Dear me, Mr. Holmes, dear me.

My rating: *****

No, I didn't just finish reading The Complete Sherlock Holmes, but I have just read 3 of the 4 novels and about a dozen of the shorts. I picked up a complete Holmes at a library book sale about, oh, 5 years ago and didn't touch it until a couple weeks ago.

And now I'm in love.

I had no idea they would be so good! Note to self: just because something was published in the latter-half of the 1800s doesn't mean it will read like a Dickens' novel (don't get me wrong - I adore Dickens, but I have to be in the right mood to get into the language). Holmes is so readable. So interesting! The pacing was just as exciting as many modern detective novels. And those brilliant Holmes-ian deductions!!! I've seen those Sherlock moments so many times in different tv/movie adaptations, but none of them wowed me quite the way the original source material did. Woah. Sherlock himself is just so cool and Dr. Watson... well Dr. Watson is one of the most likeable (nay, lovable) characters I've ever encountered in fiction.

I'll admit that part of my motivation for reading Holmes come from my current love of this:

(If you don't know who these people are, go find out right now. Start here.)

Have you seen the new PBS Sherlock series? Do you not love it? It is such a cleverly realized modern version of Sherlock Holmes.

Back to the books for a moment. I started with A Study in Pink, mainly because it's the first and also, half of the book takes place in Utah and deals with Mormons - something I was particularly interested to read about seeing as I am Mormon and grew up in Utah. I'll just say this.... so much creative license was taken with the religion that it didn't bother me because it wasn't anywhere near truth! Very creative, though. And a very interesting plot.

I also read The Hound of the Baskervilles and may I once again say how impressed I am with the new PBS series? They took the House of the Baskervilles plot, kept it recognizable, but completely modernized it and tossed in some big surprises.

Along with a few others, I checked out A Scandal in Bohemia (featuring Irene Adler - THE woman),  The Valley of Fear (hello Moriarty), and The Final Problem - which story the final episode playing this Sunday will be based on. I'm on pins and needles to see what they do with it, because it is intense people and well, I won't say anything else. But I'm excited!

So, if you've seen lots of Sherlock adaptations but never read the books, I highly recommend them. I recommend them if you have any detective story leanings at all. Or even if you don't, Sherlock might convert you! Give them a try. :D

P.S. Coming soon: a review of Holly Black's Curse Workers Series (WOW) and Enchanted by Alethea Kontis (so good!)