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Jan 2020
8:45am, 27 Jan 2020
44,556 posts
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Diogenes
I came to the book from an Agatha Christie (The Murder of Roger Ackroyd). In the first couple of pages I was enjoying the quality of the writing. The problem came at the end. The plot (and I know this is only one story) is pathetic, almost laughable. I don't want to get into spoilers as this is the Feb book and most won't have even started it yet.
It felt like something I child would have written in a hurry in an exam
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Jan 2020
9:25am, 27 Jan 2020
44,559 posts
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Diogenes
Nellers, the first story is "A Scandal In Bohemia". I was expecting something much more sophisticated, much more cerebral. I imagine I would find this in the novels.
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Jan 2020
9:29am, 27 Jan 2020
22,697 posts
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Maclennane
Went through a stage of reading everything Holmes. Fun but most of the mysteries are quite plainly daft, and Holmes himself is bloody insufferable.
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Jan 2020
9:37am, 27 Jan 2020
35,699 posts
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Nellers
I think they're all pretty silly when you think them through. Fun stories though, I always thought. Holmes is generally an arsehole to everyone, including Watson and himself in a lot of cases. There's amusement in that relationship though.
Scandal is a funny one because it's not the usual style/pattern/formula of most of the stories.
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Jan 2020
10:03am, 27 Jan 2020
44,560 posts
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Diogenes
Yes, that was the other thing, Holmes is a grade-A tosser.
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Jan 2020
10:11am, 27 Jan 2020
35,700 posts
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Nellers
You seem to have understood him quite well. He's incredibly arrogant because he's always the smartest person in the room and doesn't care for hiding that in any way. He needs the stimulus of a mental problem that tests him or he sinks into drug use. He's rude and superior and likes to be theatrical in revealing how clever he is. He's a dickhead, undoubtedly.
In fact The Woman and Moriarty are probably the only rivals to his intellect in the all of Doyles work, and neither of them really get to show their stuff more than once.
Oh, and his brother. His smarter brother. Holmes is, in comparison, a disappointment.
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Jan 2020
10:17am, 27 Jan 2020
22,699 posts
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Maclennane
I think that is another problem I have with it is this absolute hierachy of intellect.
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Jan 2020
10:20am, 27 Jan 2020
35,701 posts
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Nellers
I think I have the same problem with it that I have with Star Wars. I love it and I know it's faults and weaknesses and problems and I love them because they're part of it.
Sherlock is inextricably linked with my dad and my childhood. I know the stories are of variable quality and that Holmes is an arse and the gender, race and class politics are very much of their time etc. I still love them.
I can see the problems. They're just not problems to me in the same way Mac.
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Jan 2020
10:34am, 27 Jan 2020
22,700 posts
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Maclennane
I enjoy it while reading it, it's only after that I'm irritated, it gnaws
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Jan 2020
10:37am, 27 Jan 2020
35,702 posts
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Nellers
I get that. The stories carry me along and I can slide past the problems, and afterwards I fixate on the ridiculous plots and the implausible deductions.
But it's Holmes, so he gets a pass.;-)
Now I have the problem of whether to listen to the Kermode and Mayo podcast or the Red Headed League while I row? Anyone got a double-headed coin?;-)
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Book Group
Jul 2025