| Title | : | The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets (Enola Holmes, #3) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0399245189 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780399245183 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 170 |
| Publication | : | First published June 16, 2008 |
But when a bizarre bouquet shows up at the Watson residence, full of convolvulus, hawthorn, and white poppies, Enola must act. She dons her most discerning disguise yet to find the sender—and quickly, for Enola knows the blossoms symbolize death!
Hold your breath, because Enola's about to take it away. The stakes are higher and the mystery deeper than ever before in this third installment of this Edgar Award-nominated, critically acclaimed series.
The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets (Enola Holmes, #3) Reviews
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Another cute installment.
This time around Enola works to find the missing Dr. Watson because he was so kind to her in the last book. <--he's been locked up in a lunatic asylum unbeknownst to his friends and family.
But how?
And why?
Sherlock is also on the case (naturally!) so she has to avoid detection by the world's most famous detective, as they are both snooping around the same clues.
When will Sherlock and Mycroft learn that their little sister is quite an incredible young woman, and stop insisting that she be shoved into the mold so that she can be married off?
Well, my thoughts would be that it will be by the end of the series...
The bizarre bouquets are a reference to "the language of flowers" which was apparently somewhat popular with women and men back in the day. I didn't even know this was a thing, but apparently, you could send a secret message using flowers.
So, I learned something. That's nice.
There's nothing groundbreaking here, but I'm looking forward to listening to the next one.
Recommended for Sherlock Holmes and YA cozy mystery fans. -
Sweet god, how I love these books! Sorry. That’s not something a professional reviewer should start off by saying is it? I should probably be coy about my opinions. I should couch my language with faint praise saying sniffy little things like, “It seems that Ms. Springer has truly found an oeuvre that will suit some out there”. My review would nod its head at her other books and series and then end with constructive criticism along the lines of, “Certainly children in search of mysteries will have no problems with Ms. Springer’s popular choices.” Well, forget it. I can’t be all detached and restrained when I’m talking about Enola Holmes. The fact of the matter is that I can’t get enough of her. From the minute I read her first story The Case of the Missing Marquess, I was hooked. Now we’re on Enola’s third caper, The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets, and things are heating up. Whether you’ve been reading these books faithfully from the start, or have just dropped into this series without seeing its predecessors, this is one Enola Holmes mystery that is bound to mystify, confound, and delight.
A lot has changed for Enola Holmes in the last few months, but one thing certainly hasn’t. She��s still on the run from her older brothers Mycroft and Sherlock and she still needs to keep them at bay until she comes of age and can legally live on her own. Of course there’s the small problem that she’s been making her living by posing as the secretary of a detective, but now her cover’s been blown and she needs to figure out what to do with herself. Top it all off with her sudden fear that her mother doesn’t love her and Enola’s in a pretty deep funk. Deliverance comes in the form of Dr. Watson. Or rather, the lack of Dr. Watson. Someone has kidnapped Sherlock Holmes’ right-hand man, and Enola immediately is on the case. Her newest disguise? She’ll become something her brothers would never expect her to be. She’ll become beautiful. Armed with a pretty face, a knowledge of The Language of the Flowers, and her own common sense, Enola sets out to find the good doctor and maybe figure out some things about her own life along the way.
I think that it was the School Library Journal review of one of Enola’s books that pointed out that it is Enola’s loneliness combined with her, “intelligence, sense of humor, and sheer pluck,” that makes her such an appealing character. That’s very insightful. Though she may try to hide it behind make-up and wigs, Enola is essentially a lonely person. She hasn’t a confidant in the world, and this weighs on her. She doesn’t even entirely realize it either. Fortunately, this isn’t a teenager prone to sulks. The combination of code breaking, multiple clues, and a straightforward if intriguing mystery makes this a particularly delightful read. Plus I just love the sense of a larger story arc present in this series. There’s some ultimate resolution on the horizon. Some grand view of this tale that will resolve Enola’s essential loneliness and heal the rift between her and Sherlock. It’ll probably bring her closer to her mother as well, perhaps. I don’t know. All we can do is keep reading to find out.
