Holmes reviews 1&2
A Study in Scarlet, the short, short version:
Introduces the characters nicely, then diverts into a scathing, stereotyped anti-Mormon tirade. I'm given to believe that this was a typical view of LDS church at the time.
The Sign of Four:
We meet Mary Morstan, who is both the damsel in distress and Watson's eventual fiancee. Because I've watched Sherlock, I know that they end up married. Because I've read more *about* the Holmes canon than I've actually read of the canon itself, I know she's Watson's first of two or three wives. I'm curious to see if she turns up again, or if she gets reset-buttoned away, and we only hear of her again after her passing. Also unlike the recent BBC show, I doubt she's a professional assassin in the books.
We also meet Major Sholto, who is this story's plot device. In the show, he was Watson's CO, which is a nice nod to the books, IMO.
While we're here, we might as well discuss the blowgun-wielding elephant in the room: the racial and ethnic stereotyping is awful! I know the books are a product of their time, and these views, and the eugenic mindset behind them were seen as normal, but to a modern reader, they're going to get old fast.
Introduces the characters nicely, then diverts into a scathing, stereotyped anti-Mormon tirade. I'm given to believe that this was a typical view of LDS church at the time.
The Sign of Four:
We meet Mary Morstan, who is both the damsel in distress and Watson's eventual fiancee. Because I've watched Sherlock, I know that they end up married. Because I've read more *about* the Holmes canon than I've actually read of the canon itself, I know she's Watson's first of two or three wives. I'm curious to see if she turns up again, or if she gets reset-buttoned away, and we only hear of her again after her passing. Also unlike the recent BBC show, I doubt she's a professional assassin in the books.
We also meet Major Sholto, who is this story's plot device. In the show, he was Watson's CO, which is a nice nod to the books, IMO.
While we're here, we might as well discuss the blowgun-wielding elephant in the room: the racial and ethnic stereotyping is awful! I know the books are a product of their time, and these views, and the eugenic mindset behind them were seen as normal, but to a modern reader, they're going to get old fast.