shelfcheckout's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-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? Yes
3.25
canadiyank's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent book lent to me by a friend. Of course, the title caught my eye, but the premise behind it was fascinating. A semi-retired Sherlock Holmes takes on an unusual apprentice...a teenage girl, half-American, half-English, who has all the observational skills and intelligence of Holmes himself.
mojoshivers's review against another edition
5.0
I consider this book an excellent start to the series. Not only is Mary Russell every bit as intelligent and fascinating a creature as Holmes himself, but she also seems to have sprung fully-formed and well-rounded as any character I have come across.
I don’t know—the idea of Sherlock taking on a female apprentice/partner sounds gimmicky at the outset, but the manner in which is handled just seems so natural. Of course he takes her on. With her gifts for insight and deduction nurtured on by her own tragic backstory, how could he not?
And then to present the pair of them with a mystery as tantalizing as the one in this book was a stroke of genius. It is every bit in Holmes’ canon as anything Doyle ever wrote. Not only that, but it also manages to strike out in a direction not envisioned by the old stories. It remains a wonderful installment for both updating its hero and paying tribute to his past.
I don’t know—the idea of Sherlock taking on a female apprentice/partner sounds gimmicky at the outset, but the manner in which is handled just seems so natural. Of course he takes her on. With her gifts for insight and deduction nurtured on by her own tragic backstory, how could he not?
And then to present the pair of them with a mystery as tantalizing as the one in this book was a stroke of genius. It is every bit in Holmes’ canon as anything Doyle ever wrote. Not only that, but it also manages to strike out in a direction not envisioned by the old stories. It remains a wonderful installment for both updating its hero and paying tribute to his past.
carstensena's review
5.0
Thrilled to have an excuse to re-read a favorite novel. It is even more wonderful the second time!
And just listened to the audio. Read #3!
And just listened to the audio. Read #3!
calthapalustris's review
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Clever, well written & a page-turner, this book is my new favorite & I can't wait to re-read it!!
poachedeggs's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed King's writing in the first part of the book - the late 1800s style is something I find really comforting, and I think she managed to capture some of the essence of that period.
I found the mysteries confusing and rather pointless, though. Rather than intellectual exercises (which I associate with Holmes), they are action-adventure type things. Not so fun for me.
Most disturbing of all is the relationship between Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Mary was 15 when she met Holmes, who must have been in his 40s if not 50s (I forget). Is it because Holmes needs someone much more juvenile to imprint his lessons onto that King has made Mary so young? I'm really not sure, but the friendship just seemed really odd, largely because I didn't get a strong sense of the chemistry that was supposed to exist between them.
I'll probably not be reading the next book in the series, partly because King's books are simply too long (to the point of being bloated) for what they have to convey.
I found the mysteries confusing and rather pointless, though. Rather than intellectual exercises (which I associate with Holmes), they are action-adventure type things. Not so fun for me.
Most disturbing of all is the relationship between Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Mary was 15 when she met Holmes, who must have been in his 40s if not 50s (I forget). Is it because Holmes needs someone much more juvenile to imprint his lessons onto that King has made Mary so young? I'm really not sure, but the friendship just seemed really odd, largely because I didn't get a strong sense of the chemistry that was supposed to exist between them.
I'll probably not be reading the next book in the series, partly because King's books are simply too long (to the point of being bloated) for what they have to convey.