These books work as well as they do partly because just as Enola is thwarting her time period’s conventions, so too is Nancy Springer thwarting her genre’s. Any other author out there would have dressed Enola up as a boy first thing and probably would have done the same in all her subsequent novels. This is a kind of laziness on an author’s part. I’m sorry, but if you’re writing a historical novel, fantasy or straight fiction, and your heroine needs a disguise, somehow the act of pulling on a pair of trousers instantly makes her into ideal boy material. It’s an easy out for an author, requiring little thought on their part. This is why I love Nancy Springer. In this book, Enola says that when she first ran away from home her brothers, “had quite expected to find me disguised as a boy; to their way of thinking, how else could such an unfortunately plain female possibly manage?” So does she finally cave in and put on some pants? No sir! Instead she goes 180 degrees in the opposite direction and becomes utterly lovely. It’s the last thing anyone would expect, particularly the reader, and serves as a stroke of genius on the author’s part. Bravo.
Little spoiler alert in this paragraph: There is the matter of the villain of this piece engaging in a bit of (to quote Sherlock Holmes) “George Sandism”. So the fear might be that this is a negative reflection of lesbians or cross-dressers, but I think Springer’s cleverer than that. The bad guy in this book is evil because of what they do, and that has no connection to their preference for pants. Something to watch out for though.
When girls come into my library looking for good mysteries along the lines of Nancy Drew, the pickings are sometimes slimmer than you’d expect. There are the Wendelin Van Draanen stories about Sammy Keyes. There’s good old Trixie Belden (who was the preferred sleuth of my childhood). And now there is Enola Holmes, who seems to have more wit, sense, and skills than any other sleuthy heroine I’ve run across in an age. The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets is a strong addition to a great series and it is the best Sherlock Holmes series for kids I’ve ever been lucky enough to read. -
I just finished a road trip with my 10 year old granddaughter. We listened to this book instead of music. She is an avid reader who loved the PBS Enola Holmes show. We both were intrigued by this case and enjoyed the book.
When Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes' best friend and biographer, goes missing everyone scrambles in an effort to find him. Enola knows how close these two are, but she is also in hiding from both her brothers. Even though her interest is piqued and she wants to help, she doesn't want her brothers to find her.
Unable to stay away, Enola creates an intriguing disguise and visits Mrs. Watson where a most unusual floral display has been delivered. One clue leads to another and she is successful in finding and facilitating the rescue of Dr. Watson. Even the Holmes brothers are in awe of how she cracked the case. -
Το τρίτο βιβλίο της σειράς ξεκινά με την Ενόλα έτοιμη για το επόμενο μυστήριο που πρέπει να λύσει. Αυτή τη φορά όμως είναι λίγο πιο προσωπικό.
Λατρεύω τον τρόπο που λύνει τα μυστήρια, και όλο αυτό το «αστυνομικό δαιμόνιο» που βγάζει. Οι κινήσεις της και η σκέψη της διαφέρουν απο του αδερφού της και αυτό την κάνει ξεχωριστή, ειδικά στο συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο με την «γλώσσα των λουλουδιών».
Τα βιβλία αυτά σου μαθαίνουν για τη δύναμη της θέλησης, την ανεξαρτησία και την πίστη στον εαυτό σου. Το τρίτο βιβλίο περνά υπέροχα μηνύματα που κάθε έφηβος θα έπρεπε να ξέρει, και γι΄αυτό το προτείνω ανεπιφύλακτα!
4.5/5 -
I honestly think Enola is WAY better than Sherlock. Just saying.
-
(More like 3.5 STARS; though I did enjoy it, I think the stellar audiobook narration enhanced it and I might have been a bit bored at times were I simply reading this.)
Who knew fronds of an asparagus plant could be so sinister!?!?!
Enola Holmes is back to solve her third mystery, this one close to her heart as dear Dr. Watson has gone missing! Her brother Sherlock is on the case, but things look grim when Watson's medical bag turns up and the shrewd Mr. Holmes is at a loss for where to look next.
Perhaps that is because he hasn't studied "The Language of Flowers" lately...
For when Enola visits the grieving Mrs. Watson, she discovers a decidedly bizarre bouquet among the standard bunches of flowers signifying condolences. Composed of an odd and sinister assortment of flowers, the bizarre bouquet seems to have been sent by someone who wanted revenge on Dr and/or Mrs Watson, and who is very happy the Doctor is missing. Perhaps the sender of the bouquet is also the one responsible for Dr. Watson's disappearance..!
I very much enjoy that Enola's detective solving skills fit perfectly with the "women's world" that she is forced to inhabit. The fact she could understand the messages of a bouquet of flowers ("women's knowledge") whereas her brother could not is a great plot twist and helps distinguish Enola from her brother. (Especially since Springer works the plots so that Enola and her brother do not see one another.) However, by this third book I've grown quite tired of Enola harping on the male sex for always finding women inferior, and frankly Enola is not so kind to most of the "fair sex" either. Would be far kinder and more fair for her to acknowledge that most women of the time did not have a free-thinking and intellectual mother to bring them up as Enola did--that they were never given the tools to be her (and men's) "equals." The bits about Enola going back-and-forth over her detached mother also get a bit wearing after three books, as do the repeated depictions of the slums of London. I don't mind Springer having her agenda in revealing that London was not always glamorous and happy, but it doesn't always serve her plot or characterization well.
As with the other Enola Holmes books, although this is considered "Middle Grade" I caution younger audiences that this contains references to some more mature content . Particularly disturbing is a case of disfigurement in this book, as well as lunacy.
My personal grips aside, the story entertained me and I will probably carry on with the series on audiobook, narrated by Katherine Kellgren. -
Enola holmes is back with a new adventure. When Watson goes missing Enola takes it upon herself to solve this mystery which even boggles her brother Sherlock. Donning the most unusual disguise she sets out to investigate.
Enola surprises me everytime with her resourcefulness and her clever mind. I love how she always analyses and thinks everything through before acting on it. Which doesn't discount of her being able to think on her feet at moments of distress. I am still in awe how she always manages to outsmart her brothers who for reason still discredit and look upon as a child. Even though she suffers from moments of loneliness, her determination for independence is truly remarkable.
I loved the mystery presented in this book, which was specially enhanced by the audiobook narration. Now onto the fourth. -
Der mittlerweile dritte Band der Reihe, der auf deutsch erschienen ist und ich bin immer noch sehr begeistert! Die Autorin hat hier mit Enola Holmes, der jüngeren Schwester des berühmten Sherlock Holmes und Mycroft eine wunderbare Figur geschaffen!
Abseits des "gesellschaftlichen Lebens" im viktorianischen London ist Enola sehr frei aufgewachsen, was vor allem durch die unkoventionelle Lebensart ihrer Mutter zustande kam. Diese ist jedoch verschwunden und Enola seither auf sich allein gestellt - und sie bekommt ihr Leben sehr gut in den Griff!
Immer wieder zeigt die Autorin, wie die Frauen damals beschränkt wurden auf Äußerlichkeiten, welche Pflichten sie hatten, damit sie vorzeigbar und eine gute Partie waren und wie sie der Willkür ihrer Väter und Ehemänner ausgesetzt waren. Oder eben den älteren Brüdern, denn Enola sollte eigentlich auf ein Internat gehen, auf dem ihr die Flausen ausgetrieben werden. Doch ebenso wie Sherlock und Mycroft ist sie nicht auf den Kopf gefallen und hat sich in London der Aufgabe gewidmet, die ihre Passion ist: in die Fußstapfen ihres größten Vorbilds zu treten und mit Detektivarbeit verzwickte Fälle zu lösen.
Mit dem Prolog schafft Nancy Springer schon einen sehr spannenden Einstieg der extrem neugierig macht! Und es bleibt durchweg so, denn der Fall ist verzwickt und mysteriös und Enola muss all ihre Rafinesse einsetzen, um der Lösung näher zu kommen.
Vor allem die Atmosphäre ist wieder grandios eingefangen von einem düsteren London, der Armut, der Kulisse und mit vielen Details, die das Leben damals sehr lebendig einfangen. Dabei streut die Autorin auch immer wieder Wörter und interessante Infos ein, ohne den Erklär-Bär zu spielen, sondern lässt es direkt in die Handlung einfließen. Da die Reihe für jüngere Leser gedacht ist finde ich das super, um Wissen zu vermitteln, das in eine fesselnde Handlung integriert ist. Das ist mir auch schon in den vorherigen Bänden aufgefallen und ist definitiv ein großer Pluspunkt. Genauso wie die doch anspruchsvolle Schreibweise, die sicher auch ihre Freunde findet bei der jungen Generation und eben auch für Erwachsene ein absolutes Lesevergnügen ist!
Vor allem auch Enolas Wille, ihren Weg zu gehen, alles zu tun, um das durchzusetzen, was ihr wichtig ist und selbst wenn sie sich alleine fühlt, nach vorne zu schauen und nicht aufzugeben, rührt mich jedes Mal wieder sehr!
"Für immer allein?
Für immer verloren?
Für immer trotzig, sagte ich mir feierlich. Für immer das sein, was ich nun einmal bin.
Eine Rebellin, eine Träumerin und eine Perditorin, Finderin des Verlorenen." Zitat Seite 16
Das einzige Manko: es ist so kurz! Es hat alles gepasst und hätte man auch nicht strecken müssen, aber ich würde noch gerne viel länger mit Enola unterwegs sein - und hoffe daher, dass der nächste Teil auch bald ins deutsche übersetzt wird.
Weltenwanderer -
Enola staje się coraz sprytniejsza i zaczyna powoli zyskiwać szacunek starszych braci. Coraz ciekawsze sprawy i rozwinięcie głównej bohaterki.
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Una tercera parte que engancha y que deja con ganas de continuar con la saga. La lectura es amena en todo momento, así que entre eso y lo corto que es el libro (205 páginas), me lo acabé en un par de sentadas.
Enola es un personaje entrañable que aquí va ganando más seguridad en sí misma y que debe decidir si vale la pena hacer peligrar su libertad para salvar a otra persona. Vemos cómo sigue queriendo aprender a ser totalmente independiente y cómo, al mismo tiempo, añora que se preocupen por ella, algo que no resulta molesto porque la humaniza y hace que sea un personaje creíble dadas sus circunstancias y su edad. A pesar de todo, la he notado más madura que en los libros anteriores.
El caso a investigar es el que más me ha atrapado hasta ahora y creo que la forma de desarrollarlo ha sido casi perfecta. El libro está destinado a un público juvenil, así que eso provoca que no haya una excesiva complejidad en la trama, pero eso no le resta interés. Aquí toca investigar la desaparición de Watson, el gran amigo de su hermano Sherlock, lo que hace que Enola corra más riesgo de que él la descubra. Es cierto que Enola se topa con algunas respuestas de forma casual, pero la autora consigue que no resulte surrealista porque se justifica bien que Enola realice los descubrimientos y que llegue a determinadas conclusiones.
Respecto al tema familiar, Sherlock es el que más participación tiene, aunque no llega a coger demasiado protagonismo. Aún así, sus pequeñas aportaciones valen oro, pero no por su perspicacia como detective, sino por la manera en que vamos viendo cómo evoluciona su opinión de Enola. La presencia de Mycroft es residual y solo me sorprendió cierta revelación del desenlace. El asunto de la madre aquí no avanza, realmente tengo la sensación de que la autora está reservando todo lo de ella para el último libro, y eso es un arma de doble filo, ya que puede llegar a decepcionar que no se resuelvan todos los interrogantes. Además, aunque sea de modo indirecto, se echa en falta que aparezca o que podamos saber mejor cómo era.
Con sus más y sus menos, esta novela se lee en un suspiro y se agradece que en ningún momento se infantilicen los comportamientos de los personajes. A esto hay que sumarle que la autora sabe introducir bien en la trama explicaciones sobre costumbres del siglo XIX en Inglaterra, y aprovecha para hacer una denuncia contra algunas injusticias. En esta ocasión, lo que más se toca es la facilidad para encerrar a alguien es una institución mental, especialmente a mujeres, solo por tener actitudes “reprochables” o poco decoro. No se ahonda en exceso en el asunto, pero se aprenden cosas.
