Reviews

The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle

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kati33's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ayereads's review against another edition

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1.5

I am almost compelled to add a 'aged like sour milk' shelf for this book alone.

I don't know if Doyle ever visited India but I can imagine this book in the 1890s, almost fairy tale like talking about 'devil worshiping', 'good for nothing' wild natives with names like Mahomet Singh. I can see readers nodding their heads and saying 'yes, this is why they need us, poor things.'

This book made me MAD. Apart from the blatant disrespect to the culture and people of India, and the casual misogyny, the mystery is so lazily done. It goes- oh, this happens and that happens and don't forget- we may have been forcefully colonizing their country but Indians are the true villains.

I am all for seeing books through the lens of the time they were written, but some stories are just trying too hard to be racist by adding unnecessary (to the plot) things, as in this one. So, nope.

Overall, highly disappointed and just absolutely angry because of this book.

Also Watson (kind of) pulls a Hastings and ends up getting the girl.