Arthur Conan Doyle's first Sherlock Holmes novel is utterly unimpressive. In short, the book starts like this:



and mid-way turns into this:



And I am not even joking. The novel begins with Holmes and Watson meeting, moving into their Baker Street apartment and then investigating a murder of a man found in an abandoned house. At the half point, however, the story completely changes its course and becomes the most awkward introduction of the murderer's back story and motives involving Mormons, polygamy, violence, money, and Brigham Young. The structure of The Study in Scarlet is utterly bizarre.

But let's not linger on the bad. I want to use this review to shamelessly hype the new BBC version of Sherlock Holmes.



This is an absolutely delightful modernized take on the old characters and it offers a much better version of Arthur Conan Doyle's dreadful story. So, check it out.

4.5

“Let us see if there is justice upon the earth, or if we are ruled by chance.”

I read all of Sherlock's adventures when I was around twelve and fell desperately in love. And yet, I didn't think that rereading them would be such a riventing and, in a sense, demaning experience. I rediscovered why I love this character and these stories. I am rediscovering (as if I needed further proof) that I love absolutely everything about them—writing, plot, pace, everything. I have reread only A Study in Scarlet and >The Hound of the baskervilles so far, and none of them have quite made it to the five stars, but simply because in both Sherlock himself was absent through large parts of the text and I missed him like crazy, and not because of any actual kind of shortcoming.

Specifically on A Study in Scarlet: the revenge motif is beyond beatiful. Moving, heartfelt, heartbeaking. I loved it. It goes without saying that I loved all the rest, but you knoe that already.

What can I say? I'm clearly too biased and smitten to talk sense when these books are concerned. My bad. But I'm not sorry at all.

Come opera avrà anche i suoi difetti (forse), ma io non so resistere al personaggio di Sherlock Holmes, uno dei più riusciti e più meravigliosi di tutte le epoche e di tutte le letterature.

A truly splendid yarn. A Study in Scarlet begins in 19th century London when the British empire is at its peak (but is also being challenged). It is the first book in the Sherlock Holmes series and it is the book where Holmes and Watson first meet. The exchanges between Holmes and Watson adds weight to the book's reputation as an important work of literature - like their conversations about genius being the ability to withstand pain and hardship, Darwin and music etc. Obviously the two competing Scotland yard policemen are there just to make Holmes look good and the plot a little more complicated. I guess a good crime fiction writer would imbibe Arthur Conan Doyle's attention to detail and ability to write interesting dialog.

In the middle of the book, out of nowhere, the action shifts to frontier America (in Utah) with some really evil Mormons who are out to keep all the women to themselves. So not only is it a great police/detective procedural, but it is also an entertaining dystopian action adventure.

I read the Penguin annotated version so all the referents were explained in detail. I had read some Sherlock Holmes as a kid. But don't remember much of it. I really liked this one.

I was attracted to this mostly because I am not feeling well, and crime fiction seems well suited to illness, at least it does to me.

The story has the distinction of being the first Sherlock Holmes story and in the Oxford University Press edition comes with a fifty plus page introduction and near exhaustive endnotes - I certainly felt tired after looking at them.

Curiously the introduction was I felt more interesting than the story, which seemed to me a less concise version of the Five Orange Pips, with Mormons in place of the KKK. The introduction explored, among other things the origins of the name Sherlock Holmes, both elements the editor claimed were homages to Conan-Doyle's maternal Irish heritage, the Sherlock having been a Jesuit who after writing a pamphlet in praise of Parnell was driven out of Ireland, and forced, poor fellow, to take up residence in Rome.

Holmes is somewhat more clean cut, yet excitable than in later stories, Conan-Doyle clearly was no great devotee of consistency as Dr.Watson's leg injury is here originally revealed as a shoulder injury - then again medical science was not as advanced at the end of the nineteenth century as it is today.

Generally crimes in the Holmes universe are driven by property  at least that has been my impression so far, in this story the property is possession of a young woman, an asset in this case that barely gets a chance to depreciate.

