(4,5/5)

Este es el primer libro de Sherlock Holmes, ambientada en el Londres victoriano de 1881, y en los desiertos parajes de Utah y escrita desde el punto de vista de Watson, que nos cuenta su regreso de la guerra y falto de recursos económicos, alquila una habitación en 221 de Baker Street ... compartiendo casa con Holmes, que le implicará en el primer caso de asesinato que resolverán juntos.
Un relectura maravillosa, volver a encontrarme después de tantos años con Doyle, Sherlok y mi querido Watson.
Os recomiendo muchísimo esta novela, primero por la edición ilustrada, por la trama, la historia es sencilla pero me gusta muchísimo como Doyle desarrolla el personaje de Sherlock para explicar cómo descubre al asesino, el procedimiento que usa, como se fija en detalles que todos vemos y no valoramos, o no sabemos interpretar, es por esto, por lo que me encanta este escritor y su personaje estrella.
Muy recomendable para conocer el inicio de la amistad de Sherlock, Watson y adentrarnos en el fascinante mundo de Doyle.

Sicuramente sono io ad avere un problema con i romanzi gialli/polizieschi, ma ho trovato questo libro totalmente privo di suspense e di quel fascino che mi aspettavo dalla figura di Sherlock Holmes.

Tra l’altro per metà del libro non seguiamo nemmeno il suo personaggio ma il (doppio) resoconto del colpevole, prima attraverso un flashback e poi con il racconto diretto (che per me ha reso il libro molto ripetitivo).

Peccato perché avrei voluto davvero apprezzare il libro ma devo rassegnarmi al fatto che Sherlock non fa per me.

What makes something a true classic?

Yes, it has to be old...

...but, it also has to stand the test of time.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famed sleuth has done just that; just look at how many film and television versions we've had of Sherlock in the past few decades!

This is where it all starts: Holmes and Watson first meet, and Holmes proves his sheer intelligence and deduction skills.

If you've seen Sherlock on the big or small screen, you should check him out in book form; without the writings of Doyle, those celluloid versions wouldn't exist.

A STUDY IN SCARLET!!! First group-read for the intact official Non-Crunchy-Sans Pants- for no reason that I can figure out...but none-the-less...NON pants wearing GRs classic reading group.



I read A STUDY IN SCARLET waaaaaaaay back in my younger days- and remembered very little of it. To be perfectly honest- I remembered the title...and reading it- but nothing else. Whether it is my memory...or the fact that it wasn't memorable can be argued- but I liked it. A LOT.



Setting:

221B Baker Street, London- 1881

A mutual acquaintance introduces: John Watson -physician, and Sherlock Holmes- detective consultant, to each other- both men in need of a room-mate. Thus starting a friendship and working relationship that will most definitely be a formidable pairing.



At first Sherlock's personality is somewhat off-putting (not unlike Dan 2.0's)...but as Watson settles in- he gets used to the detective's unusual ways.

Plot:



Scotland Yard detective Gregson asks Holmes to assist him in solving a recently committed crime...and in turn- Holmes asks Watson to accompany him. They travel to an empty house in a London- and there they observe a crime scene that includes: cab prints in the street...footprints in the yard...a dead man who has been poisoned, and the word RACHE- in blood on the wall.



The game is afoot!!! Need I say more?

I feel like I can finally settle down in peace knowing that I have read the most renowned classical detective novel - before my death!

I've been a big fan of all the Sherlock Holmes movies (the ones with Robert Downer Jr and Jude Law as the casting) but believe it or not, reading the ACTUAL classic books have never crossed my mind. Until a few weeks ago when my insides have been craving for something Sherlock-y and seeing all these Young Adult Holmes retellings are driving me nuts. I knew I have to read the original or else, I'll be putting Mr Arthur Conan Doyle's best fiction characters to shame.

Bugger though! This is a tough one for me to rate.  A Study in Scarlet is the first book where we get to read the part where Watson meets Holmes for the first time. Everyone who knows about this two great combo would be curious about they both first met. And frankly, that is the best highlight in this short classic.

For the first part of the story, I was hugely entertained by the plot, the characters and the writing style. The mystery behind the murder of Mormons did not disappoint and I'm awed by Holmes's keen observations. However, when the culprit's wrists were snapped in handcuffs by the end of Part One, things kind of went down the hill.

Backstories are never my thing in literature (I loathe them) unless they are pulled off well which in this case, I'm sorry to say but Mr Arthur Conan Doyle did not execute well on that part.

That's not to say that I don't like the book. Displeased? Yes, slightly. But I will still most definitely continue with Holmes's adventures. I can't wait to find out more about the most complex man in the series.

Iniciando Sherlock Holmes de la mejor manera.

Yo siempre he tenido fascinación por las adaptaciones sobre este personaje. Me he visto las dos películas (en varias ocasiones) donde el personaje es interpretado por Robert Downey Jr, y la serie de la BBC donde lo interpreta Benedict Cumberbatch. Ambos actores desde mi punto de vista lo hacen sus papeles de manera formidable, a pesar de ser dos Sherlocks muy diferentes y bastante alejados del personaje de la obra de Conan Doyle.

En la parte literaria, ya había leído una recopilación de relatos llamada Las aventuras de Sherlock Holmes. Sin embargo en orden cronológico es el tercer libro, así que decidí mejor empezar en orden correcto.

Este libro ronda en varias tramas. No es solo Sherlock Holmes tratando de resolver el misterio que ronda un asesinato. Sino que también tenemos la historia de John Watson. Su pasado como médico, cómo se conocen ambos, y otra historia que le da sentido a las motivaciones del asesino para cometer los crímenes.

La variedad de tramas hace que el libro sea muy ameno, porque ya sabemos que Sherlock va a dar con el asesino y resolverá el misterio, pero acá nos dan otros puntos de vista, es más, la segunda parte del libro me sacó un poco onda debido a que parece una historia completamente diferente. Sin embargo, toma mucho sentido cuando terminas esa parte y se retoma la trama inicial. Me pareció algo magnifico.

Siempre es genial saber cómo Holmes resuelve el misterio, sus métodos son muy admirables, y su ciencia de la deducción siempre me ha parecido brillante, dándole un sentido verosímil dentro de la ficción que puede tener sus historias.

Leeré más pronto que tarde El signo de los cuatro, donde espero encontrarme con más de Holmes y Watson.

A Study in Scarlet is the first book by Arthur Conan Doyle, introducing us to one of the greatest detectives to grace the pages of our novels. Whilst the case itself is interesting, what is even more exciting is the foundations of the relationship between Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes.

This is Sherlock Holmes’ debut as the brooding, melancholic and dark consulting detective, who plays the violin and is addicted to cocaine but would probably compare himself to the best glass of vintage port.

Meanwhile Dr Watson, himself an intelligent man, has returned from war and looking for a place to live. Conveniently, an old friend tells him that Sherlock Holmes is looking for someone to split the rent for a flat at 221B Baker Street and here begins one of the best and most successful detective duos in fictional history.

The two team up to solve the mystery of the dead body of Enoch Drebber, blood that doesn’t belong to the victim, a ring and writing on the wall. Holmes describes the murder investigation as a study in scarlet
“…There is a scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it and expose every inch of it”.
Although Watson is intrigued with Holmes’ power of deduction and to the great mind where nothing is little, the book concludes with Watson astonished at the forensic eye, and analytical superiority of his colleague, who has carefully and unemotionally, with an absolute clear and ruthless mind solved the case.

A lot has been said over the years about the Sherlock Holmes novels and a now a huge tourist attraction in London, for those who kept trying to seek out the fictional address of 221 baker Street. However, Holmes’ character is still maturing in this first detective novel by Conan Doyle but nevertheless we are introduced to the brilliant character of Sherlock Holmes, with all its eccentricities, idiosyncrasies but with a huge analytical brain.

I had ambiguous impression until the end with this milestone in crime fiction. The beginning (When Sherlock met Watson) was very interesting. Funny, how close the modern TV serie is to the original.

The book isn't a classic whodunnit thriller, which in itself isn't a problem. The story is not designed to compete with the detective and to develop suspicions about the offender. The eccentric main character enjoys this privilege, but why didn't the author stay true to this central element and let us share in Sherlock's genius the whole time? Instead, Sherlock pulls the murderer like a white rabbit out of a detective hat to the middle of the book. I thought the book might have been two crime stories when it suddenly went on in Utah. I was simply not interested in this tpart of the story. At the end the plot returns to London and the offender can then tell the story from his view that miraculously coincides with that of Sherlock.

Conclusion: The structure of the story is almost a catastrophe for me, but because of the characters it was still a satisfying reading experience.

4.0 Stars
This was my first introduction to Sherlock Holmes and it was an excellent place to start. I loved seeing the beginnings of Watson and Holmes' friendship as they use deduction to solve mysteries.

Started 2021 with this classic from Arthur Conan Doyle. A reread and so worth reading again. Very enjoyable!

Sherlock Holmes and the case of the Killer Mormons!
But more about that later...



Ok, the big deal about this one is that you get to see the Sherlock/Watson meet-cute. I mean, this is one of the most important meetings in the history of all literature! Come on, people! Get excited!



