that he presumes to know what her preference would be.
He's just told that she's married and he walks away. It's presented absolutely without comment or question. And it's made me angrier than anything I've read in a long time!
While I wouldn't say that this detracted from the merits of <em>A Study in Scarlet</em>, it certainly has distracted me from the rest of the story. This review probably isn't a very useful one if you want to know whether you should read the book: but that's not really what this blog is about. This blog is about recording my experience of the books I read and, this time, my experience of <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> has been profoundly shaped by my distaste for a character I formerly sympathised with.
This time, however, the story that used to enthral me has absolutely enraged me. Which isn't to say that <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> is any less interesting or less well written since I first experienced it all those years ago. It's just that I've become a more discerning reader, and that's actually pretty cool.
If you haven't read <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> and you care about spoilers, come back to this review later, because what so angered me is pretty crucial to the murderer's motive.
Jefferson Hope claims to love Lucy Ferrier so much that he devotes his whole life to revenge on the men who forced her into marriage. Alright, that's a little old-fashioned, perhaps, but <em>A Study in Scarlet </em>is set in 1880, so that's not my problem. My problem is that after Lucy gets married, Jefferson Hope walks away and leaves her to die. He is right there on the spot, he's already attempted to rescue her once, but as soon as he hears that the marriage has already taken place, he turns around and walks off! He makes no attempt to rescue her from a situation that he's told is so bad she will probably die of grief. And she does, she dies, all while Jefferson Hope is plotting to avenge her death!
I think when I was younger, I just accepted that, of course, marriage is forever, there's no way Lucy could be saved from it. And, to an extent, that might be true. Lucy, it is implied, is a religious woman in 1880. She might not have been in favour of divorce, even were it legally possible. But nobody asks her. Jefferson Hope doesn't ask whether she'd rather run away with him and live in sin than endure life married to a man who killed her father. It's not even stated in the text that he presumes to know what her preference would be.
He's just told that she's married and he walks away. It's presented absolutely without comment or question. And it's made me angrier than anything I've read in a long time!
While I wouldn't say that this detracted from the merits of <em>A Study in Scarlet</em>, it certainly has distracted me from the rest of the story. This review probably isn't a very useful one if you want to know whether you should read the book: but that's not really what this blog is about. This blog is about recording my experience of the books I read and, this time, my experience of <em>A Study in Scarlet</em> has been profoundly shaped by my distaste for a character I formerly sympathised with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence