A review by caramellattekiss
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King

adventurous mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

This attempts to tell a feminist Sherlock Holmes story, but I found Mary Russell the worst kind of "not like other girls" Mary-Sue. She is beautiful, has a mind to match Holmes, is wealthy, is excellent at physical pursuits, can create perfect disguises...the list goes on and on, and all at the age of 15. I found Mary deeply irritating. 

Sherlock Holmes is pretty out of character for most of the book and spends a lot of time talking about how wonderful Russell is compared to the bumbling idiot Watson. I really disliked the constant putting down of Watson. I'm not sure King has actually read much Sherlock Holmes, or she'd know that these two men have a lot of love and respect for each other. Watson might not be a teenage genius, but he's not a fool. 

The mystery itself is a fun read, with satisfying twists and turns. The clues for the final reveal are all laid, without giving everything away. The fun story saved this book from being a DNF, even though the characters were largely unlikeable. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings