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The only bad thing is I have a very good memory (especially for these types of things), so with most screens I know where the differences are from the start. I was lucky in this last round to get some new ones though, and I still managed to pull it off, so that is fun. I do enjoy the game very much, and there are still one or two that stump me. It can get rather difficult at times, and I really respect that! I am sure Sherlock would too. ;)
And can you tell me how you posted the picture of the page? I couldn't.
The ones that stumped me were the lab scene with Sherlock and Molly, and also Sherlock at 221B looking into a microscope.
And, to take a screenshot of the computer screen you just have to use the correct button configuration that is specific to your computer. What do you have?
At least I am confident enough to show my ignorance at times.
Later today I will play the game again. I remember one that I cannot finish is the outdoor one, they are in a canyon of sorts (Watson and Holmes( with rocks piled in the background. I had 4 just not 5.
note: being called to help feed dogs, back in a bit ... and maybe answers on the pictures need to be in a PM; but help with posting pic is appreciated!
Just as the remarkable Irene Adler (whom encapsulates her sex in the keen eyes of the extraordinary Mr. Sherlock Holmes) is the woman to our detective, A Scandal in Bohemia is the Doyle Sherlock story that probably holds the greatest place in my heart. To offer a little insight to my adoration for this particular Holmes story, I have included a prelude to my review of this special story.
As some may have guessed, this is the first Sherlock Holmes story I ever read, and for that alone is has a dear place in my heart of hearts, and always will. I didn’t know Mycroft from Lestrade when I strolled through a bookstore while away from my home on a vacation of sorts and set my eyes upon that wonderful Wordsworth Sherlock Holmes collection I have written about previously. It was there, incased in its magnificent pages that my eyes first met the title of this story, and it was the tale that fully opened my eyes to the fascinating and exciting world that both Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John H. Watson inhabit. Being that A Scandal in Bohemia was the first official Doyle story published in The Strand (also with the first illustrations from the talented Mr. Sidney Paget), it was easy to see why it was the first story featured in the Wordsworth edition I purchased that fateful day. As I left the bookstore I began getting into the stories as if I was afflicted by a voracious type of bookworm disease, and found myself fully taken by Doyle and his creations. I was immediately fascinated and mesmerized by the brilliant narration of Watson and his accounts of the veritable genius held by Mr. Sherlock Holmes, the leading force against the criminal world in Victorian England.
Doyle begins this story begins with Watson recounting the various exploits of Holmes that have escalated in grandiose nature from his summoning to Odessa in the Trepoff murder to a plea for his talents from the reigning family of Holland that had all headlined in the press. Right off the bat I was impressed with the legend of Sherlock Holmes, and continued reading with intensity, my eyes magnetized to the page. And so they were glued until I read the magnificent last lines of this landmark tale, fully satisfied beyond all belief. Not only is it special to me for personal reasons, but this was the story that truly began all the great Holmes publications in The Strand that fed the adventures of Holmes and Watson to a starving public. It was here that Paget first captured our imaginations like a thief in the night with his illustrative abilities, and where we first meet the alluring figure of Madame Irene Adler, a woman of unmatched renown in the eyes of Holmes and his readers since its March 1888 publication.
There is just so much to love about this tale. We get some brilliant plotting from Doyle who employs his usual finesse with words that create before our eyes some of the most beautiful textual descriptions written by man, a “pretty little problem” is presented (as Holmes puts it), some of his greatest disguised exploits and of course one of the most compelling character studies into what makes the great detective himself tick. A Scandal in Bohemia is simply a fun little story that will transport you back to the late 1800s as we again follow Holmes and Watson into the gaslit streets of Victorian London, with all parties both real and fictional in search of the greatest kind of adventure.
The main categories for this review of A Scandal in Bohemia:
Holmes- As it is no secret, I absolutely adore Holmes and do so increasingly every time I pick up a Doyle tale and read about him. He truly is one of my essential, most favorite characters that I can never be too far from at any time and it would be impossible for him to disappoint me. That said, he is spectacular beyond belief in this tale. Not only is he his usual self in the faculties of both deduction and disguise, he is also quite amusing in his own dry way. From his well-meaning jabs at Watson about gaining weight to his slashes against the unremarkable hereditary King of Bohemia von Ormstein, he is on top form and never fails to make me laugh. This story also features some of his greatest (and most famous) quotes, like when he deduces Watson’s return to civil practice in the very beginning of the tale, his ability to resolve the enigma behind the mysterious letter on Bohemian paper and his dialogue to Watson about how women will always grab that which they value above all else if the cry of fire is thrown about.
In this story we also get to see Holmes in two (yes, two!) disguises, one an out of work drunkard groom, the other a harmless looking clergyman. Both are rather amusing in their own way, and I love how Holmes uses the former to blend in and extract information from the stable workers about Miss Adler and the latter to sneak into the woman’s own residence to engage his brilliant plan. He also has all kinds of fun in this tale, even going so far as to inadvertently marry Irene and Norton to each other, which erupts in him a great laugh from the sheer absurdity of it all.
But by far the most interesting fabrics of this story are his relations with and thoughts about Miss Irene Adler. As Watson states in his opening, Holmes is quite taken by the memory of Adler, yet he isn’t possessed with the same classic emotion of love that you would expect most men to hold who have crossed paths with the likes of her. No, Holmes and his finely crafted reason would become distracted beyond compare if such a dangerous and unpredictable emotion such as love came into his being. This aspect of Holmes is one of the most fascinating things about him and sparks droves of interesting conversation on the matter. Holmes and his extreme reverence for Miss Adler, her own brilliant abilities and her success in beating even his refined strengths in deduction and plotting leave him speechless and in great respect to the sole woman that is to him the worthy representative of her entire gender. Irene is a real shock to his system because she is unlike many of the women he sees upon his usual cases. No, she is brave, bold, amazingly astute and sharp with her own deductions, and above all a challenge to Holmes at such a level that he can hardly find amongst even those of his own sex. It is understandable why he finds her so wonderful and worthy of applause, and why he is so incredibly giddy to wear the coin she gave him for his services rendered at the church upon his watch and proudly has her lovely photograph adorning the apartment at Baker Street for the foreseeable future. In fact, Holmes sees more in Irene than von Ormstein ever could. The hereditary king sees Irene in only the superficial, and is shallowly most upset that she isn’t on the same level as he. Through his own flawed reasoning he misses all the immaculate qualities about her that Holmes respects so much, characteristics that would have made for a spectacular queen to the Bohemian throne, no matter her rank.
In conclusion, I just love Holmes, especially in this story. We get to see him have some real fun once reunited with his good old friend Dr. Watson, and their meeting after an extended period of time is wonderful. You can see just how much Holmes loves having Watson around just by how he reacts to his arrival and in his insistence that he needs his Boswell with him in the thick of the mysteries surrounding his extraordinary life. Moreover, I delight in seeing Holmes conflicted with being outsmarted, though I adore his reaction of sincere respect all the more. It isn’t one of a spiteful or livid nature. No, he is so taken aback by the wonderful Miss Irene Adler that he can’t help but pay a reverential tribute to not only a woman, but to him, the woman who rises above all others of her gender in his keen eyes. Absolutely charming!
Watson- Just as with Holmes, I couldn’t ever dislike or be disappointed with our dear Watson in any Doyle story, especially when both men are together and working side by side on a case. He is in very many ways our eyes, startled as we are by the magnificent mind of Sherlock Holmes and enchanted by the many surprising talents he holds, from his knowledge in the areas of science and criminology to his expansively wide indexes on the many faces that he deems worthy of note to appear in their pages.
