Reviews

The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle

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danijoy's review

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The quiet character moments between Holmes and Watson were my favorite part of this story. While undoubtedly an expertly crafted mystery, I found myself spacing out towards the mid-point only to check back in for the finale.

rlaferney's review against another edition

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3.0

Hired by a young lady, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate the strange recent deaths of her missing father's friends from the army, as well as the whereabouts of the Great Mogul, the second-largest diamond in the world.

The Sign of the Four (1890), also called The Sign of Four , is the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes by British writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It's themes deal with evil, justice, Victorian fear, empire and imperialism. The Sign of the Four has a complex plot involving service in India, the Indian Mutiny of 1857, a stolen treasure, and a secret pact among four convicts ("the Four" of the title) and two corrupt prison guards.

The Sign of the Four is an improvement over A Study in Scarlet, and is preceded by one of the best in the canon, The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The Sign of the Four is a complex mystery that features more of what we love about Sherlock and Watson (Sherlock's cunning, cold deductions, Watson's emotions and wonderment) yet it's language can be quite dated and the mystery is almost too much of a labyrinth. Still a worthwhile read though!