3.5 stars English teenage boy James “Jamie” (although he really would prefer it if you didn’t call him that, even if NO ONE seems to listen to him) Watson has been given a scholarship to a preppy boarding school in Connecticut, not far away from where his father lives with his new family. He’s rather excited about the chance to meet another of the students there, though, the already famous Charlotte Holmes. James and Charlotte’s great-great-great-grandfathers were one of the most famous pairings in history, […]
Watson and Holmes Sitting in a Tree? Maybe…Maybe not.
Let me start by saying that A Study in Charlotte was one of my favorite books that I read last year (or the year before…whenever I read it). The conceit is that Sherlock Holmes and John Watson were real people and their descendants share the qualities of their famous relatives as they are molded and shaped into “who they’re supposed to be”. A Study in Charlotte had us meeting Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes at boarding school and working through their first case together. I […]
A Fun Holmes Version
I like the story and the characters in A Study in Charlotte. What does irritate me a little bit is how in this version of the Conan Doyle universe, the Watson and Holmes families are expected to keep their famous characteristics and relationships through each generation. Jamie Watson can’t wait to meet his Holmes counterpart Charlotte, because he hopes they will develop a close relationship like their ancestors Sherlock and John. When you try to break away from that established characterization, things will go horribly […]
The game is afoot
3.5 stars. A Study in Charlotte is a pretty genius take on the Sherlock Holmes stories. It’s a modern-day retelling which we’ve seen before, but Cavallaro sets her characters in high school and makes them descendants of the real life Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Making them descendants is such a smart move because Jamie and Charlotte can share traits with their predecessors, but they aren’t glued to them. They can have their own adventures and personalities. Also, three cheers for a female Sherlock. She’s […]