When we meet Watson again he is taking a brief respite from his wedlock to Miss Mary Morstan and his medical practice, which he has since returned to. I love just how much fascination Watson holds for Holmes, and how he is always brought back to Baker Street after too long a break from their old rooms as if he is addicted to his own drug, a mix of thrills and adventure. By John’s descriptions of Holmes, who is living a sheltered life with his copious collection of books and indulging once again in the drug, it appears that a visit from him is just what the detective needs, and I think we are correct to assume it!
One thing I have always loved about Watson is that he will still go along with anything that Holmes does, even if there is a risk involved and he has not even the slightest idea of what Holmes has planned for them. In this story, we see both these instances come about. One of my favorite passages is placed right before Holmes begins to dress in his clergyman attire and exit for Briony Lodge to enact his plot on Miss Adler. He delivers to Watson all kinds of questions before their departure begins, inquiring whether he minds breaking the law or running the risk of being arrested, all to which Watson proudly states nay, as long as the cause is good. I especially enjoy this scene because we see a bit more of Watson, the man of action. He is still very much a man used to the battlefield, and though he has previously been gravely injured, he can’t quite quit the desire he has for thrills, which Holmes also thirsts for. In this way, Holmes and Watson accommodate each other quite nicely, and both are able to get their fixes through their amazing adventures together. And of course, even though Watson has no clear idea of what Sherlock’s plans are and is afflicted with guilt for plotting against the lovely Irene, he doesn’t betray Holmes’s wishes and does as he is told, like a true friend.
But by far my favorite sections of the tale from Watson’s beautiful descriptions are when he analyzes Holmes and his reverence for Irene. You can only image how Watson feels, seeing Holmes in action and knowing him so well after their time living together, yet when Irene enters into the picture Holmes reacts in a completely fresh and new way that he hadn’t ever seen before. He rationalizes that if Holmes isn’t the romantic type to let those kinds of feelings crack his steeled mind, what he has for Irene must be a deep respect. Like us, the readers, Watson is fascinated by how Holmes reacts to Adler’s brilliant counter-maneuver on him, and can only guess as best we can what the incredible Sherlock Holmes feels under that “cold mask” (as Watson sometimes calls it). It is adventures like these that keep Watson’s deep interest in Sherlock alive, and where he sees minor cracks form in that same cold mask, proving that Holmes isn’t such a callous person after all, but quite capable of showing a deep care and respect for others that deserve such an honor. Deerstalkers off to Watson for nobly following Holmes on his various escapades and cataloging yet another smashing adventure for all of us to enjoy.
Villain- Since there is really no true villain in this tale, I have chosen to just leave this section blank.
Supporting Characters- Of the supporting characters, there isn’t many, basically amounting to that of Miss Irene Adler, Mr. Godfrey Norton and Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein, hereditary King of Bohemia (what a mouthful!). Needless to say, Miss Adler is one of the coolest women around in fiction, and one only wishes she were real. It isn’t hard to see what Holmes is so taken with respect for her. She is the exact opposite of the women common to the age, a breath of fresh air to Holmes: she does things without dependency on others, she is resourceful, “she has the face of the most beautiful of women, and the mind of the most resolute of men”, can remain many steps ahead of those in her path, is a talented and bold woman on a grand scale both in her professional and personal life. But most importantly, at the heart of it all she is a wonderful human being, not anything like the maniacally dangerous blackmailer we are led to believe she is via von Ormstein’s descriptions. At the end of the story we realize that she is also a big fan of Sherlock Holmes, even going so far as to expose herself to him near the end of the story to know for certain that he was the one behind the plot to get her photograph. And while she was in the position to spoil von Ormstein’s arrangement, she does the honorable thing and states that she is quite happily in love (and loved, as she puts it) with Norton, and has no desire to stop the current marital plans of von Ormstein as long as his plots against her stop. Irene is not only one of the best characters that were written into the Holmes canon, but in the entirety of literature as a whole. She breaks every convention set against the women of her age, and this story must have been quite the startling read for the people of the time. For this and more, Irene truly earns her honorable title of the woman.
While we know little of Mr. Godfrey Norton besides his occupation and of course his relationship with Miss Adler, above all he seems to be a man worthy of her company, and as Irene states, they are both quite taken by each other. It is nice to see them get their happy ending, especially with Holmes on hand to help tie their marital knot.
The hereditary king of Bohemia, von Ormstein is a character I feel very mercurial towards. There are times when I like him, either because I find him frequently amusing or enjoy seeing his theatrical attempts to conceal himself fail before the mind of Holmes, but there are also times where I heavily dislike him. I would even go so far so as to say that I leave the story with quite the cold memory of him. I guess my problem with the character lies in his feelings about Irene and his own dominant care for only his state of affairs. He wants to attain the picture to save his own rear, will do literally anything in his power to stop it from being released, and seems obsessed with that aim and only that aim. While he has a small respect for Irene’s abilities, he is more concerned about her rank and what she could do for him in the title of his queen than truly caring for her passionately as his companion or partner in life. When his business is done with the photograph it almost feels as if he believes he has lost nothing, failing to see just how much of a great woman he lost out on in Irene. He is also at times pathetically naïve, especially to Holmes’s final cold remarks to him:
“What a woman–oh, what a woman!” cried the King of Bohemia, when we had all three read this epistle. “Did I not tell you how quick and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? Is it not a pity that she was not on my level?”
“From what I have seen of the lady she seems indeed to be on a very different level to your Majesty,” said Holmes coldly.
I think Holmes truly holds the king in contempt at the end of the story. He only stays in Briony Lodge long enough to receive the photograph of Irene (his greatest souvenir) and after that doesn’t seem to have the time for him at all. Ormstein even remarks with what seems to be great shock when he sees that instead of money or a valuable material object like a ring (or one of the Bohemian kingdoms he offered rather hyperbolically early in the story), Holmes wishes only for that same photograph as his payment for the case. Ormstein fails to see its appeal in comparison to his other offers because he can’t understand the value of a human being above what they can do for him. All in all, I vehemently hold him with disdain, much like Holmes appears to.
Atmosphere- As we all know, Conan Doyle was a master of descriptive writing, and here he proves it in spades. It is my humble opinion that in pieces like this he both challenges and exceeds the syntax of better-known writers set beside him in history, both before and after his time. His details and composition are delicious, and like Ian Fleming, it is almost like he performs magic with text. Every word sounds perfect to the ear, especially in the masterfully constructed dialogue of Holmes and the descriptions of Victorian London.
In this story we get some wonderful surrounding description from Conan Doyle, most prominently the area of Briony Lodge where Irene Adler resides while in London. He treats us to a lovely feast of descriptions here, not only describing to us in great detail the area of Irene’s home through Holmes, but also the surrounding blocks full of all sorts of interesting characters. All of this helps me to visualize the story more clearly, because I play them like films in my head, shot by shot. With his talents Conan Doyle makes you imagine quite a rousing adventure and exercises your abilities to construct settings from descriptive details, something his works are perfect for training. My favorite bit of description in the story (and one of my favorite of the canon) that creates such a powerful sense of atmosphere is right at the beginning as Watson talks of visiting 221B again:
“His rooms were brilliantly lit, and, even as I looked up, I saw his tall, spare figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against the blind. He was pacing the room swiftly, eagerly, with his head sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who knew his every mood and habit, his attitude and manner told their own story. He was at work again. He had risen out of his drug-created dreams and was hot upon the scent of some new problem. I rang the bell and was shown up to the chamber which had formerly been in part my own.”
When we picturing Watson staring at the windows of 221B, spotting Holmes’s unmistakable silhouette, both the readers and the good Doctor know that our favorite detective is once again back on a case. Descriptions like these are simply immaculate, and paint such a vibrant picture in our minds. Doyle provides us with all we need to know and more, seducing us with ease to keep reading. It is because Doyle makes it all look so easy that he is truly one of the best writers ever published.
