Review: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Month Read In: April 2022

Challenge: 

N/A

Methodology: Audiobook read by Stephen Fry, via Audible

Genre- Mystery: Private Detective

As an anthology of short stories, the side characters were once again not fleshed out, and again, the draw of Sherlock's mind is all that drives one's interest in the stories. But oh... Irene Adler. We finally meet. The atmosphere is again not put into much detail. Sherlock stories are about his mind and his methodologies, not where they take place. We're still in Victorian London, still at 221B Baker Street. Still not getting an in depth look at the world. But on the other hand, the stories were written in the place and time that they took place for the people who lived there. Atmosphere and world building were not necessary. The writing style was again typical Conan Doyle, typical Sherlock and Watson banter, Watson still being tossed around by Hurricane Sherlock. But many of these stories are told out of sequence as Watson goes back into the notes he's meticulously kept over the years and has been released by Sherlock or circumstances to finally share the cases. 

Anthologies are tough for me, let alone anyone, to rate on a whole for obvious reasons. Sherlock states in "The Red-Headed League" that "As a rule, the more bizarre a thing is the less mysterious it proves to be. It is your commonplace, featureless crimes which are really puzzling, just as a commonplace face is the most difficult to identify." The Methods and Methodologies of Sherlock Holmes may have been a more apt title for this collection of stories. All the stereotypical private investigator, deductive brain puzzles are here. Up against Irene, a locked room mystery, innocent parties accused and vindicated, goody two-shoes turning out to be the bad guy, the use of disguises, the depths of Sherlock's drug use and his level of control over his addictions... This collection was a full on synopsis of the Sherlock character and what makes him tick.

The logic in this collection is not ground breaking by any means, but it furthers our understanding of his character. The logic isn't mediocre either. These were finally some better tales woven than the previous Sherlock stories. Sorry Conan Doyle. But you are wine. Better with age it seems. From "A Scandal in Bohemia", a modern favorite author of mine picked up the Irene Adler story. Irene and Moriarty and Sherlock and Watson have inspired hundreds of detectives and stories. This is where it all started, perfect foils for one another, sharp wits battling one another. Without one another, these characters would be footnotes in history rather than defining personalities shaping the literature world for all eternity. This is where such rivalries begin. The world is anxious and excited for more.

Characters: 6 Atmosphere: 4 Writing: 7 Plot: 5 Intrigue: 8 Logic: 7 Enjoyment: 10

Average: 6.71 = 3.5 Stars Rounding up to 4 based on average.

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