Tal vez la puntuación real sería un 3,5/5, pero la voy a redondear al alza por lo adictiva que me ha resultado la lectura y por el hecho de que la investigación no ha dejado ningún cabo suelto. -
If you liked this book, you might also enjoy:
✱
Flavia de Luce series
✱
Sally Lockhart series -
Książka i film to dwie zupełnie odmienne historie!
Porównanie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5SdW... -
Ach, jestem coraz ciekawsza, co będzie dalej i jak ostatecznie zakończy się rozgrywka pomiędzy Enolą a Sherlockiem! Naprawdę doceniam niewielką objętość i to, jak szybko można ją pochłonąć! :)
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RTC♥️
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4,25/5
Kolejny reread po niemal 3 latach, a ja nadal jestem tak samo zachwycona ta historia.
Im Enola robi się starsza, tym mam wrazenie, ze bardziej niebezpieczne przygód ja spotykają. Mam na myśli, ze pojawia się więcej krwi, więcej akcji i więcej próby morderstwa jej osoby. Czasem zapominam, ze to zaledwie niemal 15 letnia dziewczyna. I może na tamte czasy to coś znaczyło, ale nadal jest tak młodziutka.
Jednak ta cześć przekonuje mnie tylko w postanowieniu, ze jako kobieta miała o wiele większe szanse rozwiązać te zagadkę niż policja czy Sherlock. Jej wiedza o kwiatach, o ubiorze i jej wdzięki pomagają jak nigdy.
I podoba mi się, ze mimo iż na codzień sama siebie opisuje jako zbyt podobna do Sherlocka, żeby być piękna, udowodniła sama sobie, ze może wystroić się na piękność, która olśni wszystkich do tego stopnia, ze nie pozna jej jej własny brat.
A ten ostatni rozdział? Chciałabym, żeby Sherlock znalazł sposób, by powiedzieć to Enoli osobiście.
2020:
Z każdą kolejną częścią trudniej się oderwać. Nie jest to może arcydzieło, ale czyta się szybko, historia wciąga i trudno nie polubić Enoli. Czekam teraz na tłumaczenie reszty części jej przygód, bo na pewno będzie się działo. -
I enjoyed this audiobook and the narrator, Katherine Kellgren has been making this series very enjoyable for me.
I can't give a very detailed review of this book because I've been binging books 3-6 of this series and now they're all a blur.
In this book, Dr Watson is missing and it was fun to see Enola and Sherlock trying to solve the mystery of his disappearance, not working together. I loved seeing Enola apply her vast knowledge of the language of flowers to solve this one.
As always, I love Enola and she's such a formidable heroine.
I loved this book and I highly recommend it. -
Springer definitely hit her stride with this one. Curious to see if this improving trend will carry on through the rest of the series. This case was curious and exciting, introducing even more Holmesian canon, with the significant cameos of Dr. Watson and his wife Mary. I found myself laughing, gasping a few times, as well as cringing in shock and disgust when the story reached its peak. Good fun, just as the others. As of right now, my favorite.
-
Wieder einmal ein interessantes Abenteuer von Enola. Bei diesen Büchern gilt wirklich "In der Kürze liegt die Würze". Also damit meine ich, dass hier nichts zur Streckung geschrieben wurde, sondern alles mit dem Fall und der Zeit drum herum zu tun hat.
Ich bin mir auch noch nicht ganz sicher, ob es von der Autorin eine gute Idee war, die Auflösung des Falls um den verschwundenen Dr. Watson im ersten Kapitel schon zu verraten oder nicht. Der Vorteil war, dass ich als Leser immer wusste, ob Enola auf der richtigen Spur ist oder nicht.
Auch hier wurden wieder recht erwachsene Themen untergebracht mit Referenzen zu den Impfgegnern des 19. Jahrhunderts und der Versorgung psychisch kranker Leute zu dieser Zeit. Ich kann diese Buchreihe also nur empfehlen.
Once again, an interesting adventure involving Enola. With these books, it's really "Keep it simple". So by that I mean that nothing was written here to stretch, but everything has to do with the case and the time around it.
I'm also not quite sure yet if it was a good idea of the author to give away the resolution of the case around the missing Dr. Watson in the first chapter already or not. The advantage was that I as a reader always knew whether Enola was on the right track or not.