Suspense- This story contains quite a few great moments of suspense. We have no idea what to expect as Watson arrives back in 221B, and learn about the state of things just as he does. After that we have the great mystery of the letter on Bohemian paper as well as a mysterious masked man (though not mysterious to Holmes). Afterwards we are pleasantly surprised by Holmes and his finesse in the art of disguise, hang on his every word as he tells us what he has been up to near Irene’s home and his plans for her. And of course it isn’t until a call of fire rings out over the area of Briony Lodge and smoke exits the house’s open window that we truly get what Holmes has been planning, as we were just as dumb-founded as Watson up until that moment. The last bit of suspense comes when Holmes is told goodnight by a cloaked figure with a voice that is quite familiar to his ears, and when Holmes and Watson return once again with von Ormstein on hand to Irene’s home in search of a photo that is already long gone. It isn’t the most biting suspense Doyle ever crafted, but it is a cracking good time nonetheless and eloquently presented.
Violence- There is truly no instance of violence in the story. It is implied that when Holmes (in his clergyman disguise) runs to aid Miss Adler who is in the midst of a row, he is punched in the nose, but we later find out that Holmes rubbed some red paint over it to give it that appearance and that no hit was actually landed. Therefore, no violence is contained in the story. In fact, this is one of the sunniest Holmes tales out there where we find not a single corpse or murderer in sight. That may also be why I enjoy it so.
Humor- As I have stated previously, this story makes me crack up countlessly. Mostly it is because of Holmes and his wonderful dialogue, my favorite moments being when he teases Watson about gaining weight and his deduction that Watson has indeed returned to medical practice. When Watson answers, “You would certainly have been burned, had you lived a few centuries ago,” I can’t help but crack up.
I also get a kick out of when Holmes rather amusingly ostracizes a simple-minded von Ormstein at the end, something I quite appreciate. I can’t help but smile when Holmes gets all caught up in the great stakes and challenges the case presents, and become cheery myself when I read of him laughing with such enjoyment at the sheer absurdity of some of the events he partakes in. This is all because I do so love to see Holmes happy and back with his greatest companion, the great John H. Watson.
Cleverness- While this story is not Doyle’s most intricate or perplexing, it is still clever how Holmes navigates Irene and receives information on her through his covert disguises and eventually gains entry into Briony Lodge. Holmes’s plan is very cunning and joyous to watch unravel as he matches his talents with that of the great Miss Irene Adler.
Case- I really enjoy this case, though it is a straightforward blackmail/affair type plot strand seen all over the place across any number of genres. What is most magnificent is how Doyle makes it his own and adds a spin on it, where at the end neither party get hurt and all things are quite cleanly resolved with no blood spilled. It is simply a fun case to read where there is no serious danger to get caught up in and no dark homicides or life-threatening events lurking around every corner. Just fun, fun, fun, and I quite like that.
Doyle- As I swooned a few paragraphs up, Doyle is on fire in this story. As noted, his descriptions and dialogue are top-tier, as is his introduction to one of the most famous characters in the canon, Miss Irene Adler. I simply adore reading his masterful writing, and enjoy with great relish the journey he takes us on, mourning their end each time they come upon me. He captures the friendship of Holmes and Watson so wonderfully in this story, an added bonus on top of an already stellar tale. Through Holmes’s mannerisms we can tell that he is overjoyed in his own way to see Watson (because as the doctor states, he isn’t an effusive person) and his assistance that his friend accompany him wherever the case takes him solidifies that argument. Holmes rejoices in showing off all he is capable of, and since Watson is not only his scribe but also his proudest audience member, who better to be with him while hot upon a new case? For Watson it is his strong desire to see Holmes again that tells us so much about him. Though he is obviously happy to be back practicing medicine and in a state of matrimony, the adventures and thrills that only Sherlock Holmes can supply are sorely missing from his life. He is still in search of stimulus, of excitement just as Holmes is, and as I have said, that is why they complement each other so well. Watson’s own promise to Holmes to risk even illegality and arrest during the case shows his commitment to his friend and his trust in what he has planned around every corner. For these reasons and more, Doyle created the best friendship ever found on the pages of fiction, no contest.
Paget- Since this story marks the first time that Sidney Paget’s brilliant illustrations ever accompanied a Holmes story, I thought that I would add a special category just for him, as he is such an important part of the stories themselves. While it is clearly visible that he is just starting to feel out the characters of Holmes and Watson, his talent is immediately apparent. Everything from how he drew Holmes with his hands clasped together and one leg over the other gives a strong visual indication of deep thought, and his pictures offer the perfect companion to Doyle’s words. His drawing of von Ormstein is a startlingly perfect reproduction of what Doyle describes, and both his drawings of Holmes disguised as the drunkard groom and the clergyman show wonderfully just how much the detective can change his features and dress to inhibit and disappear behind the roles he plays. Watson wasn’t lying when he said, “The stage lost a fine actor, even as science lost an acute reasoner, when he [Sherlock] became a specialist in crime.” Even his drawing of Irene saying goodnight to Holmes is perfect, as we can see very subtly that amongst the long and massive outerwear the features on the cloaked figure are quite visibly feminine. An inferior artist wouldn’t have been able to successfully strike that dichotomy between the bulk of the cloak and the grace expressed by the features of a beautiful female’s face, but Paget did it expertly.
Paget’s art in this story sparked a memorizing (an accidental) career for the creator that led him to illustrate at least 356 published Sherlock Holmes drawings that are still printed in editions of the stories today. His versions of Holmes, Watson and other supporting characters have long inspired artists after his time and have become the quintessential visualization of Doyle’s characters today. For these reasons and more, Paget is the master.
Final Verdict- Judging by how extensive my review is, it’s easy to see how I feel about this story. It holds a special place in my heart for first introducing me to Holmes and Watson, a event that began my eternal love affair with their friendship and Doyle’s craft at writing such engrossing tales. The story is simply a fun-filled good time, and quite significant to the canon for introducing us to the fantastic Irene Adler, a character who has grown larger than Doyle could have ever imagined. We get to see Sherlock utilize his finely crafted talents for disguise as he goes covert to get at the photograph von Ormstein desires, and we also get some great Holmes and Watson moments that show off just how much they are devoted to each other in their dual friendship and partnership.
Doyle is as usual on top of his form, as is Paget who was at the time of publication still gaining his footing on the characters, giving us one hell of a debut. And most importantly, in this story we get closer to Holmes and how he feels behind that “cold mask” more than most other adventures. We see him completely out-smarted by a woman that so superbly matches his talents that he can’t help but feel a deep respect for her, because she (amongst other remarkable talents) is headstrong, intellectual, full of beauty and grace and artful in both disguise and in deductions of her own kind. She is not just a woman to him. No, to Sherlock Holmes the unforgettable Irene Adler is the woman, plain and simple, and still remains undeniably worthy of that honorable title to this day.
As you say about Doyle's writing: "Descriptions like these are simply immaculate, and paint such a vibrant picture in our minds." You are exactly right. Doyle is a master at painting a picture in our imagination that is so real, and yet he does so in so few words. I really admire this ability of his; it is his strong suit.
I love the parts you included in your review; indeed Watson's looking up at Holmes' flat is so evocative and real, and I feel like I am standing right next to him.
This is one of my favorite stories, too. I will try to get mine in tomorrow. At the moment I am in a bit of a rush, so I will leave my comments to just these for now. But I will have more to say about your great review tomorrow, 0Brady.
AND a huge thank you for designing that beautiful and appropriate logo for our review group! I just love it. Please don't change it a bit. The Baker Street Bibliophiles are lucky, in many ways, to have you on board. =D>
Cheers!
(And sorry to say, my favorite pipe smoking Holmes smiley gif has disappeared and is no longer available to use. Sniff!)
