Sherlock Holmes/A Study In Scarlett

[Barbara]

Lauren, Niecole and I are going to try and read Sherlock Holmes starting with A Study In Scarlett and who knows where we will end up.

I know we had agreed to start reading today but I have had a very stressfull day and I have not started yet and I don't think I will. I will start tomorrow however and considering the length of the book maybe even finish. Sorry for the delay.

[Claudia]

I want to read this too! Do I need to know any background of Sherlock Holmes? I'm ashamed to say I know next to nothing.

[Barbara]

Neither do we, that is kind of the reason why we wanted to read this. Most of my knowledge comes from Star Trek where Data is fascinated by Sherlock Holmes and it is featured in a couple of episodes. I for one was very surprised to find out that only 4 novels were published and that the other 5 books are short stories collections.
A Study In Scarlett is the first book so I guess no previous knowledge is required.
You are welcome to join in and like I said we start with this book if we hate it we also stop with this book but if we love it whon knows we might read all of it. But that is optional :)

[Lauren]

Argh, I forgot about this! In which case I'm lucky you had a busy day yesterday Barbara :) I too will start later today. Niecole has already read it and in fact recommended it to me a while back.

[Naz]

I remember reading a lot of Sherlock Holmes when I was about 11 but I've forgotten all of it. I think I'll join in but I wont be able to start till Thursday. So much to read... so little time.

[Lu]

I wish I had the time!

[Lauren]

You're welcome to join in whenever you like Naz :)

Lu, this one's quite short, so you may be able to squeeze it in if you want to.

[Lu]

Lol what is short?

[Lauren]

Lu wrote: "Lol what is short?"

I started this afternoon (after my earlier post) and am already halfway through. The estimated reading time on Feedbooks is 3hrs.

[Lauren]

Enjoying this so far. I'm pleased that Guy Ritchie's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes is apparently very true to Doyle's Sherlock, ie. a social oddity with an eccentric mind who is both utterly amazing and terribly frustrating. He's much more action-orientated than I'd initially assumed (making other detectives seem slow and lazy), and although he hasn't done any fighting in this book yet, Watson notes that he's an expert boxer and swordsman.

I actually feel like I'm reaching the end of the story now, but obviously a lot more still has to happen.

[Barbara]

Yes and no. I have read the whole thing while spending the afternoon in the tub. I have no time to update it now so you won't see it yet in my read list but I have read it and I loved it.
I had the same feeling of reaching the end of the story at the end of part 1 of the book and at the beginning of part two I was a bit confused about where the story was going but I still liked what I was reading so it was no great problem and I figured it would solve itself in time and it did. It was certainly not what I expected but I really loved it and I can see why the books are classics if this one is anything to go by and I do want to read more of the books.
I haven't seen that Sherlock Holmes and I have no opinion on the rendition. But I do love the eccentric mind in the book.

[[deleted user]]

Along with the “Sign of Four” and Hound of the “Baskerville” this story is one of the more iconic Sherlock Holmes books. Fair warning though, Doyle’s characters and storyline aren’t as well polished in this book as in other stories, so I found myself a little frustrated at times. I should probably have read this one before moving on to the others, right.

[Lauren]

I'm at part two now, and it certainly is a complete curveball. We need this part of the story, of course, since no motive was given for the murder in part one, but normally in the investigation the detective would find someone or something to explain the backstory, as opposed to the backstory acting as a novella.

I recommend Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movie Barbara. I thought it was lots of fun. Robert Downey Jr. makes an excellent Holmes and together with Jude Law (Watson), they're a great pair.

[[deleted user]]

I loved the movie, but I don’t think Jude Law made a butch enough Watson (there! I said it). And “Game of Shadows” is coming soon.... Joy!

[Lauren]

I liked Jude Law's Watson :) Is he butch in the books? He certainly gives the impression of being older than Jude Law looks, but that might just be his Englishness, haha.

[[deleted user]]

“Built like a rook, with a depth of contemplation and width of chest that made war and violence natural to him and whiskers that would shame any Cossack or Punjabi holy man.” Apparently he was an ex military crack-shot with nerves of steel and impeccable charm. Doyle modelled him on himself (and probably on how he wanted to appear to the readers).

[Lauren]

Hahaha, ok Jude Law certainly doesn't look nearly that butch.

[Barbara]

I will rent the movie soon.

Yeah part two was a complete surprise. It is a good story in itself and we need to know why the murders were committed and I do think the motive warrants some time to tell it properly but this is the first time that I read it done like this.

Well in this book Watson isn't that butch. He is still getting better after being shot and sick while serving in the army. Maybe the butch thing comes later.

I want to read the sign of four next. By next I mean later in the week. First I need to read some other stuff.

[Claudia]

Has anyone watched the "Sherlock" mini series from BBC? I wish they would do another. I enjoyed it far too much.

[Barbara]

Which one is that? I haven't seen that much of Sherlock Holmes. I have seen some very old black and white stuff. I believe it was the Hound of the Baskerville. Funny thing is I always found Sherlock Holmes to be something for old and stuffy people. Don't know why. I thought it was the old people's James Bond and since I don't like James Bond I thought I wouldn't like Sherlock Holmes and didn't really spend any time contemplating reading it or not. Untill Lauren suggested it and I grab any chance to read a book and discuss it and exchange opinions about it. But no I have read it I find that I like it and that I am very much intrigues to read more and see more and discover what has been done to it on the screen.
Funny on what things you base your prejudices and on what things your missing out on due to your prejudices.

[Barbara]

I just did some googling and A study in scarlett is the first published novel by Arthur Conan Doyle and can thus be used for task 38a in the Diabolical Reading Challenge. I don't know if anyone need it but if you do you are one more book closer to being an Diabolical Overlord.

[Lauren]

I have a Sherlock Holmes series on my hard drive. No idea which one it is as I haven't even opened any of the files yet, but hopefully it's the one you watched Kahlan :)

[Lauren]

Oh, forgot to add, I finished this last night. The downside to the American story is that it was very predictable. Once I'd come across the three names involved in the murder, I guessed what was going to happen.

Still, I liked the story. I'm the kind of person who wants to know the details of what happened, and Sherlock Holmes certainly caters to that.

[Claudia]

This one here >> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1475582/ was the one I talked about.

[[deleted user]]

I enjoyed Study in Scarlet because not only was it a really quick read, but I enjoyed the fact that the character of Sherlock in the movies are really just as quirky as the character in the book. I also enjoy a good mystery solving story.

[Naz]

I finished part one a few days ago in one sitting and then had to stop. When I started part two I felt a bit lost and now I'm just stuck on this one page.

[Lauren]

It does throw you a bit. I wondered if part two was actually a second story. But Niecole had told me the book had been banned because of the portrayal of Mormons, and we hadn't been given any motive for the murder, so I figured the story had just moved to America and all would be explained shortly.

[Claudia]

I was surprised at how easily I got into the story. Usually older books are hard for me to read.

[[deleted user]]

I agree with Kahlan... the book is fun and easy to get into.
And I love a good story that can be told in such a short amount of pages :)

[Barbara]

I too was thrown with part two of the book and was wondering where it was going but if you stick with it it will explain itself and it will make perfect sense later on.

[[deleted user]]

It does :)

[Barbara]

It is a great book that makes me want to read more. I only am in this black hole where I hardly read at all so it might take me a while.

[[deleted user]]

You have to do the Sighn of Four next... Suspense abounds.

[Barbara]

I have the complete works so that shouldn't be a problem. thanks for the suggestion. Like I said it might take me a while but the next Sherlock Holmes I read will be the sign of four and I will let you guys know what my thoughts are.