
Genre: classical, crime fiction, detective fiction, mystery
Series: first book of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis:
Dr. Watson has retired from the military, after serving in Afghanistan and India. He needs a place to stay, and through a friend, is introduced to Sherlock Holmes. They end up rooming together in a London apartment. Watson finds Holmes to be a very interesting character. Holmes is a detective who has finally gotten his first case, and Watson finds himself more and more intrigued as he helps Holmes unravel the mystery.
Review:
I wasn't really expecting to like this book. To be honest if I'd seen it at a library or at a friend's house, I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance. However, if was on my summer reading list, so I didn't exactly have a choice. Once I started reading, I couldn't really put it down. I went through that first part in a few days. Murder mysteries have always intrigued me, and this was no exception. It was fast paced and beautifully written, and I practically ate it up.
And then I got to the second part.
You see, A Study in Scarlet consists of two stories that are loosely connected. So, I left Baker Street and London behind and, for part two, was transported to...Utah! This second part, while still enjoyable, was not as exciting as I had hoped. It just didn't hold my interest as much as the first part did. There wasn't quite as much "mystery" but it was pretty interesting.
Overall, this was one of the most interesting classics that I've read. Though the structure of the novel was a little strange, I did end up liking it as a whole. I did gravitate towards the more mysterious and exciting first part, but as a whole the novel was very entertaining. The dialogue was humorous, and the characters were engaging. I plan on reading the other Sherlock Holmes books, thanks to this one.
Upcoming review:
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (3rd and final book on my summer reading list)