Book Review: The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

 

Today, in an all new session of THE READING ROOM, we are going to review The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

 

 

• Book Description

 

 

‘You are a wronged woman and shall have justice. Do not bring police. If you do, all will be in vain – Your unknown friend’.

 

When a beautiful young woman is sent a letter inviting her to a sinister assignation, she immediately seeks the advice of the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes. For this is not the first mysterious item Mary Marston has received in the post. Every year for the last six years an anonymous benefactor has sent her a large lustrous pearl. Now it appears the sender of the pearls would like to meet her to right a wrong. But when Sherlock Holmes and his faithful sidekick Watson, aiding Miss Marston, attend the assignation, they embark on a dark and mysterious adventure involving a one-legged ruffian, some hidden treasure, deadly poison darts and a thrilling race along the River Thames.

• My View  

 

The first book introduces Sherlock Holmes but this book is an important step in the development of a great cultural icon where we come to know Sherlock Holmes and his mannerisms, very closely. It is always a pleasure to read Holmes enunciating his famous dictum, “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” Arthur Doyle for the very first time mentions Holmes love for Cocaine. The most important part other than the thrilling suspense, intriguing plot and memorable characters is the way we get a sneak peek into the Victorian culture. The book also mentions the popular attitudes held in response to the 1857 Indian Mutiny, which was a turning point not only for the Indians but also for the Victorian Raj in the Indian Sub-Continent. The story reflects the way the popular fascinations with British colonial enterprises which can been seen by the way Watson’s personifies the Indian artifacts and accessories when he encounters with some at the crime place. Though the story moves very slowly but still in end it wi;; surely give you some thrilling moments and you feel satisfied and as T. S. Eliot has quoted about this book, we invariably fall into the fancy of his (Sherlock Holmes’s) excistence.

 

My rating: 4.5/5

Title: The Sign of Four

Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

ISBN-10:  0241952964

ISBN-13: 9780241952962

 Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Detective.

Publisher: PENGUIN UK (Imprint: PENGUIN CLASSICS)

Buy this book online

http://www.flipkart.com/the-sign-of-four/p/itmdxk9kyfjxabvb?pid=9780241952962&otracker=from-search&srno=t_4&query=the+sign+of+four+by+arthur+conan+doyle&ref=02e98a2f-7937-43ae-acb2-8e060d2271ee

 

So here we come to an end to today’s session of Reading Room with a quote from this book

“I’ve had ups in my life, and I’ve had downs, but I’ve learned not to cry over spilled milk”

 

We will meet next time; right here with another review of a magnificent book at Reading Room till then enjoy your reading

Reviewed By:  Rahul Marar (Team WordBite)                         

Book Review: A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

 

Today, in an all new session of THE READING ROOM, we are going to review A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

 

 

• Book Description

 

 

‘There’s a scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it’. From the moment Dr John Watson takes lodgings in Baker Street with the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes, he becomes intimately acquainted with the bloody violence and frightening ingenuity of the criminal mind. In “A Study in Scarlet”, Holmes and Watson’s first mystery, the pair is summoned to a south London house where they find a dead man whose contorted face is a twisted mask of horror. The body is unmarked by violence but on the wall a mysterious word has been written in blood. The police are baffled by the crime and its circumstances. But when Sherlock Holmes applies his brilliantly logical mind to the problem he uncovers a tragic tale of love and deadly revenge…

 

• My View  

 

When I completed watching Sherlock –Season 2, something in me told me to re-visit the original plots and characterization. Thus started my journey again, I have started reading Sherlock Holmes AGAIN for the second time, right from THE BEGINNING.

 

There is absolutely no need of an introduction to Sherlock Holmes. This character is one of the shining stars of the English Literature and is considered as one of the finest creations ever made in the Fiction Genre. I was in awe while reading the introduction of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. His unique mannerism in solving crimes and how he concludes everything with careful observation will leave you astounded and awe struck. The novel is distributed in two parts. I was little skeptical while reading the second half because of the problematic depiction of Mormons but still when that phase passed on the thrill and the intrigue returned back. The whole story is narrated via Watson’s point of view and thus there is realness in the plot and the characterizations. Holmes ability to see the significance in tiny detail will blow you off your imaginations. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has masterly created this character that embodies rationalism filled with careful observation and weird unlikeable behavior. And in the end of the story like Watson, I too was convinced about his perfect and sheer brilliance in solving the crime.

In the end, I can say the A study of Scarlet is a great debut of this super-detective and his side-kick and with this novel the author promises great things to come with the succeeding novels.

 

• My rating: 4.5/5

 

Title: A Study in Scarlet

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

ISBN-10:  0241952891

ISBN-13: 9780241952894

Genre: Fiction/Thriller/Detective/Classics.

Publisher: PENGUIN UK

Imprint: PENGUIN CLASSICS

Buy this book online

http://www.flipkart.com/a-study-in-scarlet/p/itmdx92dq3vw3cph

So here we come to an end to today’s session of Reading Room

• Reviewed By:  Rahul Marar (Team WordBite)