Reviews with content warning for Forced institutionalization - Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche

Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

8 reviews

linde13's review

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

As a fan of the original books, I was apprehensive reading this one after the series had already ended and the summary made it clear it was capitalizing on the movie's success.

However, I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. It stuck to the strengths of the books that the movie didn't capture (Enola as a socially savvy Victorian and not a modern girl born into the wrong century, Sherlock as a prickly but still caring older brother, the continuing message that "feminine" doesn't mean "shallow" or "lesser", etc), while also taking advantage of the books' previous ending to introduce interesting new elements. Now that Enola is no longer in hiding, it's fun to see her interact freely with characters such as Sherlock and Tewksbury, and navigate the world as herself.

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daneyyy's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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? No

4.75

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caitlin_bookchats's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Well, I do think this is the best of the Enola Holmes books and it certainly is most like the movie (which I loved) in tone, but it's still hampered by its 20 years out of date White Feminism. (I think I actually initially gave it 3 stars because it IS the best of the bunch BUT, three months later when I'm rating it I can't bring myself to care about this book or this series. Sign me up for the second film but I am definitely 100% over these books.)

This series is overall very white, very uninterested in seeing marginalized people as whole people and not plot mechanisms (unless they're white, upper class women) and is just so disappointing.

Please recommend better mysteries for the 8-11 year-old crowd to me.

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martamae77's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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blkunicorn's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted fast-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

3.75

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aravenclawlibraryx's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Find this review and others like it at https://aravenclawlibraryx.wordpress.com

3.5 stars

I’m going to be honest. I don’t know much about Sherlock Holmes. And I was completely unaware that he had a sister. And yes, I am well aware he is a fictional character. My first couple of sentences make it seem like Sherlock Holmes is a real person. But I am aware that he is not. Probably a good thing, if I am being honest. Holmes was a bit of a jerk and I’m saying that in the nicest way possible. Anyway. Maybe I should have read a Sherlock Holmes book or at least looked at a Wiki page of Homes before I started this book. But when St. Martin’s Press sends me a book, I will certainly read it, regardless of what it is about. That’s just the way of the world.

Anyway, onto the actual review. I enjoyed this book but I wasn’t in love with it. The writing style was written in that old style but it was easy to read, which I appreciated. You wouldn’t believe how it is to read a classic book and try to decipher the writing. That is probably why I didn’t much care for Pride and Prejudice; I had no idea what was going on for most of the book. At least I knew what was going on in this book.

Enola was an interesting character. She was pretty haughty and feisty. But I liked how smart she was! She honestly was such a genius. Other than that, Enola was okay. I am writing this review quite a few weeks after I’ve read this book so my memory of her is kind of fuzzy. But I do remember enjoying her as a main character.

I rated the book 3.5 stars because I really couldn’t stand Sherlock himself. He was such a prick to everyone around him. He was especially awful to Enola. Most of it was just because she was a girl. I can’t stand that. I have no idea if that is how Holmes is in his books. I would imagine so considering he had a bit of a cocaine problem.

Overall, it was a good book but again, I didn’t really love it. Not one of my favorites but I certainly didn’t hate it. I would be interested in reading more about Enola and more of this series however. I should mention that this book was in the middle of a series but I didn’t get confused about anything that was happening so you can certainly read this as a stand alone novel. But I, personally, would love to read this series starting from the beginning.

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jules_reads_books's review

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted 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

3.5

My rating: 3.5 stars

If you watched and loved the Enola Holmes movie on Netflix, you will enjoy this book. It is technically the sixth book in the series, but it stands pretty well on its own, especially if you have the background from the movie.

Enola is a strong, stubborn young woman who, like most young women, makes several mistakes along the course of the story. This was actually one of the things I liked most about this book. Movie Enola seems to be all knowledgeable and never make a wrong move, but book Enola is as flawed as any other teenage girl.

When Sherlock enters one of his famous depressions, Enola steps forward to take the lead on his next case. Letitia Glover comes to the Holmes siblings with the riveting story of her twin sister who married far above her station and her untimely demise and unconventional cremation. As well as the peculiar feeling that her twin has not died at all.

Enola, of course, jumps headfirst into the mystery.The friendship that forms between her and Letitia Glover, or Tish, is one for the ages. In a story absent of romance, the friendship between these girls really shines. It was definitely one of my favorite parts of the book.

I don’t read middle grade much (or ever) but this one made me actually want to go back and read the beginning of this series. It was a fun and easy read. I rated it 3.5 stars basically for that reason. It was entertaining, but nothing deep or particularly amazing or immersive.

Overall, this was a great read and a perfect introduction to mystery for young readers and especially for fans of the Enola Holmes movie.

I would recommend this if: you are in the mood for an easy MG read, you enjoyed the Enola Holmes movie

I would not recommend this if: you are looking for a deeper or more engaging read

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thebakerbookworm's review

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I first discovered Enola last fall when I read all six of her books and then watched the Netflix movie. I thought her story was over so I was excited to learn about book number seven!

This book had more interactions between Enola and Sherlock than the previous books, and I was here for it! I love that Enola doesn’t let Sherlock get away with nonsense—and she doesn’t wait for him to get things done either. She has a tendency of getting herself into trouble and then getting herself out of trouble just in time to solve the mystery and save the day.

There were some new characters in this one that I enjoyed, as well as some cameos from old characters that were fun. The fast-paced plot will keep you reading, but Enola’s wit and smarts are the real hook of this book.

This one can be read as a standalone, probably more so than the previous six, but I enjoyed knowing the history of the character and all she’d been through as I read. I’ve always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes, and I just love Enola’s adventures as well!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me an ARE!

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