I was highly intrigued by this book because (according to the inside cover jacket) this is the first novel authorized by the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate since it began over 125 years ago. Since I am basically a lifelong Sherlock Holmes fan, I knew I had to give this book a shot.
Within the first five chapters, I was convinced that I was going to hate it. To me, the character of Sherlock Holmes was extremely developed at this point in the book, whereas Doyle took basically the entire canon to reveal various quirks to the character's personality. I also didn't feel like the Sherlockian deductions were close to the solidity that Doyle had established. I knew I had to finish the book for the sake of being a Holmes fan, but I was prepared to experience a disappointment.
Much to my chagrin, the novel grew on me. The deductions still felt a bit shaky, and the Sherlock Holmes character was completely developed by the end of this 290 page novel, but the book had its own unique qualities that ultimately turned me from a skeptic to a lukewarm fan. The author also was able to take seemingly endless story lines and tie them all into one neat little knot by the end.
I will highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to get to know Doyle's Sherlock Holmes without reading the entire canon. I can see why the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate authorized this novel: it clearly adheres to the essence that is Sherlock Holmes and his time period. Reader be warned, however: there is some adult content.
I've been curious about this one for a while, so it's sad to hear that Holmes is so "complete" in this book. I'm working my way through the canon, and those little tidbits popping up from time to time are part of what I really enjoy about it. It seems much more natural and realistic than learning everything all at once. Thanks for the insight on this one!
ReplyDelete