Again, quite adult themes were accommodated with references to the anti-vaccinationists of the 19th century and the care of mentally ill people at that time. So I highly recommend this book series. -
Yes, I am once again back (I read this book and the one before it within one day, so yeah)
Anyway
Dislikes
1) “‘Curses! Ye gods,’ I muttered naughtily” Enola, shut up.
2) An explanation for the disappearance of Dr. Watson is that “he might have been attacked by an anti-vaccination mob”. This is the second time in the books that anti-vaxxers have randomly been mentioned like this. It serves nothing but the author’s political agenda.
3) Okay you know what I am sick and tired of Sherlock and Mycroft being portrayed as soooooo sexist. They stop going to a certain shop because the owner is now a strong-minded woman, which they can’t stand; Sherlock doesn’t notice the weird bouquet Mrs. Watson receives, cause, y’know, he’s a man and therefore doesn’t think flowers are worth noticing; he doesn’t even look at Enola because she’s just a lady… First of all, the worst thing canon!Sherlock says about women is that he does not trust them. He actually compliments women’s keen insight more than once. Secondly, Sherlock the detective looks at and deduces things about everyone. He should have noticed Enola’s disguise, seeing as to how he’s literally a master of disguise himself. And the flowers? Yes, I think that if the great detective’s personal friend went missing, he would be smart enough to realise that a weird bouquet like the one mentioned is off… especially since he knows Enola and her mum are communicating through flowers. His mind is already on flowers! Also: “Neither of them [Sherlock and Mycroft] could imaginatively enter the mind of any woman”. Have you not read A Scandal in Bohemia?
Basically, what I’m trying to say is that this author needs to chill. Yes, women had less rights in Victorian (that’s the age, right?) times, but not every single frickin man was a sexist!
You also get annoying tidbits like this: “I firmly believe that the whole reason women must wear long skirts is so that they are unable to do anything worthwhile.” First of all, Enola, you really think there is some nefarious plot going on to stop all women from being themselves??? Through skirts???? Please shut up. Second of all, this is in the middle of a chase scene. Can we cut the political stuff and get to the action, please?
There’s a part where Enola complains that men are idiots and that being beautiful will get you way more attention.
Oh, and Enola tells a story of a women who was put away into an insane asylum because she sat down on the ground in her dress and her husband thought it was less embarrassing than divorce. Um….. okay. This author really wants to portray these times as just a living hell, doesn’t she?
Basically: It wasn’t that bad! And men aren’t all trash.
4) The above example is the only reason Enola ever gives for her not wanting to marry ever. That’s the only reason. Once again, if women are so cool, why is matrimony such a bad thing?
5) “[…] there were always a few eccentric amateur scientists, followers of Malthus and Darwin, trying to cross-pollinate orchids in hothouses”. Once again Malthus and Darwin being amazing geniuses. But… why not mention Gregor Mendel? You know, father of modern genetics? The guy with the peas? Yeah, he actually discovered something instead of repackaging old ideas in shiny new paper. If you’re gonna talk about cross-pollination, this man might be worth a mention. It’s because he was a devout Christian monk, isn’t it?
6)
7)
Likes
1) Dr. Watson is the main focus, and that is as it should be. (although, since he’s missing, and the book is from Enola’s perspective, we don’t really see him a lot)
2) Secret messages through flowers are one of my favourite tropes. Do people still read things into bouquets like that?
3)
4) The bittersweet reunion scene was very beautiful.
5) Sherlock Holmes himself is also shown to be more and more caring about his younger sister.
6)
So there you have it! More feminist, atheist propaganda, but at least there’s flowers and lots of Dr. Watson content. -
My entire weekend is gonna be Sherlocked! I read a Sherlock YA retelling this morning already, I'm planning to read another one tomorrow morning and after the finish of La Vuelta I had enough time to devour this lovely third installment in the Enola Holmes series. After the first book seemed a little unspectacular, especially compared to the movie, the second book certainly made up for that. I was therefore quite curious what the third book would bring!
And this book was amazingly cool from start to finish! Mostly because this time Enola's full focus was on the case she was dealing with. And not without reason, because James Watson is missing and she did specialize in finding lost people, didn't she? And therefore this book contains a lot of scheming, planning, going undercover, asking the right and wrong questions and some action where our Enola comes very close to a dangerous enemy.
