Group Reads Discussion - A Study in Charlotte

[SRC Moderator, Moderator]

This is the discussion thread for the Spring 2020 Group Reads A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro. Please post your comments here. This thread is not restricted to those choosing this book for task 20.10, feel free to join in the discussion. Warning- spoilers ahead!

The requirement for task 20.10: You must participate in the book's discussion thread below with at least one post about the contents of the book or your reaction to the book after you have read the book.

[Elizabeth]

I was pretty disappointed by this book, I wasn't expecting anything extraordinary but there were a few things I really didn't like. With Holmes and Watson being teenagers, they seemed melodramatic throughout the book to me and repeatedly made decisions that made absolutely no sense. I also figured out the bad guy about 40% in, which always makes a mystery not quite as fun. Loved the idea, didn't love the execution.

[Ava Catherine]

I don’t think I am the best judge of YA literature because it is truly difficult for me to find a YA book that really holds my interest. However, I do think it is imperative for young readers to have their own genre that speaks to their interests, and this book may work for this age group. Charlotte is not original enough for me, and although she is wickedly clever, she is an absolute copy of Sherlock, down to his drug habit and violin playing but without his charm. I think this would be fine for many young readers and will appeal to readers who enjoy adventure instead of character driven novels. Charlotte is a strong female character, which is a very good thing for young girls, and Jamie shows a soft, sweet side, but sometimes he is naive and too trusting for his own good. I can see that writers of YA fiction would try to capitalize on some of those character traits; however, a little originality would add much interest to the novel.
Like Elizabeth said in msg.#2, it is easy to determine who the culprit is early in the mystery, and that is a real spoiler, but I do like the way the author weaves the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories into the novel. Like Elizabeth, I enjoyed the concept of the descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson carrying out detective work together but felt the delivery was underdeveloped.

[Cindie]

As far as a YA book aimed at angsty teens, this hit the mark. (At 52, I am not in this target). The mystery itself was clever. I did have on question: what was the point of the Japanese e-bay only perfume being bought by August for Byrony and allegedly for Charlotte? He was not the one stalking her and framing her (Spoiler alert!), so what was the point of that? It can't be that Charlotte actually liked it?

[Ava Catherine]

I am not certain I am remembering details correctly, but wasn’t Byrony’s Japanese perfume, given to her by August, one of the first clues that alerted Charlotte to Byrony’s involvement? (along with her British accent) Charlotte knew that August was the only person to buy the exclusive, expensive perfume; therefore, Byrony must have been close to August. However, Watson was convinced that August was behind the whole plot, but Charlotte wasn’t being forthright with James about her involvement with August, which clouded Jamie’s perception.
If I remember correctly, Charlotte despised the perfume and used it when in disguise. (so funny)

[Julia]

I hadn't read the reviews before choosing to read this, so although I knew one of the main page genres was Young Adult I thought that would just be because of the setting and age of the protagonists, not that it would be an angsty relationship novel as much as a mystery (if not more). I was anticipating something closer to A Study in Scarlet Women which also has a main character Charlotte Holmes who solves mysteries a la Sherlock.

As such, I was very disappointed. I couldn't empathize with either of the main characters, and I don't know enough about upper class boarding schools in 21st century United States to have the atmosphere resonate. (I have enjoyed British boarding school books like Harry Potter or some by Enid Blyton.) I didn't appreciate the drug sub-plot and can't say whether Charlotte's habit was a realistic portrayal, but again, this didn't pull me in.
(In contrast, Mary Russell's experiences in A Monstrous Regiment of Women which is part of another Sherlock Holmes series did pull me in.)

I rated it one star but this may be more of a "not my type" rather than actually a bad book.

[Simone]

Elizabeth wrote: "I was pretty disappointed by this book, I wasn't expecting anything extraordinary but there were a few things I really didn't like. With Holmes and Watson being teenagers, they seemed melodramatic ..."

I agree about figuring out the villain halfway into the book. That was kind of disappointing. I thought maybe there would be a major twist. But no!!! No major plot twist!

[Simone]

If you expect a novel like the original Sherlock Holmes books, you are in for a disappointment! While I loved the writing and how Holmes and Watson were so much like their ancestors, I felt the book was missing the mystery aspect all the way to the end. When I read the original books, I keep pulling my hair trying to think like Sherlock and still he surprises me at the end with how he came up with the villain. What I did like about the book was that the author included original stories in the plot, e.g., the Blue Carbuncle and the Study in Scarlet. I like the idea of the book and it was entertaining, but definitely not as good as an Arthur Conan Doyle!

[Darlene]

I never review a book in a genre that I don't normally love. The only reason I would read YA is for a book club or a reading challenge. I just don't enjoy them. I am not their target audience and I respect that. I am way past the teen romance angst and everything being so dramatic. After the first quarter of the book I really had to make myself pay attention to what I was reading. I was not engaged or interested at all. But again, not necessarily that the book was not well written, but just not for me.