It's only fair to mention that I've read and reread all of these stories a bjillion times, and these are by far my favorite classic characters.
Well, except for Lizzie & Mr. Darcy...
But I know I haven't read P&P as many times as I have Sherlock's mysteries, which should tell you something right there.
I LOVE YOU, SHERLOCK!
And, just to be clear, I loved him before he was all sexified.



Ok, so Watson is back from the war (he basically just got trounced on and then came home), and has wasted all of his money is running low on funds. Luckily, he runs into an old pal from school, who just happens to know of this guy who's looking for a roommate. One thing leads to another, and the next thing you know, Felix & Oscar have found their forever home!



Alright, as far as the mystery goes, it's just Sherlock running around sniffing things, (implausibly) being able to identify cigar ash, and tracing the movement of criminals using day-old (tromped on) footprints.
Given what we know about forensic evidence now, is any of this, in any small way, even remotely believable? Can Sherlock actually deduct the answer to this mystery from horse tracks, a dead man's bad breath, and a plain wedding band?
You're goddamn right, he can!



So...WhoDoneIt?
Now, I'm fully prepared to admit that I had forgotten about the Mormon Connection. I haven't read this one years, mostly because I prefer the short stories. Duh!
But, to uncover the reasons behind the killings, Doyle takes us on a journey to the wilds of America! Specifically, Utah.
Land of the Magic Underwear!
This was where the tale of one man's thirst for vengeance was born. And it's all Brigham Young's fault. He was eeeeeeevil!
n  Bwahahahahaha!n
I'm assuming that Mormonism (like most religions) has its share of shady skeleton's in the closet. Now, I don't claim to be an expert on these guys. And I don't personally know very many Mormons, due to their predilection for Salt Lake City. All I know about that religion is what I've seen on tv or read in books, and it's not much.
They wear special underwear. They can't watch R-rated movies. And they used to go door-to-door, until the Jehovah's Witness got to be too much competition.
There's something else I'm forgetting though... What is it? It's right there on the tip of my tongue. Is it that they write best selling novels about sparkly vampires? No, there was something that looked like a big pink elephant...
Oh! I remember!



Yes. Well, from what I can tell, the only Mormons who practice polygamy now are fringe groups that are more or less shunned by their peers.
And while I'm not on board with any religion, I doubt that this one is much weirder than most, at this point anyway. Plus, at least most Mormons seem to be pretty educated and well-off. It's not like Salt Lake City is one huge trailer park filled with toothless hillbillies. And (bonus!) they seem to have the sense to keep their crazy old people off the airwaves...



Or so I thought! Now that I've read this, I'm going to have to rethink my plan to move west! Who knew these guys were so devious!?
Kidnapping, forced marriage, murder, and secret bird calls!?



Was this really a five star book?
Fuck, no. But it's my favorite character's first book, and I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Buddy read with my Non-Crunchy Friends!

Non-Crunchy Bubby Read.....set to commence August 31.



I've been really crap at this whole getting to it part of buddy-reads lately. I'd apologize, but I'm fresh out of fucks to give. *shrugs*

3 Stars

n  Verdict:n Smooth writing, with a somewhat crunchy story-line.

A Study in Scarlet is a book broken in two parts, and while the first half was a resounding win for me the latter half left me wanting.

Today ‘Sherlock Holmes’ is a household name.

When I think of literary characters who deserve the description genius (in the true form of the word, not today’s colloquial definition) his name is one of the first to race to the tip of my tongue. Before we had forensic evidence to show us the way to the culprit, before we had DNA testing and finger-print powder, Sir Arthur Doyle created Sherlock. A character who required no such scientific advances to catch his man.

This is the story of how the dynamic duo of Holmes and Watson met. And it’s a good little story, although it likely suffers from first-book-itous (in that it tries to be too many things at once). My issue is that while the first part of this story was fascinating, the second half was hugely underwhelming.

A man shows up dead, with no readily obvious reason as to why. The local police are stumped so they call in Holmes (a man known for, well, knowing things that others cannot gleam) and having just met Watson he drags him around, through a tour of crime-scene, seemingly irrelevant locales and finally ends with a tour through the way Holmes thinks. Now the reason I say Holmes is a genius is because of how he thinks. While all the pieces may make sense once Holmes lines them all up, how he gets there is extraordinary. The tiniest little clue will line it all up for him, he's a fascinating character.

The latter half of the book is about motive, we know who the perpetrator is at this point, and it’s an unusual story. A story of murderous Mormons and lost-love revenge and it’s off for me. The writing in this portion didn’t stand up to the former half, in my opinion.



Onwards and upwards, and all that.