Of course, Mycroft and Sherlock are still trying to find Enola. And although the focus is fully on the case, in between we also see glimpses of that. There are more messages to decipher in the newspaper, there are more traps to avoid, but most of all there is a really nice progression at the end of the story. Where Sherlock was quite convinced in the previous books that Enola couldn't be that smart, he's starting to notice that maybe she is. I hope that in time he and Enola can become friends, I'm pretty sure Enola would want that.
And I would also wish for Enola to have that little bit of happiness she longs for so badly. Since we spend the entire book in her head, we get quite a clear image of who she is. And although she's intelligent and willing to take risks to save people, it's quite clear that underneath she's just a girl who wants to be loved and cherished for who she is and not for the doll and fancy lady she could be with loads and loads of training. I really really hope, maybe against all odds, that she can get all that and more! I'll just keep on reading to find out. -
So so so good!!!!!!
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Afferrate la vostra lente d'ingrandimento e tuffatevi con me in questa nuova avventura ricca di pericoli e mistero, signori: stiamo per essere coinvolti ancora una volta nei guai della famiglia più in gamba e problematica d'Inghilterra: gli Holmes.
Perché, si sa, avere a che fare con menti brillanti ed eccentriche non è facile!
Sono onorata e fiera di potervi parlare di nuovo della nostra Enola, sorella minore dei fratelli Sherlock e Mycroft Holmes.
In questo terzo volume della saga edita in Italia da DeA, ho trovato un miglioramento madornale della penna dell'autrice, nonché una vera marcia in più nelle vicende.
Per quanto avessi temuto il contrario, come sapete delusa dal film, sapendo che in questo libro ci sarebbe stato un piede in più nelle vicende private di Sherlock, dato il coinvolgimento di Watson, per fortuna non è esistita alcuna delusione! Santo cielo, siano benedetti i libri e la casa editrice per averli portati in Italia. Solo il film avrebbe dato tutt'altra idea di Enola.
Ma andiamo, adesso, un po' di più in qualche dettaglio del nostro bellissimo terzo volume:
la storia riprende le vicende da dove le avevamo lasciate, con una Enola timorosa di dover cambiare ancora una volta identità e trovare un nuovo posto dove nascondersi dai suoi fratelli e il loro desiderio di renderla una signorina per bene, rinchiudendola in un collegio per nobili gentildonne.
Qualcosa stavolta, però, porta i suoi problemi in secondo piano: John Watson, assistente di suo fratello Sherlock, è scomparso!
Enola, che tiene tanto a John e sa quanto a sua volta ci tenga suo fratello, si mette in prima linea per scoprire chi è l'artefice dietro il suo rapimento. Ma riuscirà davvero ad investigare, facendola sotto al naso persino a Sherlock? Stavolta riuscirà a cavarsela da sola o per amore di una persona cara, collaborare non sarà una cattiva idea per i fratelli Holmes?
Tra intrighi e segreti, Enola Holmes si ritrova ancora una volta ad essere un ragazza che dona una rivalsa per le donne in un'epoca dove la loro più grande ambizione poteva essere solo quella di partorire una squadra di calcio.
Come sempre il libro è pieno di dettagli dell'epoca, tra usi, costumi e cibo, tutto è studiato con minuziosa attenzione.
Ho apprezzato particolarmente anche l'aver inserito, data la trama, anche la moglie di John - non era scontata la sua presenza, credetemi -.
Non aggiungo altro per non fare spoiler, se non che attendo con trepidazione la quarta uscita!
Consigliatissimo! -
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Digital Amrit
tl;dr: The ‘Enola Holmes’ books are an engaging, entertaining and empowering take on the Holmes mythos which will be a hit with girls in their tweens.
This series is a set of six short books set from the perspective of Sherlock Holmes’s younger sister, Enola Holmes. The series starts with their mother disappearing on Enola’s fourteenth birthday. Mycroft and Sherlock are not interested in pursuing their mother’s disappearance due to an old family quarrel and want to put Enola in boarding school. Enola has been bought up by her mother to be a free and independent thinker. She refuses to be part of the patriarchal and misogynistic system of the 1900s, runs away to London and tries to find her mother on her own. Her struggles to survive in London; her attempts to help others by using her powers of intelligence and deduction and her constant brushes with her brothers form the stories of the rest of the series.
