A STUDY WORTH REMEMBERING!!!

A STUDY IN SCARLET

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

Now, this was a change. Actually, I have a secret to tell. I bought this some 3- or 4 years ago but couldn't read it then since I was quite illiterate to English then!! Though I never had the time to read a Sherlock Holmes book in its physical form, but last Saturday I made up my mind to read the complete novel and know how the greatest detective of all time, made his way into every mystery lovers' hearts.

The story starts off on a fantastic note. Sherlock Holmes is called to the scene when a man is found dead in an abandoned home. His body, left without wounds that imply violence, is sprawled beneath the word rache (or revenge in German) painted in blood on the wall. 

I had mixed feelings about this one. While I can definitely say that Doyle is a talented writer and certainly had the smarts to invent such a character, I found the sudden change in narrative and the long, detailed excerpts a bit taxing.

Actually, I even skipped the Mormons part, that is the insertion of the past lives of the criminals was a bit long and taxing, as I said earlier. I only read the crime and the last part, wherein tells about how the crime was done.

Also, suffice to say if you're reading this after having seen the BBC A Study in Pink version(Sherlock played by the excellent BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH) the two are very different and yet complementary. A Study in Pink having taken elements from the original story and then flipped them around.

The first part is the more interesting, with the legendary meeting between the detective and the doctor, and an introduction to the characters as well as to the murder mystery. It is definitely awkward in its construction. Arthur Conan Doyle, ought to make this novel a wonderful read but has failed to do so, or so I think.

Also, my book had JEREMY BRETT on its cover, so I always had him in mind whenever I thought of Sherlock Holmes.

Therefore, I would not recommend this book to many but would give this book 5 stars out of 10. You might want to dump that book and pick up an Agatha Christie novel instead!