The timing is particularly interesting to me, since we are currently (in terms of the BBC series Sherlock) occupying that very depressing interregnum. The book is split in two, each chapter alternating between present day characters who are Sherlock Holmes fans, and Arthur Conan Doyle, in the period between his killing Holmes off and Holmes’ resurrection 8 years later. So this is an interesting idea for a mystery novel. Anyone who’s been paying attention can name at least 5 characters that wouldn’t be possible without Holmes. The character is massively important to the history of mystery fiction, and has obviously been incredibly influential to everything from books to TV to movies. The idea of Holmes far outlives and outweighs Doyle’s lackluster storytelling. But what a character that Doyle managed to come up with. I think a lot of what we associate with Sherlock Holmes now has been added later, filled in by movie- and show-runners and writers. Masculine in the old-school, totally ridiculous definition. I suppose I mean that there isn’t much in the way of character development or emotion. No idea why, since I don’t find the original texts to be that good, personally. I probably picked up this book because I am increasingly obsessed with anything Sherlock Holmes.
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