Reviews

The Real Sherlock by Lucinda Hawksley

ameserole's review

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2.0

Meh. It was okay.

The Real Sherlock seemed like it would be an interesting choice. Especially since I love absolutely anything and everything that has to deal with Sherlock. I've seen the movies, shows, and read books about him or a character like him. I enjoyed them all.

So you'd think that I would love this one as well, right? WRONG.

From the very beginning, I was bored. Then I just kept waiting, wishing, hoping, and praying that things would pick up. Maybe, just maybe, something super interesting will be said or done and it will spark so much joy for me.

Again, wrong. This book did nothing for me and I'm disappointed.

izumisano's review

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3.0

It was an ok introduction to A. Conan Doyle. I was able to pick up on some trivia and made connections to his work I hadn't done previously. But the narrative style felt a little bit disjointed to me. They would quickly speak on a topic and race off to the next thing. I know that it is a 2 hour program, but maybe they could've focused on bigger themes then. Some of the people who were interviewed had a tendency to mumble, so I missed some of their observations too (like why Doyle was for female education, but not female suffrage). I keep being left disappointed by these quick biography profiles.

qalminator's review

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3.0

Interesting, but uneven, with some inexplicably inappropriate music in places (music that would make sense for, say, a queen walking up to a throne, but not for random events from Doyle's life; maybe when he was knighted?). What it reminds me of, mostly, is a wake, where relatives and friends and well-wishers come and talk about the deceased, trying to emphasize the good qualities and minimize the bad (though at least the bad is acknowledged in this). Some fascinating details interspersed with, to me, boring personal monologues that are tangential to the topic, at best.

There was enough to interest me to give it 3 stars, and to recommend it to people with a very strong interest in Doyle, but it's brief enough that it seems likely people who have done a lot of reasearch will already be familiar with most of the details given here.

The detail that I found the most interesting was that Doyle lost 4 or 5 relatives in WWI, and it's thought that played a strong role in his later interest in spiritualism, possibly more than the death of his first wife. I find it more sympathetic to come to such an interest after a loss of so many at once.

Audible Originals Scoreboard: good (mostly)
Good: 7
Mediocre: 2
Bad: 2

themisscaitlin's review

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informative fast-paced

3.25

angelikareadsavariciously's review

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4.0

I knew very little about Doyle before. He seems to have lived a very fascinating life!

jesssika's review

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4.0

Very interesting book about the man and creator of Sherlock Holmes. Hearing about his life and all the adventures he went on was very interesting. There were a few times stuff was repeated and it’s order wasn’t chronological which made for a couple confusing moments. Still very interesting for any A Doyle fan.

fyre_flies's review

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informative fast-paced

2.0

This was an informative but scattered podcast. I enjoyed learning a little more about Conan Doyle and this has given me lots to research, but this was very badly structured and was, therefore hard to follow. It also on seems to scratch the surface of the subjects it aims to cover, from his early years all the way to his interest in spiritualism. 

aggielexi's review

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2.0

If you are really into Arthur Conan Doyle this is for you. But I am more into Sherlock Holmes so I was a bit disappointed. Sorry I don't care that you found the inkpot that he wrote with, or the night shirt he or his wife slept in. Tell me more about how he made his character.

rodica_b's review

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4.0

This was a very pleasant 2 H audiobook (more of a Radio program in feeling and editing than a book, truth to be told). I deep cleaned by bathrooms while listening about bits and pieces about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Some of the things I knew, quite a lot - I did not. Very enjoyable, if you love reading/learning about writers and notable personalities.

thelauramay's review

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1.0

DNF at 45% - didn't care to go on.