A review by linde13
Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Classism

It turns out that Flossie was committed to an insane asylum; while looking for her, Enola takes a detailed tour of one, and later Flossie's twin sister disguises herself as an escaped Flossie, with a detailed description of how her physical state could have deteriorated. When they rescue Flossie, the narrator doesn't go into the asylum and she's disheveled but otherwise unharmed.