[Simone]

The only thing I don't like about YA books is the instant romance. I like the books that depict love/romance in a more realistic manner. I'm currently reading House of Earth and Blood and that is the kind of romance I like--a bit on the slow burning side, nothing instant.

[Lauren]

I enjoy Sherlock Holmes retellings. Sherry Thomas's Lady Sherlock series, for example, is excellent.

Unfortunately, this version is very disappointing. To begin with, it was difficult to identify with either Holmes or Watson and their relationship is down right strange. The fact that they come across as whiny teems probably played a role in my negative perceptions of them.

The mystery has potential, but the actual plotting is somewhat lazy and overly simplistic. Did the author think that her young adult audience would need the Holmes references spelled out so directly?

In sum, I'm not a fan of the book or the writing and I won't be continuing the series.

[Marie (UK)]

"after reading Watsons account of the Bryony Downs affair" as the epilogue says I feel I need to make the following statements

1. This was so hard to read it had no real narrative
2. The characters were unlikeable and badly defined
3. I won't be reading anymore

I love mystery and thriller, I enjoy re- imaginings but this was just the worst I have ever read

[Suzanne]

I don’t have any solid thoughts about the book overall yet, so I thought I’d post my favorite bit of dialogue.

(SCENE: TWO HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WHO HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER LESS THAN 48 HOURS, ON A 2 A.M. VISIT TO WHATEVER CONNECTICUT’S VERSION OF WAFFLE HOUSE IS)

“I’ll have toast,” Holmes told the waiter, handing him her menu. “Two pieces, whole wheat. No butter, no jam.”

“No, she’ll have the silver dollar special, with her eggs sunny-side up and ... bacon, instead of sausage.” I fixed her with a scathing look. “Unless there’s something else on the menu she’d rather have. That isn’t under ‘side orders.’”

She snorted. “Right, then. He’ll be having the same thing, except he wants sausage, not bacon, and please do keep giving him decaf instead of regular. It’s a mistake on your part, but it works to my advantage. He’s quite cranky when he doesn’t sleep.”

The waiter scribbled down our orders. “Happy fiftieth anniversary,” he muttered, and moved on to the next table.

[Rebecca NJ]

I was hoping for something a bit more with this retelling. Like the others, I had figured out who was behind the mystery which made the book just seem to go on forever.

I do enjoy YA books but I had no connection with these characters. I did like how they compared Watson and Holmes to their ancestors and referenced Arthur Conan Doyle's stories.

I don't think I'll continue with the series.

[Tess]

I just finished this book and it wasn't the best YA book I've read. I had a hard time caring about the characters. It took me a long time to get through it. I did notice similarities between the real Sherlock and Charlotte though.

[Meg]

I actually nominated this for the group read.... Sorry everyone!

I do like ya, but this is not the good kind of ya - it was not believable at all and the characters were boring and one dimensional. Why have all English characters and set the book in the USA? Not that they came across as English anyway, other than some randomly thrown in stereotypes. The crime solving was pretty uninteresting and the narrative kept jumping around.

[Peg]

I had really hoped to like this book, and hoped this book would begin to introduce a great duo to a new generation in a new way. Unfortunately it just didn't come through for me. While some similarities appeared, I felt it were more of ticking the boxes and didn't hold true to the characters, or did the characters really hold my interest. The plot lacked the hidden nuances of a great Holmes/Watson mystery.

[Marie (UK)]

Meg wrote: "I actually nominated this for the group read.... Sorry everyone!

I do like ya, but this is not the good kind of ya - it was not believable at all and the characters were boring and one dimensional..."

I don't think you should blame yourself I had this on my list before the polls - there is no knowing what you will get before opening a book. Knowing the author may give you a clue but not always. I have a love hate relationship with some authors devouring some of their work and hating others

I do know that having read this I am not tempted to read more by this author

[Lauren]

Meg wrote: "I actually nominated this for the group read.... Sorry everyone!

I do like ya, but this is not the good kind of ya - it was not believable at all and the characters were boring and one dimensional..."

Don't feel bad. There is no knowing if a book is a dud until you read it :)

[Ava Catherine]

Meg wrote: "I actually nominated this for the group read.... Sorry everyone!"

Meg, there is no reason to apologize. It could happen to any of us, and remember that we voted for the book. It really wasn't all that bad anyway. : )

[♞ Pat]

So, I'm four chapters in, and I'm finding it pretty typical for a YA novel, which is a shame because the premis has so much potential.