In this novella Conan-Doyle breaks the illusion that the stories that we read were written by Dr.Watson by inserting a couple of chapters set among the Mormons that contain information that Watson cannot have known, but still the familiar patterns and relationships are all here and are established very neatly for the eager reader.

It has been a joy to experience this story 3 times. Every read through I pick up on more and more clues sprinkled across the pages that I previously missed. I think it shines in its initial simplicity. The complex nature of this work is only realized through multiple visits. Doyle gives a brief but sufficient introduction into the two characters we will grow to love so much. It drips in literary swagger with its easy demeanor over gruesome events. It had my full attention until the final page. It's almost impossible not to pick up the next story immediately upon completion. I look forward to my fourth visit through this enthralling timeless series.

Friends, let me just cut right to the chase and get right to the point and not beat around the bush and shoot you straight and be real with you for a moment.

You don’t start your Sherlock Holmes journey here because of the mystery. No, no, no, friends, (pours a cup of coffee) you start here because the first half (Part 1) of this story introduces you to not only Holmes (although that’s pretty important to this book and everything that came after it), but you also meet Watson right away. You find out how they meet, why they move in together, how Watson learns who Sherlock Holmes really is, and, oh, so much more (takes a sip of coffee with an exaggerated slurping sound followed by an even more exaggerated sigh).

You quickly meet Sherlock from Watson’s perspective and see him point out observations he shouldn’t know, but he does know. He always knows. There is suddenly a mysterious mystery that presented to you, the reader, and Holmes, the detective. Lots of questions start popping up with very little answers and hardly any evidence. Of course, Sherlock (the GOAT) Holmes arrives at the answer to all of our questions, but before we listen to him unravel everything... Part 2 must take place (enjoys a much quieter sip of coffee, slightly agitated, forgot to add cream, almond creamer).

Part 2 goes off in a new direction that just kind of lost me and didn’t pull me in the same way the first half of the book did. There is a still so much to enjoy, especially when the story picks up toward the end, but, man, I didn’t see things going off the way they did with new characters and story arcs and stuff. Luckily, this is a short novel with short chapters so even the kind of ho-humness of the middle doesn’t mess things up too much. This is still a solid mystery book, but it works much better serving as an introduction to the main characters we will get to know as we roll along (mildly enjoys one final sip of coffee before setting the mug down for good).

I’ll pick up The Sign of Four next which honestly seems like another wild and convoluted plot, but I’m in for the long haul. I’m excited to dive into the short stories and spend some time with Sherlock and company as they do detective things and solve mysteries and whatnot. Maybe they’ll do some other stuff, too. I’ll find out soon enough. For now, I plan to enjoy another (creamier) cup of coffee.

[4.5]

Excelente.
Lo leí para el día de leyendo 24 horas con Clau.
Y me encantó.
Desde que terminé el Sabueso de los Baskerville, me dije que iba a leer todas las obras de este autor.
Y empezar por el primer libro en donde aparece por primera vez nuestro Sherlock Holmes y Watson fue lo mejor que pude hacer.
Es increíble, la escritura sigue siendo asombrosa, y te atrapa de una manera impactante.
En este caso, a Sherlock le piden que investigue un asesinato de un hombre que nadie sabe como murió. Y ahí Sherlock se une con su compañero de departamento Watson y emprenden la búsqueda de este asesino misterioso.
Y que gran historia que hay detrás, todas las hipótesis y deducciones que sacaban estaban excelentemente hechas.

Sentí un poco pesada la lectura cuando cuentan toda la historia que pasó antes, ahí me obligaba a leer, pero sin embargo me encantó.
Y el final, estupendo.

Read together with Stephen Fry's excellent narration.

Would you believe that this is the first time that I've ever read a Sherlock Holmes book? This is how out of touch of classics I've been. It is strange yet wondrous how reading tastes could change as one grows up. I've never had the patience with classics writing when I was younger, but now I positively relish the style of these Victorian era authors who had such a way with words.

A Study in Scarlet was a delightful introduction to the legendary detective and his loyal sidekick. The only thing that threw me off a bit was that strange Part Two of the story which took the reader to the plains of Utah - a rather long side-story to get behind the motivation of the murderer.