I appreciate your kind words, and accept them humbly. And please feel free to post my logo on front of all your reviews, as I made the template just for us to give our analysis a nice flashy pop before the meaty examination begins. I will do a different one for each story (featuring its title) of course, and may even make them more individual from the rest by including things that relate to the story on it. It not only helps me exercise my art design skills but also allows me be a big Holmes geek through my art, something I thoroughly enjoy.
I enjoy examining these stories because I love the characters so much, and this group of ours is the perfect opportunity for such a grand adventure to be taken and shared with others that enjoy them too. There is hardly a better thing in this life than sitting down and being thrusted into the magnificent escapades that Sherlock Holmes and John Watson always supply us with.
I shall see you all a week from now, and by that time I will have hopefully finished A Study in Scarlet while on vacation and will begin my review once I reach home and my laptop again. Take care and cheers to you all, my fellow bibliophiles!
While I was gone I read A Study in Scarlet, so that review will be coming as soon as I can get to it, after I get caught up on everything here and in other areas that were neglected while I was away.
While away I went to a bargain outlet and found in the section of books the most amazing thing imaginable: a book called The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes, which has all 356 of the original Sidney Paget illustrations as they appeared in The Strand. It is a beautifully designed and bound edition, with pages that appear to look as they did when they first appeared in that same magazine. I could barely contain myself when I saw this beautiful book, and the quality of the product itself was near perfection, brand spanking new. All the illustrations inside are beautifully re-printed, and in the best visual quality I have seen them in any other addition. Every illustration is clear as day, where you can see all the little details that are difficult to spot in other printings, and those details of Paget's work are as sharp and enthralling as ever. You can see before your eyes how his style developed as the stories went on as well as the many different ways in which he visually presented pictures for the stories. The book is 636 pages, capturing 37 of the stories and the whole of the novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles, an absolute treat to not only lovers of Doyle, but also for adoring fans of Paget, as his gorgeous illustrations have never looked better than in this book.
This is a great gift and possession for any devoted Holmes lover, and since this wonderful collection was only 7 dollars (you heard me right), I even got one for a friend who is also a big lover of the stories. Here is an Amazon link to the book I have been speaking of, for any interested in getting it:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Original-Illustrated-Sherlock-Holmes/dp/0890090572
Trust me, if you choose to pick it up you won't regret it!
I will speak with you all again soon.
By the way, I know I am remiss and rather late getting my review in - I will do that this week. A Scandal in Bohemia is one of my favorites. And I'm looking forward very much to your review of Scarlet, 0Brady.
And let's see if I can get these Paget pics posted ... seems I still cannot post an actual picutre any more, but here is a link:
http://th06.deviantart.net/fs22/PRE/f/2007/322/1/4/Sherlock_Holmes_Wall_by_AlaniaFlamestar.jpg
I really like this, a montage of quotes and Page illustrations. @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 can you actually post this to show as a picture? I cannot on my computer anymore.
Cheers, everyone!
Agree. Really beautiful book.
(Sorry, it´s quite big 4EverBonded)
Thanks very much, @ggl007! Well done, sir. :-bd
Wonderful, wonderful review @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 =D> And thank you for pointing our attention to that book, I will get it if I can.
@4EverBonded, I'm looking forward to your review and thank you again for posting my review in the right thread :\"> it was much appreciated.
Thank you very much for the kind words, and you are welcome for the notice about the book! :)
John Watson [narration]: ‘"Dr. Watson, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said Stamford, introducing us.’
With that simple sentence Sir Arthur Conan Doyle changed the world of fiction as it was known forever, joining together Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson inside St. Bart’s, lighting a fuse that would lead to their appearances in three other novels and a startling total of 56 short stories.
As it is quite elementary, my dear reader, to realize, this story is profoundly important to the Sherlock Holmes canon, not only because it is the great jumping off point of everything we now know as the original Holmes stories, but also because of its unique story structure, its showcase of the talent possessed by a more inexperienced Doyle, and the presentation of a backwards mystery where the man doing the murdering may not necessarily be the true villain of the piece. These various elements make for quite the story, and I am quite excited to begin reviewing it.
I finished this story for the first time a few days ago, reading it again after I couldn’t make it through it on my Kindle. While I can appreciate the Kindle as a useful device for readers who wish to invest in a piece of technology that offers convenience as one of its prime features, I am a traditionalist through and through. When it comes to literature I need a book in my hands so that I can smell those fragrant pages and turn them with anxious fingers and a fast heart as the story increasingly paces along with its beating.
And so, I ordered a lovely Wordsworth Editions (they are absolutely divine publishers) paperback copy off of Amazon, and was overjoyed to have the story in my hands in book form, as is my preference. Not surprisingly, it was an utter joy to re-read the first chunk of this story that I got up to on my first way through, and it didn’t feel like a chore in the slightest. Doyle’s writing is so deliciously wonderful, in everything from his descriptive details to his dialogues and masterful creation of mood and suspense that it is always a pleasure to return to any of his stories after a brief respite. I have always anticipated reading this story ever since my Holmes addiction began, and I feel quite ecstatic to have finally experienced the origin tale that started the canon of Sherlock Holmes as we know it 126 years ago. After this short introduction, it is now my most sincere pleasure to examine and review this landmark Sherlock Holmes story.
The categories for this Baker St. Bibliophiles Review of A Study in Scarlet:
Holmes- In this story Doyle introduces Sherlock Holmes to us for the first time, and he makes an instantly palpable impression upon us even before we see him appear on the page or hear him in spoken dialogue. That is the mastery of Doyle, you see, and why Sherlock is such a timeless character for the ages. At first our only ideas of who this man is come from Stamford, who paints him in more of a negative light than anything else, giving Watson a notice and hefty warning about his various eccentricities. The man himself has become a sizable legend by the time we are first officially introduced to him at St. Bart’s, and he doesn’t disappoint us from his opening deductions and spatter of dialogue to his final words at the end of the story. Holmes is one of those rare cases where the man himself exceeds his own legend, for he is quite the genuine article, and every bit as startling and fascinating as witnesses to his talents will make you believe.
Through Watson’s descriptions of Holmes and our own perceptions, he takes on a life of his own, making him almost mythical. Everything from his commanding presence, complex nature, daring sense of action and deductive superiority are indubitably glorious, and it is impossible not to root for him while he is on the scent of a great mystery. While we have yet to see an exploration of Sherlock’s other talents in this novel like in the areas of disguise and boxing, or flaws like his dark drug habits that add to his depth as a character, Doyle has successfully laid a fruitful deposit of soil here for the expansive growth of this already topical character in future adventures.
In this story Holmes also has some of his most wonderful moments, my favorites being his deduction about the retired marine sergeant to a baffled Watson, his brilliant capture of Jefferson Hope inside his rooms at Baker Street, his various scathing remarks towards Gregson and Lestrade, and the ability he has to be such a powerful and mesmerizing presence without ever having to utter a syllable. I also very much enjoy Holmes’s many dialogues on the topic of crime, stating that there is nothing new under the sun in regards to it, and that anyone with a knowledge of a thousand crimes should be able to predict the thousand and first one. But of course, a critical reason why this story is so popular amongst Sherlock Holmes fans through the generations is because of the great detective’s relationship with his Boswell, Dr. John Watson. This story offers us a cornucopia of material to discuss regarding their relationship at its very formation, something I will examine and gush about heavily in a special category I included just for this story, and just for this pair.
