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danijoy'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
What an excellent introduction to Watson and Holmes! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Part two was…interesting…I appreciated the backstory for the murderer but it made the book feel disjointed. I will say, it came together in the end! There might have been a better way to fit both narratives together, but overall a stellar read.
mrsbooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the first section of this book, I loved learning about Holmes and his thought processes and seeing the murder unfold.
During the second section, I thought that I wasn't enjoying it, but actually I was really engaged in the story and kept trying to listen whenever I could snatch a few minutes. This enjoyment only increased when I delved into the final section because it suddenly tied all the ends together neatly and gave a few A-ha! Moments.
During the second section, I thought that I wasn't enjoying it, but actually I was really engaged in the story and kept trying to listen whenever I could snatch a few minutes. This enjoyment only increased when I delved into the final section because it suddenly tied all the ends together neatly and gave a few A-ha! Moments.
anjuxavier's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mikaela_basile's review against another edition
5.0
Imma be honest, the second half of the book really threw me.
ashy18c's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
The fantastic Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson first case together. The beginning was intriguing. I liked the mystery and the childishness of Sherlock. After watching the BBC adaptations I was excited to read this book. However, although the first part was good I feel the second half was bland. I struggled to get through the second half due to the abrupt time skip and change in location. Nevertheless this book was a good classical read.
fraggerbot's review against another edition
4.0
★★★★
A simple, fun read that is the start of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson's adventures.
Probably my only complaint was that the flashback in Utah was both abrupt and prolonged, but it was easy once I got past it.
“I'm not going to tell you much more of the case, Doctor. You know a conjuror gets no credit when once he has explained his trick; and if I show you too much of my method of working, you will come to the conclusion that I am a very ordinary individual after all.”
A simple, fun read that is the start of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson's adventures.
Probably my only complaint was that the flashback in Utah was both abrupt and prolonged, but it was easy once I got past it.
“I'm not going to tell you much more of the case, Doctor. You know a conjuror gets no credit when once he has explained his trick; and if I show you too much of my method of working, you will come to the conclusion that I am a very ordinary individual after all.”
kjpollard71's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
alysonhere's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn't expecting the second part at all (the background of Jefferson Hope and his reason to murder). I think I might have found it more enjoyable than the rest of the book. The actual Sherlock bits were just sort of bam, bam, blah, blah, fact, fact, not gonna tell you... John being impressed.
maarij_420's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
thaurisil's review against another edition
3.0
In this first Sherlock Holmes story, Dr Watson meets the eccentric Holmes, finds out he is a private detective, and gets pulled into the mystery of a dead man in an abandoned house, with blood spattered over the house yet without a sign of injury on the man himself. Oh, and there's a German word RACHE written on the wall, and a lady's ring on the man. In typical style, Sherlock inspects every inch of the ground, then spends the next few chapters giving hints that he knows more than he's revealing, annoying the detectives Lester and Gregsom. The dead man is Drebber, and a few days later his secretary Stangerson is found dead as well. Shortly after, Sherlock Holmes has handcuffs on a cabby named Jefferson Hope. We then enter Section Two where we learn that the men were from Salt Lake City in Utah. Drebber and Stangerson were Mormons, and Drebber forcefully raped and married Lucy Ferrier, while Stangerson killed her father. Unfortunately Lucy was Hope's beloved, and he spent the next twenty years hunting down the two men. Back to the present day, the elderly Jefferson Hope has an aortic aneurysm, and dies shortly after giving his testimony, but before his trial.
I was rather put off by Section Two. It did form its own intriguing action tale, despite lots of inaccuracies about Mormonism, and would have made a nice story on its own. But I came into the story expecting pure detective action, and having close to half the book away from Baker Street was disconcerting. Then again, this was the first Sherlock Holmes book, so it's understandable that Doyle hadn't developed the style that he became famous for yet.
The unravelling of the mystery itself wasn't too impressive either. It consisted mainly of Holmes finding tracks on the ground and smelling the man's breath and making conclusions that the reader could never have made based on the circumstances given. Again, this was the first Holmes tale, and whodunnits hadn't been well established at that time, so I won't fault Doyle too much.
What I did like was the introduction of Sherlock Holmes. We get him in bits and pieces. First Watson runs into an old acquaintance Stanford who talks about Holmes as a strange indescribable man. Then Watson observes him himself, noting his peculiarities, his all-encompassing knowledge about chemicals and soils, and his deliberate ignorance about things like heliocentrism. Finally we ourselves observe Holmes, until one day he, of his own accord, reveals his business. Then we get to see him in action, and learn his style and mannerisms.
I was rather put off by Section Two. It did form its own intriguing action tale, despite lots of inaccuracies about Mormonism, and would have made a nice story on its own. But I came into the story expecting pure detective action, and having close to half the book away from Baker Street was disconcerting. Then again, this was the first Sherlock Holmes book, so it's understandable that Doyle hadn't developed the style that he became famous for yet.
The unravelling of the mystery itself wasn't too impressive either. It consisted mainly of Holmes finding tracks on the ground and smelling the man's breath and making conclusions that the reader could never have made based on the circumstances given. Again, this was the first Holmes tale, and whodunnits hadn't been well established at that time, so I won't fault Doyle too much.
What I did like was the introduction of Sherlock Holmes. We get him in bits and pieces. First Watson runs into an old acquaintance Stanford who talks about Holmes as a strange indescribable man. Then Watson observes him himself, noting his peculiarities, his all-encompassing knowledge about chemicals and soils, and his deliberate ignorance about things like heliocentrism. Finally we ourselves observe Holmes, until one day he, of his own accord, reveals his business. Then we get to see him in action, and learn his style and mannerisms.