I haven't read far enough in to really have a strong opinion, but so far, everything is pretty predictable, which again is what I'd expect from a YA novel - kids on their own solving a problem that they cannot include the adults in their world long enough to assist them with a problem too big for them to handle, but I bet they handle it just fine in the absence of a competent adult.

I kind of like the quirky Sherlock / Watson spin, but so far it's not really developed very well. I understand that their families have known each other for several generations, and I kind of like the idea of Sherlock and Watson being "real people" who had kids who had kids who had kids and now here we are ...

I'll finish it. I don't know that I will recommend it to my YA patrons at my library. There are so many other GREAT books for YA readers, and this one is cute, but that just about all.

So far, anyway.

[♞ Pat]

Peg wrote: "I had really hoped to like this book, and hoped this book would begin to introduce a great duo to a new generation in a new way. Unfortunately it just didn't come through for me. While some similar..."

Yes. That premise had SO much potential to go somewhere really great.

[♞ Pat]

Meg wrote: "I actually nominated this for the group read.... Sorry everyone!

I do like ya, but this is not the good kind of ya - it was not believable at all and the characters were boring and one dimensional..."


Why are you sorry? There's no reason to be. It could have lived up to its potential, and then we'd have found a great new book to recommend to our teen readers. YA is a really tricky genre for "seasoned adults" to read - mostly because there just isn't the depth of storyline that we enjoy. Younger readers have less "life experience" so a more superficial read resonates with them better.

I don't think it's a bad book. I'm finding it pretty typical YA stuff. Teenage angst abounds, parents and other competent adults pushed to the sidelines as completely superfluous, a little suspension of disbelief in the abilities of teens to solve a massive problem without any outside intervention ...

It's about what you'd expect, from a YA novel, and a lot of teens will eat it up and love it.

[♞ Pat]

Finished it just a little bit ago, and I have to say that not much about my opinion changed. Average little book - not BAD, just not great.

But I think some teens will love it, so there's that.

I do have to say that Charlotte's opioid use was particularly bothersome to me ...

[Rina]

I love Sherlock Holmes stories and I was expecting much from this book - probably too much, because I ended up disappointed.
My biggest problem were the characters - they were too boring and I didn't care for them. The plot was okay, I think, not bad, but not outstanding either. I liked the references to the original stories, though.

I don't think that I will continue this series.

[Marina]

I've been reading some of the Sherlock Holmes stories the last month so thought this retelling might be fun to read, but it really wasn't for me. I'm not fond of the YA genre in general and I'm clearly not the target audience for this book.
Charlotte is intelligent and sharp just as Sherlock Holmes. She is also rude just as Sherlock but she lacks all of the charm that he has and I found her more annoying and never really likeable.
I don't think this is a series I'll be continuing.

[Tammy AZ]

Just finished the book, which has been checked out of the library and waiting for me for two months now. I'd read earlier comments and almost didn't read it. I was expecting a terrible book but found that it wasn't bad. First, I do like the premise of Holmes and Watson being real people and the idea that the Holmes family values observation so much, they make learning it a priority (kind of how many kids gravitate to study in fields they are familiar with because of family member involvement). Moving both characters to the US was a little weird when there is a perfectly good England in which to have the setting.

Overall, I feel like this was a decent book for younger adults and actually felt like my middle school niece would like it; however I wouldn't give her a copy or recommend it because of the opioid abuse. And I think that is the problem with the book - it's feels like it's written in a style and manner that would appeal to the tween crowd but the content is absolutely not for that crowd. Kind of a mess.

[Ritika]

I genuinely disliked reading this book. None of the characters are interesting, I find it bizarre that apparently all the Holmes have been the same across generations (my theory is inbreeding), I do not think a middle aged man abusing drugs to feel something is the same as a teenager with opioid addiction. And I did not care about whatever mutual attraction the two lead pair had. I wish the retelling was more subversive. Making Holmes aro/ace, making this about female friendship with homoerotic subtext, making this genuinely about friendship.

And you know what, Sherlock Holmes was not an insufferable name dropper. So I guess genetics are no match for class snobbery.

[Janet F]

I listened to a library copy and had mixed moments of liking it and just trying to plow through it. I finished it while heading out/up for Morel mushrooms with a friend. I had to fill her it on the story which probably seemed a little 'soap opera -like' from my description... & we listened to the last part together. She didn't feel like she missed much by just hearing the end & I suppose I could agree even though I did enjoy some of the character quirks throughout the book.

[Stacey]

I just finished and my thoughts are similar to others, although as background I have to say I have not read a lot of Sherlock Holmes, so I don't have much to compare to as far as that goes. I had trouble following the story and so had trouble getting to the end of the book. I also just didn't get the relationship between the two MCs -- are they friends? more? No idea. And I will always have trouble with a teenage MC who has a drug problem, no matter what the reference. I MAY try another in the series -- if I need it for another challenge. :)