Watson- Right from his opening narration, we are in Watson’s corner, wishing only the best for him after his traumatically painful and draining stint in India where he faced severe “misfortune and disaster” (his own words). After becoming injured at the Battle of Maiwand and battling enteric fever, his health remains in severe despair for tortuous months on end where his survival is earnestly debated. This picture we receive of Watson is a very bleak and unforgiving one, where he goes so far as to criticize the British Empire for their colonialism-fueled endeavors, calling his contraction of the fever a “curse of our [the British’s] Indian possessions”. He even calls London, “that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained,” appearing to count himself amongst that sordid group. This makes me consider that maybe one of the reasons why Watson enjoys being around Holmes while on a mystery is because it provides him with new opportunities to help people outside of his medical field that he is now unable to practice, instead saving lives by helping take dangerous criminals off the streets.
Considering that Watson can’t even practice medicine any longer what with his lack of income or comfortable residence and his own dilapidated state, it is understandable why he is so depressive at this point in the story. After facing such despair for months on end he is sent back to England with his tail quite securely planted between his legs, left with no purpose and no sense of comfort or stability by his own country. By this time the massive British Empire had become so unequivocally obsessed with its own expansion abroad that it lost sight of its own domestic affairs and soldiers such as Watson were sent back home broken and with no concrete direction or foundation left in their lives. Though Watson does improve from the near hopeless state he was in while stationed in India, his narration continues to convey to us a very dreary picture of his own life. He is like a painting splattered with assorted shades of gray, the canvas covered in splashes of the darkest black, all mixing together and running off onto the floor from a grave lack of care on the side of the painter.
To put it more lucidly, Watson is surprisingly open about his pains both physically and mentally, but also in his wallet and social life, or lack thereof as he arrives back in London. Let us count all the strains pressed against our dear doctor at this time:
*He has been removed from active military service.
*He has just survived a long ordeal in India whereupon he gained a wound to the shoulder and dealt with a deadly fever.
*He has returned to London after his body proves its constancy to leave him weakened and ill.
*Upon his arrival he finds fleeting residency in a hotel located in the Strand where he leads a life devoid of any sense of financial stability or comfort, whereupon he attempts to end this streak of nihilism by improving his situation of living and plans to go halves on an apartment with a future housemate.
And, as chance has it, near the Criterion Bar Watson is reunited with an old acquaintance in the form of Stamford, who is the catalyst for Watson’s life-changing meeting with Sherlock Holmes inside the chemical laboratory of St. Bart’s. It is this single moment that changes him so powerfully from a puddle of pent up frustration and aimlessness into a man quite content with his position in life and who forever holds a firm devotion to playing both companion and scribe to the man who will quickly grow to be his greatest friend and confidant.
It is these kinds of sudden changes that Holmes brings out in Watson that are the most delightful of all, no matter how big or small. One of the greatest moments of the novel occurs in the very early days of Holmes and Watson’s residency together, when the doctor unknowingly reads Sherlock’s newspaper article on deduction and spurts out infuriated words of hogwash at the very ideas the author poses to be plausible in the text. We get to see the ever-curious Watson turn into more of a skeptic towards Sherlock, and afterwards he gains more and more reverence and fascination for the detective as Holmes continually provides infallible logic towards the puzzling questions facing both of them in this tale. And since Watson becomes our eyes during these moments of brilliant deduction, we as readers share the same dumb-founded awe and fascination that he holds towards Holmes as he discovers that these demonstrations of his powers are not an act. This growth from skeptic to genuine believer is one of the greatest dynamic shifts we see in Watson’s character throughout the course of the story, and is an absolute delight to read again and again.
While Watson watches mostly from the sidelines as Holmes takes center stage in this story (while everyone is amazed by the detective’s abilities), since he is the one who first persuades Sherlock to investigate this case he proves himself to be quite an invaluable partner. Watson shows Holmes that he is more than ready to face danger (freshly cleaned service revolver in hand) and get his hands dirty (as he does in wrestling Hope into submission in 221B) for the right cause. In addition, after Watson realizes Holmes is the genuine artifact he is constantly in his corner, giving him support and fighting for him to get the credit he deserves that ultimately always goes to the bumbling fools employed at Scotland Yard. These qualities are constantly present inside Watson as the stories go on, and are part of why he is such a valuable asset to Holmes on his cases.
Holmes and Watson (as a friendship and professional partnership)- As this review will no doubt demonstrate, I could write a book about why Holmes and Watson are the greatest friendship to appear in any medium. I am resorted to a rambling mess when on the topic of their partnership, providing countless examples as to why they are worthy of such an esteemed honor. Considering that this story marks their very first meeting I thought I would give them their own section of this review where I discuss why they are the pinnacle of companionship in fiction and remain so today as well as why I am endlessly fascinated with them.
I have always felt that Holmes and Watson are the symbolic exemplification of, ‘brothers, not in blood, but in bond’ who have ‘one soul in two bodies (Aristotle’s definition of a friendship).’ And as you would expect of two brothers sharing one soul, they are tight knit, prepared to help the other out if they are in need of it, and they share a special kind of care for each other that they hold for nobody else. Each man is to the other indispensible and this is one of the reasons why they have such a unique and unbeatable pairing of companionship and trust.
For Holmes, Watson is his greatest audience member, staunchly supportive, never doubting the range of his abilities and always sharing in the excitement of his accomplishments that others would roll their eyes at and degrade (as we see when Watson meets Holmes while he is raving about his newly created test that exposes the presence of blood). Watson grounds Holmes and exposes his various attempts to appear callous, coldly scientific, and analytical. The detective’s deep care for the doctor shows that deep down he is human, infallible as we all are and possessive of the people we would do anything for. Watson is ready within a second to do anything for Holmes, whether it is saving him from a perilous situation or simply being his companion for a calm night’s drive in a hansom cab. And most importantly, Watson can see a beating, feeling heart coexisting with that magnificent mind the detective has. While many take Holmes’s abilities to be cheap parlor tricks or hold contemptuous envy for him, Watson feels neither, and has greater care for Holmes than any other person in his life.
Watson is able to see behind the faces Holmes puts on, blasts down his defenses and examines a less guarded man, appreciating him not only for the attributes that make him extraordinary and nearly carry him and his powerful faculties into the realm of legend, but also for the qualities that connect him to the same fabric he is apart of. I think part of Watson’s undying interest in Holmes comes from the fact that the detective is human like the whole of the life on Earth, yet he possesses traits that set him upon a completely other (higher) level in comparison to them.
And what is Holmes to Watson, you ask? Why, he is everything from his greatest writing subject and thrill to his grandest addiction. When Watson is in the dumps, Holmes is his savior, giving him the grandest opportunities for feeling the adrenaline rushes he misses so much after being sent back to London from India. While it is apparent that Watson is contentiously challenged to survive his many ordeals upon his arrival back in London, he still craves the heart-pumping suspense, action, and danger that Holmes provides him by the ton.
The doctor hates stagnation, just as Holmes does at his worst, and he is ecstatic when he finally meets Holmes face to face and sees him at work because the detective then becomes his own thrilling mystery to unravel, filling the void of emptiness present in his life at this point. While Watson claims that he is seeking a quiet flat-mate in London to ease his recovery during his destitute state, it is easy to see that he can’t quite squelch that great attraction he possesses for thrills and adventure that remains deep in his heart. Holmes becomes an obsession for his state or torpidity, to the point that he compiles a list of all the areas Holmes does and doesn’t possess knowledge in, with no veritable success. I think it is in this moment that Watson realizes that the figure of Sherlock Holmes cannot be summarized or encompassed by a mere list, as no man or woman can, really, and why any attempt at such a project is futile.
