I’m sure that most of you have heard of Sherlock Holmes. Most people just know him as a very skilled detective, and some think that he was a real person. He wasn’t a real person, and what people don’t know about the books about Sherlock Holmes are very valuable things.
There were 56 short stories and 4 novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle following the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and another man, Dr. Watson. Dr. Watson isn’t talked about as much as Holmes, and after reading around 10 of the short stories, I feel Dr. Watson should be talked about more. Watson is the narrator and the only friend of Holmes. We see the story through his perspective, which is different than if Holmes was the narrator. Holmes is much more observant than Watson, which helps him with his cases. Watson on the other hand can’t observe and make connections like Holmes, so the reader is understanding the cases through Watson’s observations.
Watson and Holmes’ interaction makes me enjoy the short stories a lot. It feels very genuine, interesting, and at times funny. They’re good friends who talk like normal people would, unlike how other stories have characters speak in a very awkward way to continue the plot. Because the stories are short, there isn’t the worry of making a plot that can last more than 200 pages. Instead, these short stories are quick reads that get you captivated quickly.
Watson on the left, Holmes on the right
So far, I’ve been mostly talking about the characters only, so you may be wondering about the actual content of the short stories. They’re usually about 10-20 pages, so it may seem like they’re rushed, but most of the time they aren’t. The way the stories usually go is first Watson meets up with Holmes. Holmes then surprises Watson with his deduction capabilities, and then the case is presented to them through a client usually. Then Holmes and Watson investigate, though Watson is confused most of the time, and in the end Holmes solves the case and is successful, though there are times of him failing. He then explains the way he solved the case to Watson (I may have made Watson sound dumb because of his inability to understand some cases, but he is actually smart).
The world of Sherlock Holmes is also interesting. The stories are set from the year 1882 - 1890 in London, so readers reading now wouldn’t be able to relate like readers more than 100 years ago. But I enjoy seeing a different but still recognizable world. The cases are interesting and really make you think to how it’s even possible to solve them. They vary from murder to blackmailing to even losing a hat, but all of these cases were written in such a good way.
Great review Mahdi! I liked the way you explained the plot, and included your personal thoughts while also explaining the book. Your review was extremely engaging and it definitely convinced me to read one of these short stories!
ReplyDeleteHey Mahdi, great review! Sherlock Holmes is a really interesting book, even though it's definitely a little rough on the old english. I love your descriptions of the characters and I completely agree that Watson should be talked about more.
ReplyDeleteHi Mahdi! I haven't read any Sherlock Holmes stories, and I only had a basic knowledge of the characters up until now. I find it very interesting how the stories are told from Dr. Watson's perspective; it probably sheds a very different light on each of these cases and Holmes himself compared to if Sherlock was narrating the whole time.
ReplyDeleteI've read many Sherlock Homes books, and watched some of the movies, and I'm a very big fan. I agree with many of the points you make here and I think this is a good review of the series. However it would have been nice if you mentioned a few of the cases he investigates to give the reader some more detail.
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