’’I was fifteen when I first met Sherlock Holmes, fifteen years old with my nose in a book as I walked the Sussex Downs, and nearly stepped on him’’
What would happen if Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s brilliant sleuth, stumbled upon a fifteen year old girl, and found her to be a match for his astute self? The author, Laurie King, attempts to answer this unique question, and does a wonderful job.
Mary Russell is fifteen, an orphan from America, trying to cope with WWI, and her pesky aunt. She is quick-witted, and ahead of her times.
Sherlock Holmes is fifty-four, now retired, and practices his hobby of beekeeping. He is shrewd, and egotistical.
This dubious duo joins forces when Holmes becomes aware of Mary’s abilities. He takes her under his wing, and teaches her observational skills, and devices clever puzzles for her to solve. They collaborate on several cases, one of them being a case about a kidnapped child of an American Senator. Holmes even lets Mary solve a petty case by herself. Mary furthers her education by attending Oxford University.
These first few chapters are light in tone and very interesting. However, as the novel progresses, the mood gets more sinister. Holmes finds himself being followed by shady characters and Mary, and Dr. Watson are having the same problem. Shocking events occur and it becomes clear that their opponent is extremely clever--using Holmes’s own methods to outwit him.
Holmes and Russell get to work on the case that could cost them their lives. They carefully devise clever plans, hoping to bait their foe into their premeditated traps. What ensues is an intense roller coaster of events which even takes Holmes and Russell to Palestine for a month. A complex string of bizarre episodes arise, until their adversary is caught.
Surprisingly, much of Holmes’s character is portrayed like Doyle’s creation, but King’s Holmes differs in slight aspects. In this book, Holmes is delineated as a more emotional man, which makes him more believable. The main character is definitely Mary Russell. It is very interesting to observe Mary’s character, personality, and wit intensify throughout the novel.
King also includes other character’s from Doyle’s stories in her book, but portrays them differently. Dr. Watson, instead of being renowned and Holmes’s best friend, is shown as a dull-witted, but extremely compassionate man. Mycroft, Holmes’s brother, is also more caring and expressive than in Dolye’s tales.
The book mostly focuses on the relationship between Holmes and Russell, though the mystery element of the plot certainly is very appealing. The concept of this book is very original and the plot is executed very well.
If you want to read a typical Sherlock Holmes mystery, then this
book isn’t for you. As the author states, “This is not a ‘Sherlock Holmes’ story. It is the story of a modern young woman coming to terms with herself and with this older man...”.
“Holmes and I were a match from the beginning. He towered over me in experience, but never did his abilities at observation and analysis awe me as they did Watson. My own eyes and mind functioned in precisely the same way. It was familiar territory.”