Even Watson’s own frustration at being unable to figure out Holmes through such a list is outshined by the fascination he can’t help but have for the detective. As Watson tosses his scrapped list about Holmes into the fire, you can feel his sense of confliction because to him Holmes will always be that grand enigma placed in a riddle, wrapped in a conundrum, tied with a question mark and buried deep inside an expansively labyrinthine maze. As is evidenced in Watson’s relationship with Holmes, we may know a man, we may see him in his many forms and spot his copious habits and mannerisms with the blink of an eye, but we can never truly uncover who he is and why he does what he does. While Watson can see like no other behind Holmes’s “cold mask”, even he cannot breach the inner sanctum of the detective’s body, wherein there lies the greatest pieces of working machinery known to mankind: the brain and the heart. What Sherlock’s brain thinks and what kinds of feelings bloom inside his heart can never be known, their secrets hidden like truths encompassed by the swelling folds of a great murder case. Though we may know much about him, to both readers and Watson alike, Holmes still remains that great mystery, timelessly more mystifying than the whole of his cases put together.
Holmes not only stimulates Watson mentally, but also physically. Like no other the detective relieves his illness, engages his mind, trusts and believes in him like no other, protects and cares for him like a parent over their offspring, and finds in him the same spirit, both men of action fascinated by crime in its many manifestations and in constant search for excitement, secretly searching for a strong companionship and finding it in each other. I think it is quite telling that although Watson makes constant reference to his various pains during the beginning chapters of this story, we never hear a single word about them again after he meets Holmes and is engaged with him during his ‘Study in Scarlet’. For Watson, Holmes is his medicine, a drug he has no regret in receiving, and the detective can take him to highs no controlled substance ever could.
For all these reasons and more it is easy to understand what keeps Watson endlessly on the edge of his seat, and why he keeps returning to Holmes at Baker Street even while balancing his marriage to Mary Morstan and his busy medical practice. It is because to him Holmes is an uncrackable mystery that can’t be solved with a meager list or even the detective’s own powers of deductive reasoning. Holmes is a figure that symbolizes the complexity of human nature, defying even his own methods of investigation, making it impossible for Watson’s (and our own) study of him to grow old.
For the many generations existing today, as well as those that have come and gone and the countless heaps still awaiting their lifetime, Holmes and Watson’s dynamic will remain symbolic of everything a strong relationship is founded upon. They complement each other, both aiding the other at all times and keeping them steadfast and enthralled, never faltering in their immovable loyalty. Upon the pages of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s enthralling detective stories featuring his greatest creations, Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, you will find that in fiction, friendship has never been more poetic.
Villain- This category is one of many reasons why this story is so unique in the canon, because it could be argued that the real villain of the tale isn’t the one committing murders across London. Instead, in the killer named Jefferson Hope we find a heart-broken man to relate to, and like himself we see his killings as a deserving punishment for the sins of the evil Council of Four and their followers who did him wrong.
As you begin the story and read about the horrifying crime scenes left in our killer’s wake (who we have yet to identify yet), you feel disgusted and outraged at whoever would do such a thing. Yet, as you enter into part II of A Study in Scarlet and receive the backstory that sparked the killings, you find in the character of Jefferson Hope a character who grows on you more and more as his story goes on. He is a true and loyal friend to John Ferrier, a caring and protective lover to young Lucy, and is himself a brave, resourceful and determined individual who was made into a killer by men far more wicked than he was even at his worst, driven to murder in London.
It is the Council of Four and their many followers (including the Elders’ sons) that are the true villains of this story. They are the ones who use fear and the force of The Avenging Angels to act as a Damocles sword hanging over those who dare to oppose them and their written religion. They are a cowardly lot, using killers of a near-mythical form to scare and manipulate others to do their bidding instead of facing their naysayers open and face-to-face, like real men. Instead, their many “followers” are bound to Mormonism not for want of salvation, but by the savage threats the Elder’s raise above their heads as a constant warning to keep faithfulness or receive the ultimate punishment: death.
Though Jefferson Hope is the one who murders both Drebber and Strangerson in this story, I cannot for a single moment view him as the villain, considering that the acts perpetrated by the Council and the Avenging Angels are just as horrendous, if not more so than anything he does over the course of the tale. Drebber is a slime-ball more worried about the fortune left to him by his marriage to Lucy than he is about her care and well being, and Strangerson is just as slippery and malevolent. For Hope, his self-ordered mission is to be the avenger of both John and Lucy by killing Drebber and Strangerson, and that single aim soon becomes his only reason for existence. And even after he killed those men and could readily kill in defense of his capture, he offers no resistance to the authorities or Holmes and Watson when he is caught fair and square in Baker Street, a testament to the fact that he is out to only hurt those who wronged him in the past.
He is truly a character of the most tragic form. After all he does to help John and Lucy, growing to love both of them dearly, they are lost in the blink of an eye forever; Ferrier’s end quick, Lucy’s pain more drawn out through her brief but unsavory marriage that ends in her equally tragic death. Hope then turns his determination as a hunter of game into a deadly attribute of the capable killer he soon becomes, his prey now the enemies that brought the lives of the only people he loved to a bloody end. His entire character shifts here from a caring man looking happily on his future with Lucy to a tormented man with murder on the mind and his only reason for living his search for revenge in retaliation for sins that burned his heart with a searing fire of rage. This shift into a more dangerous, nihilistic and hell-bent figure is the most tragic thing about Hope, and though he too must meet his end by way of an aortic aneurysm he finally succeeds in his mission and is able to submit to his illness with a smile upon his face.
Supporting characters- In this story there is a wide assortment of supporting characters (both good and bad) in everyone from the detectives of Scotland Yard, Lestrade and Tobias Gregson, to Sherlock’s wonderful Baker Street Irregulars, John and Lucy Ferrier, the Council of Elders, and more.
I especially enjoy the dichotomy of Lestrade and Gregson set in contrast to the raggedy troupe of homeless beggars Holmes employs on some of his cases, The Baker Street Irregulars, who Holmes sees as far superior to the detectives of Scotland Yard in this marginal excerpt from the story:
“There’s more work to be got out of one of those little beggars than out of a dozen of the force,” Holmes remarked. “The mere sight of an official-looking person seals men’s lips. These youngsters, however, go everywhere and hear everything. They are as sharp as needles, too; all they want is organization.”
I love seeing just how the Irregulars act towards Holmes, standing in line at his call as if he is a drill sergeant of sorts. Still, Holmes doesn’t act towards them in the popular fashion that you would expect from a Victorian man at the time. Instead of ranting about their filth, abhorring their standard of living and fussing over their very presence in his rooms, Holmes sees beyond their torn clothes, downtrodden lack of financial stability and hygiene to notice their potential in helping him solve the various crimes plaguing London. Quite cleverly, as he states, they are his eyes without being overt to those he wishes to keep watch over, just as Hope uses his occupation as a cabby to track Drebber and Strangerson without alerting suspicion. Furthermore, Holmes gives the ragged youths something the public didn’t at the time: opportunity and a feeling of importance that they would otherwise be lacking. He has a great sense of trust and faith in them, and as his eyes and ears they invariably assist him in halting the darkest crimes imaginable taking center stage in the dreariest and most sordid parts of London.
Compare these sharp and inconspicuous street agents to the bumbling fools at Scotland Yard, and boy do we have a contrast. The likes of Lestrade and Gregson are the antithesis of Holmes and the Irregulars. This pair of detectives are often naïve, lack any real sense of observance and logical reasoning, fail in putting command behind their badges, and are often so caught up in their rivalry that the case takes a backseat when promotions and accolades could be on high order for either of them. While Holmes is even more arrogant and assured than them coupled, he has the tact and results to back up his more narcissistic qualities, the kind of support that both Lestrade and Gregson sorely lack. In fact, Holmes’s arrogance doesn’t even come off as such: instead, it is as if he is pointing out obvious facts about his many talents and his indubitable reliability on all questions of criminality.
