mystery books had a big impact on me while i was growing up. because i didn’t have that many chances to buy a book for myself, i ended up raiding my mother’s and my older sister’s shelves for books to read. i’ve gone through encyclopedias, scientific books, math books–but nothing really captured my fancy as NANCY DREW and THE HARDY BOYS did.
my mom loved her mystery novels, and so i found myself with a treasure trove of them.
my interest in mystery never really disappeared. but it did get a sibling of sorts when i found myself able to buy my own books. i delved into the fantastical, thanks to the television programs i followed. so my interest was halved between mystery and fantasy.
fast forward to 2010 and my interest in mystery was renewed through the wonderful film adaptation of SHERLOCK HOLMES, and through the bbc production of the more modern SHERLOCK.
when i saw amongst celina’s books and magazines a collection of THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, i found myself making an impulse buy. and though it has taken me some months before i could get round to reading the book, i have finally done it.
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, despite the book saying that it is complete and unabridged, it is by no means complete. i’m not sure about the unabridged part though. the book does give us twelve short stories that delve into the more intriguing cases of sherlock holmes.
reading sir arthur conan doyle’s work, i realize now that bbc’s television program, the modern SHERLOCK, has the more accurate portrayal of the iconic detective. the films, not just the one shown last year, always portray sherlock holmes as an educated man with a bit of a pompous side. only bbc’s SHERLOCK, from what i have read of sir doyle’s work, has managed to capture the manic personality of the sleuth.
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES is a quick read, yes. but it does give you a very wide look into the psyche of the character. through the stories “told” by dr. john watson, you get an idea of who sherlock holmes really is. and i find myself becoming an actual fan of the character after having read the book.
does that mean i think less of the film versions now? no. i still see them as a separate entity. but i do have a deeper appreciation now of what steven moffat and mark gatiss had done for the character in bbc’s SHERLOCK.