Each of the books has a central mystery at its core that Enola has to solve. Typically, these are focused on women and their problems in the era. For example — women being forced to wear corsets, thrown into arranged marriages, being robbed etc. (the rest of the review is available at my blog or any of the links below)
Watch the review on
Youtube
Hear the review on my
Podcast
Read the full review at my blog
Digital Amrit -
Dear Enola bends her ferocious intellect and perceptiveness to a case that that elicits her immediate interest and concern. Doctor John Watson is missing, and no one knows what has happened to him.
Dropping in on Mary Watson as a first step in her investigation, Enola, suitably costumed as a beautiful young lady, determines what few facts are known, notices an odd arrangement of flowers on a nearby table (people have sent flowers in sympathy), and narrowly misses being recognized by her brother Sherlock.
Using her familiarity with the Language of Flowers, and her talent for disguise, Enola tracks down the perpetrator, and impresses her brother Sherlock with her deductive skills, without which Watson would have no doubt languished for much longer in his prison.
Enola is so funny, determined and smart. Her comments on the ridiculousness of men whose heads are so easily turned by a pretty dress and hair had me chuckling as she wends her way through the city. Also, Enola's continued loneliness and desire for her mother elicited my sympathy, even while I was cheering her on during her successful investigation. On to book 4! -
Baaaardzo fajna książka 💕 Jest relaksująca, ale także momentami mega wciągająca. A klimat, który ona ma, jest bardzo tajemniczy, czyli taki, jaki najbardziej lubię 🥰 Główna bohaterka jest również niczego sobie - buntowniczka, która postanowiła się przeciwstawić dzięwiętnastowiecznym poglądom i zostać perdytorystką. Polecam szczególnie tym, którzy tak jak ja uwielbiają powieści detektywistyczne 💖
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Daaaaaaamn again what a good story, a bit short but I will accept what I can get…..
Enola is seriously becoming my favorite Holmes, the way her mind works yet she still shows her youthful self, her vulnerability and her wishing for a family.
On to book 4 to see more of my sweet little girl. -
I think this is my favorite book in the series so far. I can't wait to see what comes next for Enola and her brothers.
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Short little 3hr,/1-sitting read. My least favorite of the 3 in this series that I’ve read so far.
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My favorite of the series this far
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3.5 stars. Still a very charming series, all the more so because of it's dark edge. It always works that Enola is successful despite the large age difference between her and Sherlock because Sherlock overlooks the female arts. Would the "real" Sherlock have done that? Who knows? But this Sherlock is clearly characterized and consistent and it works that he wouldn't notice or take seriously things like the flowers in a bouquet, or the corset and bustle in the first book, etc. It gives Enola an advantage and makes the willing suspense of disbelief work.
But... solving this one relied entirely too much on coincidence. Yes, she kept her eyes open, was bold and brave, and used her advantages, but a big part of it came from the huge head start of coincidence. What if she'd chosen to do her shopping at another store? I'd have liked to see a plot that Enola could have deduced beginning to end.
Just as a side note, I felt bad for her when she couldn't sleep at night. She used to wander around and help people, but Sherlock caught on to her disguise. Now she just had to lie awake in bed worrying. She had no library full of books full of entertaining mysteries to keep her busy all night like I have. She thought it was a luxury to be in an apartment for a change that had gas to read her newspaper after dark. This author always does a great job of setting the tone of what London was really like in the 1880's. Unlike a lot of historical fiction, these books actually convey poor lighting, bad smells, and poverty, not just high society and elegant fashions. And even when Enola wears the latest fashions, the discomfort of the crazy styles are clearly pointed out so that a reader can really imagine what it might have felt like to walk in those shoes or be squished into that corset.
Despite a bit of weakness in the plotting of this one, I still really like this series. It's great to see a smart, brave female hero who is interested in things other than boys and who isn't doesn't need anyone to save her, who in fact does all of the saving.
