I am a big Sherlock Holmes fan. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective was my first gateway to mystery novels and that lead to my love of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. So whenever I spot a book or tv show that pays homage to the great detective it immediately grabs my attention. I've seen A Study in Scarlet Women pop up on many blogger's Waiting on Wednesdays posts and it didn't take long for it to be on my reading pile. Many thanks to Berkley and Goodread's Giveaway for providing me a copy of this book.
Description: With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.
When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her. But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.
Review: A Study in Scarlet Women is an example where my expectations and the realities of the book were like two ships passing each other by in the night and it greatly affected my enjoyment of this book. This is not to say that the book was bad, but for me it was under-whelming though I liked the clever winks at the classic stories and changes made by the author.
I had several issues with the book. My biggest problem is with Charlotte herself who I felt was inconsistent throughout the story. Charlotte is suppose to be a genius and whose acute eye to observation astonishes everyone, but I was so frustrated how the simplest things eludes her. It made me angry and shocked that Mrs. Watson comes up with the idea that Charlotte could use her special talent to use and make a job out of it. Plus, Charlotte goes through extraordinary lengths to ruin her reputation in order to remain independent and "un-marriageable" but she has no idea how the repercussions of this impulsive thinking will tarnish everything she will ever do in Victorian England. I could not take Charlotte seriously and I did not find her believable at all. Plus, it doesn't help that she is a secondary character in her own story.
The crime and investigation was just okay. It involved the deaths of characters that I didn't care about and though Treadles was a good guy, I found him to be rather dull. The investigation, normally my favorite part of a mystery, was slow paced and it dragged out for most of the book.
There is also a hint of romance for Charlotte in the book that also didn't work for me. I have big issues with adultery and cheating. Though I get the forbidden love appeal, it's a ship that I can not support regardless of how much Charlotte and this person is meant to be. Overall A Study in Scarlet Women was an okay read. The Sherlockian in me was very disappointed, but if you enjoy mysteries set in Victorian England I would try it out. I'm not sure if I'm going to pursue this series.
Rating: It is somewhere between 2 to 3 stars.
Words of Caution: There is an allusion to sex and minor language. Suitable for older teens and adults.
If you like this book try: A Conspiracy in Belgravia (Lady Sherlock, #2) available Sept 2017, Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barrons (Jane Austen Mysteries, #1), Silent in the Grave (Lady Julia Gray #1) by Deanna Raybourn
When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her. But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.
Review: A Study in Scarlet Women is an example where my expectations and the realities of the book were like two ships passing each other by in the night and it greatly affected my enjoyment of this book. This is not to say that the book was bad, but for me it was under-whelming though I liked the clever winks at the classic stories and changes made by the author.
I had several issues with the book. My biggest problem is with Charlotte herself who I felt was inconsistent throughout the story. Charlotte is suppose to be a genius and whose acute eye to observation astonishes everyone, but I was so frustrated how the simplest things eludes her. It made me angry and shocked that Mrs. Watson comes up with the idea that Charlotte could use her special talent to use and make a job out of it. Plus, Charlotte goes through extraordinary lengths to ruin her reputation in order to remain independent and "un-marriageable" but she has no idea how the repercussions of this impulsive thinking will tarnish everything she will ever do in Victorian England. I could not take Charlotte seriously and I did not find her believable at all. Plus, it doesn't help that she is a secondary character in her own story.
The crime and investigation was just okay. It involved the deaths of characters that I didn't care about and though Treadles was a good guy, I found him to be rather dull. The investigation, normally my favorite part of a mystery, was slow paced and it dragged out for most of the book.
There is also a hint of romance for Charlotte in the book that also didn't work for me. I have big issues with adultery and cheating. Though I get the forbidden love appeal, it's a ship that I can not support regardless of how much Charlotte and this person is meant to be. Overall A Study in Scarlet Women was an okay read. The Sherlockian in me was very disappointed, but if you enjoy mysteries set in Victorian England I would try it out. I'm not sure if I'm going to pursue this series.
Rating: It is somewhere between 2 to 3 stars.
Words of Caution: There is an allusion to sex and minor language. Suitable for older teens and adults.
If you like this book try: A Conspiracy in Belgravia (Lady Sherlock, #2) available Sept 2017, Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barrons (Jane Austen Mysteries, #1), Silent in the Grave (Lady Julia Gray #1) by Deanna Raybourn
Labels:
2 stars,
2016 YRHMB Reading Challenge,
3 stars,
Adult,
England,
Historical Fiction,
Murder,
Mystery,
Retelling,
Victorian
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I was disappointed with this one too. Even more so because I liked her YA historical fantasy series. Charlotte is not half as intelligent as the male Sherlock is usually portrayed. I thought that whole scandal thing was beyond ridiculous. I also feel the same way about the "romance". It's too bad. This book had lots of potential.
That's one of my biggest pet peeves, when a character is described as intelligent but take many actions that would discredit that descriptor. I can see how this one would be a disappointment for you, and it's too bad. I hope your next read goes better!