In comparison, Lestrade and Gregson stumble about rather messily in the affairs of this case, help ruin considerable evidence, let their sizable egos cloud their judgment and any leads they think they have are in all actuality red herrings that their feeble minds misinterpreted as crucial evidence. Though, some of the moments with the greatest relish are when they kneel before Holmes, accept his brilliance as superior to theirs and then begin to get lectured about how foolish and sloppy they are by the master of deduction himself. How could such passages be any better?!
As I have already given a lengthy criticism of the Council of Four, their sons and the Avenging Angels and their malicious acts, I shall move right on to a brief discussion John and Lucy Ferrier. I must say, right from the very beginning I loved John and Lucy. Both are such brave and likeable characters, and though they are not of blood relation they share a care, openness and understanding that you would expect to find amongst a veritable father and daughter pairing. It is their strength that allows them to survive starvation and dehydration, and that continues to insure their perseverance to stand up to the vile designs the Council has set against them once they are rescued and taken in by the religion’s followers.
I find John Ferrier to be such a wonderful character in every regard, a real Atticus Finch type. He is a warm father figure to a girl who isn’t even his own and who he barely knows, and I most of all admire his staunch belief that Lucy shall not fall victim to a Mormon marriage. He sees that women lose more than they gain when they elope in Mormon culture, and are less of a partner to their husbands and more of a vehicle to gain them more fame and property while they continue to work on possessing even more wives. The women become mere tools for expansion and success for the males who manipulate them as their quantity of wives continues to reach unimaginable numbers. In a polygamous marriage there is no real foundation of fidelity and trust to just one partner, and for these many reasons I respect John vehemently for standing against such an act of objectification. Though he knows fully well that his choice may lead to his death, his care for Lucy and defense of her well being are further testaments to his character as a man and father-figure to her. In addition, he doesn’t judge her for loving a non-Mormon (Hope), allows her to be her own woman though he is watchful over her, and never gives up on her no matter what challenges may arise from the consequences of his actions.
I also quite enjoy Lucy for her warm nature and grace in both body and mind. As with John, she is a fighter and keeps an honest and open relationship to her adoptive father that was the foundation to their formidable partnership built upon a mutual trust, understanding and care for each other. In many ways they are the American companion to that of Holmes and Watson, both pairs possessing the same type of care and respect for each other that is the key to their relationship’s strength. It is this kind of deep characterization that keeps the story interesting even after we get an unfortunate respite from Holmes and Watson in London. Well done, Doyle. Well done.
Atmosphere- This story features some very biting atmosphere. Everything from locations like Brixton Road, John Rance’s residence, and the dangerous landscapes of Utah, from its never-ending plains to its ominous and dangerous expanse of mountains are all presented with exceptional descriptions by Doyle. The crime scenes are morbid and haunting in nature, leaving a sickly taste in your mouth. The descriptions of the contorted body of Drebber, for instance, is just as bloodcurdling on the page as Watson attests to. Both descriptions of the corpses of Drebber and Strangerson fill you will a stark horror that morphs into dumb-founded shock when it is uncovered that the likeable Mr. Jefferson Hope is the bringer of death upon both men.
The descriptions of London are equally as haunting, the fog-filled streets both deserted and ominous, and the crimes perpetrated in proximity to them creating a perfect pairing. London and the terrain of Utah are just as alive as the breathing characters found scattered across its many mysterious strands, making it easy to vividly visualize this story in your head as you read along. Watson’s own bleak descriptions of London and its aforementioned position as a stage of malevolent criminality make it the perfect battleground for the doctor to continue his fight on alongside the exceptional Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
Suspense- The suspense in this story is palpable, as already mentioned in various sections of this review, and is a testament to Doyle’s skill as a master of the art form. There are plenty of startling passages and moments here that leave you on the edge of your seat, all in fine order. Some of my favorite moments have to be Holmes’s many methods of capturing Jefferson Hope, including him waiting with Watson at Baker Street for an answer to their add in the paper and also when the hawk-like detective brings Hope straight into his clutches at their rooms on Baker Street. Right up until the moment that everything regarding the case is resolved, Doyle has you by the hook and never lets you breathe for a minute in comfort.
In the section taking place in Utah, there lays one of my favorite moments in the novel. Doyle feeds us invariably with ominous tales of The Avenging Angels and their ability to wipe anyone who dares to defy the Council off the face of the earth, and when John Ferrier refuses to give Lucy away to an arranged Mormon marriage, the suspense created by this choice is earth shattering. Ferrier is given twenty-nine days to agree to marrying Lucy to one of the Elders’ sons, and each passing day is marked with a number decreasing downwards to that fateful last day placed somewhere around his property. Doyle masterfully describes Ferrier’s terror to us as his days count down, though he tries to remain strong for Lucy’s sake. The Avenging Angels grow to be more mythical than ever before as we wonder how they manage to enter Ferrier’s property unnoticed day in and day out before disappearing without a trace of their presence. Moments like these make me eager to get into some of Conan Doyle’s horror fiction, as he had a knack for suspense and I get a thrill out of this kind of writing.
Violence- There is more than a fair share of violence in this story; that much is certain. In what is one of Doyle’s darkest threads, we see corpses of a deeply gruesome description, blood used to write the haunting word “RACHE” upon a tattered wall, and also the uneasy moments where Jefferson Hope recounts the deaths of Drebber and Strangerson at the hands of his little game, taking visible pleasure in their demises. This novel is a stark contrast from the infinitely more cheery Scandal in Bohemia, the last story I reviewed, and isn’t for the faint of heart. Captured upon its pages are instances of the most vile crimes imaginable, tragic ends to many characters at play across the storyline, and the many dark themes of revenge, termination, murder, depression, nihilism and more take precedence at the head of the pack. Also, dog lovers should beware of this novel. And…that’s all I will say about that. Quite the solemn tale this is; black to its core.
Humor- Though I just spent a paragraph analyzing the various instances of violence in this tale, that doesn’t mean it is entirely devoid of any humor or fun. Believe me, it is there. Most of the laughs are had with enjoying the many kinds of entertainment supplied by Holmes and Watson. It is a cracking good time to watch Watson try and try again to pin down Holmes, thought unsuccessful in every attempt. His raucous ranting about the article he later finds out to be scribed by Holmes is also equally as amusing, and even more entertaining to picture.
As for Holmes, he too supplies some hilarious dialogue and scathing comments aimed towards the bumbling Lestrade and Gregson when he puts them in their place. One of my favorite moments occurs when Watson narrates the arrival of he and Holmes upon the grounds of the crime scene at Brixton Road:
“It is indeed kind of you to come,” he [Gregson] said, “I have had everything left untouched.”
“Except that!” my friend [Sherlock] answered, pointing at the pathway. “If a herd of buffaloes had passed along there could not be a greater mess. No doubt, however, you had drawn your own conclusions, Gregson, before you permitted this.”
As we are carried into the house itself, we again get some great lines from Holmes where he again showcases his unmatched superiority over the Scotland Yarders, giving his own (correct) deductions in contention with Lestrade’s poor assumptions before leaving the room with his final biting words of criticism. Hearing Holmes remark upon the performances of Gregson, Lestrade, and the whole of Scotland Yard truly never gets old.
Cleverness- This case is extremely unique, and quite exceptionally cunning because of it. As Holmes explains to Watson at the end of the final chapter, the case required him to apply backwards reasoning to uncover the truth, a regular practice when dealing in the realm of criminology. Holmes was provided with a case where the crime scene offered no great clues and only a small amount of data to work from, and so he had to backtrack and recount just how such a crime would occur when analyzed backwards. He works from nothing to gain an undeniable edge over an unknowing Hope with such a skill set. How Holmes is able to take the resulting crimes, track backwards and attain an explanation of why they were committed is enthralling, to say the least.