I won't be stopping here, of course. Something's afoot and I look forward to having more adventures with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.

Simply okay. I really enjoyed the first part in which Holmes solves the murder, but had to literally drag myself through the second part which goes all the way back to America and the Mormons to explain the murderer's motive. And that second part? Yeah, it takes forrrr-ehhhh-ver. Parts of it read like a textbook analysis of the Mormon faith. You can tell Doyle did his homework (and I kinda wish he hadn't done so quite so thoroughly--there's even a freaking footnote). The second half felt disjointed from the first half. I still enjoy the fact that Holmes is such an arrogant and pompous jerk, but if he serves as the basis for television's House (which I read somewhere was true), then I must say that Gregory House does it better. It was tolerable; don't regret reading it, but won't be reading it again.

This nifty novel ( really a novella) the first Sherlock Holmes book written in 1887, is rather strange since it is set both in the culture, of brimming Victorian London, 1881, and the
dry , very hot desolate deserts of the savage wastelands of Utah, 1847 , nothing here...before there was a state established there or giving that name. Or even part of the United States, since technically still Mexican territory , neglected by them and ruled by the Ute Indians... hence the appropriate appellation . The almost forgotten war between the U.S. and Mexico...1846-1848 caused the maps of the world, to alter significantly the long borders between these two giant but rather sparsely populated, combating nations...
Changed the status , the news surprised the Mormons who had fled persecution , seeking freedom, for their weird belief in polygamy (which men loved) but caused momentous trouble , in the American Midwest. Angry crowds killed many Mormons, including their founder , Joseph Smith, and escape was now impossible they thought...except this harsh, distant place from 19th century civilization, made them almost completely sovereign... The plot begins when the new Mormon prophet Brigham Young, soon to have 55 wives, leading the first 2,ooo Mormons to the promise land, an exodus of 1,300 miles ... his men, find two pathetic, starving people , a man and a girl child the only survivors of a lost wagon train, sleeping on a hill overlooking the wilderness ... an account about love , a forced marriage and revenge ... endlessly sought ... is revealed...Back to Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson ( pardon the history lesson but it is quite important for understanding this great book ). The actual narrative starts with young Dr. John Watson returning from the horrendous second British- Afghan war ...sadly there will be many more...Wounded, nearly fatally, then let go from the army , trying to recover his health and spirits , save money too, he rents a room at 221 b Baker street ...this is where the famous duo become friends, the reserved Holmes fascinates the good doctor with his many little shall we say eccentricities...what does he do to make a living. Obviously exceptionally brilliant but keeps to himself. NOT a medical man, yet knows much about medicine...interested in discussing grisly crime cases, the bloodier the better, an unusual obsession...why? Then Scotland Yard contacts Holmes , asking for help with a murder investigation...a mystery that only the violinist Sherlock can resolve, with an assist from the Baker street irregulars, nevertheless will not get credit for... The very different stories , unite masterfully at last , in the rather faraway England...Americans in London start being killed for no apparent reason... not political or for profit either, and all came from Salt Lake City...This will give readers a nice taste ...and why Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 's Sherlock Holmes is still popular today.

I have read a few Sherlock Holmes stories, but I am not a huge fan of the pompous Holmes. I have gotten more enjoyment from various dramatizations that I have watched. It really depends on who is playing the characters. This book is the first in the series and I decided to see how the Holmes/Watson relationship began. The book is divided into two parts. In the first, the eventual collaborators meet while searching for lodgings. They become involved in the investigation of two murders, and Holmes displays the deduction skills for which he is famous. The second part of the book provides the backstory for the murders. The transition to part two was so startling that I thought an unrelated book had somehow been appended to the audiobook. Suddenly I was in Utah, with Mormons of all things. I doubt that Mormons would be thrilled with the way in which they are portrayed here. However, I liked this part of the book more than the first. The plot, as a whole, was intricate and the author tied up all of the loose ends. I’m not planning on reading more of the series, but I enjoyed this book, so I won’t rule it out. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Derek Jacobi. I love him, but he wasn’t great with the part set in Utah.