How the novel is wrapped up is also well done, where all loose ends are tied up and match up perfectly with the events as they occur in the present time and in the past story, when Hope recounts how and why he did what he did on his path of revenge. His game he played with Drebber and Strangerson with the pills is also very clever, though quite dark.
Case- This case is again one of the canon’s most unique, and quite exceptional in how it is structured and paced. We are given the story in two parts where the latter half takes us back in time to uncover the reasons for the crimes, and right in the middle of the action we depart from Holmes and Watson for many chapters, an aspect of the story some criticize. At least when we must take a break from Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles, we have Watson to entertain and narrate the action for us, which is more than satisfactory. Here we have neither men, and though the tale does lose some of its spark, the second part of the storyline set in Utah is still very good and doesn’t sink the story at all. Hope, Ferrier, and Lucy as well as the dark designs plotted against them give us magnificent suspense and lovely moments that are some of the greatest to be found in the entirety of the novel. While it was a strange and quite abrupt shift in pace and action, I commend Doyle for not losing the plot while going back in time and taking a massive setting change in the story, still managing to keep us interested in the story regardless of these factors.
In addition, this story first introduces us to some of the greatest iconographic images of Holmes we know of today, from his violin playing, his wonderful mannerisms while working over the facts of a case, and his traversal of a bleak London with blood filling its many cobblestoned streets, destitute and dark alleys and haunting countryside residences plagued with the stench of murder. Further images of he and Watson pent up in Baker Street while being wrapped up in the intensity of the mystery, their rides in hansom cabs under the cover of night, Holmes’s many victories over the bumblers of Scotland Yard, his careful and observant analysis of crime scenes and more are all present here and richly detailed. These kinds of images are truly iconic of who Doyle’s characters are, and are instantly synonymous with them once their name is uttered.
And of course, the case also gives the newly united Holmes and Watson plenty of opportunity to grow as a pair and get to know each other, which begins to form what becomes the greatest fictional partnership of all time.
Doyle- As usual, Doyle is in magnificent form here. This is his first Holmes story ever, yet he writes his characters, dialogue and descriptions with the kind of confidence and familiarity you would expect from a seasoned scribe. He successfully lays the groundwork here for what would grow to become a global phenomenon of dozens upon dozens of stories with everlasting appeal to fans across generations, and his talents as a writer in the elements of suspense and mystery are apparent in his eloquently powerful descriptions. He takes an odd story structure and makes it work, never missing a step and keeping the interest alive even without his two leads in play. I mean seriously, who would ever think that the name “Sherlock Holmes” and “ a revenge-fueled plot set against Mormonism in America’s Salt Lake state of Utah” would ever appear in a plot description together?!
While I don’t know that much about Mormonism, I do think Doyle bravely managed to shine a light on the evils of humanity while still showing that not everyone prescribed to the religion had the same evil intent that the Council and The Avenging Angels had. He touches on the acts of many followers to rise above the tyranny of the Council and its grasp over their people, showing that there were honorable crusaders (much like John and Lucy Ferrier) amongst the group. I never once got the feeling that Doyle was trashing their beliefs or its followers for a second, and think he only used Mormonism to tell an interesting tale where the evils perpetrated by some of the members don’t fully represent the religion in its entirety.
Paget- While I am fully aware that Paget didn’t begin illustrating the Holmes stories until the publication of A Scandal in Bohemia in The Strand, it is hard not to imagine what the artist would have added to this tale through his illustrations. I instantly get images of his perfectly drawn Holmes adorned for the bleak and unwelcoming setting of Brixton Road, examining the German word “RACHE” as it was written in blood upon the wall. How he handled the younger and freshly united Holmes and Watson would also have been a thrill, as would his take on the second part of the story set largely in America during the early days of Mormonism. Though, the important thing is that he finally got the opportunity to have his now quintessential interpretations of Holmes, Watson and the almost living, breathing settings around them published for generations of eyes to see and enjoy.
Final verdict- What else it there to say about this story, truly? I could gush about it all day long, as it offers so much food for thought and provides countlessly interesting aspects to discuss. This one story started all that we know as the Sherlock Holmes canon today, and it isn’t hard to see why. Doyle instantly makes a statement, showcasing his effortless talent for description, dialogue and characters with his magical syntax, and takes on a difficult issue and story structure for his major debut in the genre of crime fiction. His characters are deep and interesting, his depictions of crime never reserved, and his knack for suspense never faltering a second.
And of course, the most exceptional thing about this landmark novel is Doyle’s masterful introduction of the now famous and influential Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, and their first meeting has become the most important moment in all of detective fiction since. We are presented with two men that hit it off right from the start, and truly are brothers not in blood, but in bond, who begin to show through their beginning trust, companionship and open communication with each other why they are fated to grow into the greatest duo to grace the pages of fiction. Not to be put lightly, with this story featuring the introductions of his most popular characters, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle undeniably sparked a fire that still burns with that same luminous flame today.
This story was indeed so special and unique in the canon, not only because it was the first. You are right that Doyle's writing talent was highly evident in this first work. And his pairing of Watson with Holmes is iconic and legendary for many good reasons. It is one of the most memorable and satisfying partnerships in literature, for sure.
This story has great atmosphere, something I truly appreciate. And wasn't Doyle clever to introduce Holmes that way to us? He gave us glimpses and made us really think, "Well, who is this rather strange character?" before actually bringing Holmes into the story. If he had just had Watson meet Holmes directly, without Stamford's cautionary conversation and appetite-whetting intervention first, it would not have been nearly as strong an impact. We were curious and anticipating meeting Holmes before we actually did. We already cared about and related to Watson, thanks to Doyle's ability to convey so much so succinctly. Indeed Doyle gave Holmes a brilliant introduction. Really could not be improved upon, I think.
And this is a great poing you make: I mean seriously, who would ever think that the name “Sherlock Holmes” and “ a revenge-fueled plot set against Mormonism in America’s Salt Lake state of Utah” would ever appear in a plot description together?! So true! Doyle made it work. You pointed out several ways in which his talents shone strongly, even in this first story.
Thanks also for the fantastic artwork of the logo! I love that you are doing this for each Sherlock Holmes story. Thank you so much! Very enjoyable, 0Brady.
Your review is rather like a smorgasbord - I will need to go back and refill at some point! ;) You have really captured this story well. Thanks for your time and effort for this excellent review.
Thanks, Sandy. Your words mean a lot. :\">
And I will definitely keep the titles going, as I really enjoy doing them and adding unique touches that connect them to the story. I am even thinking of adding a little something more to my Scandal in Bohemia design; just something subtle. I appreciate all the great feedback. :)
http://listverse.com/2013/02/11/10-common-misconceptions-about-sherlock-holmes/
Enjoy! :)
No problem.
The constant random slants against the Downey films felt quite unwarranted and rather classless, and the author didn't even bother touching on the positives of the films. Downey and Law have some of the best chemistry as Holmes and Watson I have seen yet, the set and clothing designs are wonderful, the presentation of Holmes and Watson is deep and thought-provoking, and Jared Harris's Moriarty may well be my favorite take on the "Napoleon of Crime" that I have ever seen. Are the films perfect? Heavens no, but any adaption has its own flaws. The Rathbone series of films feature a comic relief buffoon of a Watson, yet the author fails to take note of that even though that is just as blasphemous to the canon as anything people slant the Guy Ritchie films for thus far.
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=108557
Thanks for stepping in with the news @Creasy47. Yes, I just heard about it. No Watson, unfortunately. Still, I'm a big Ian McKellen fan so let's see!
Oh, that would be stupendous! We would love to hear your thoughts on them when you do get to them! I know Amazon has great deals on the stories/novels, and I can even recommend you the editions I find to be of the greatest quality and value, if you wish.
Hopefully this will also motivate you to finish Sherlock series 2! You don't know what you are missing, mate! :)