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Enola Holmes #2
The Case of the Left-Handed Lady
An alternative cover for this ASIN can be found here.
Enola Holmes is hiding from the world’s most famous detective—her own brother, Sherlock Holmes. But when she discovers a hidden cache of bold, brilliant charcoal drawings, she can’t help but venture out to find who drew them: young Lady Cecily, who has disappeared from her bedroom without a trace. Braving midnight streets where murderers roam, Enola must unravel the clues—a leaning ladder, a shifty-eyed sales clerk, political pamphlets—but in order to save Lady Cecily from a powerful villain, Enola risks revealing more than she should...
In her follow-up to The Case of the Missing Marquess, which received four starred reviews, two-time Edgar Award winner Nancy Springer brings us back to the danger and intrigue of Victorian London as she continues the adventures of one of the wittiest and most exciting new heroines in today’s literature.
Enola Holmes is hiding from the world’s most famous detective—her own brother, Sherlock Holmes. But when she discovers a hidden cache of bold, brilliant charcoal drawings, she can’t help but venture out to find who drew them: young Lady Cecily, who has disappeared from her bedroom without a trace. Braving midnight streets where murderers roam, Enola must unravel the clues—a leaning ladder, a shifty-eyed sales clerk, political pamphlets—but in order to save Lady Cecily from a powerful villain, Enola risks revealing more than she should...
In her follow-up to The Case of the Missing Marquess, which received four starred reviews, two-time Edgar Award winner Nancy Springer brings us back to the danger and intrigue of Victorian London as she continues the adventures of one of the wittiest and most exciting new heroines in today’s literature.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
1350 people are currently reading
11900 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Springer
192 books2,342 followersBIO -- NANCY SPRINGER
Nancy Springer has passed the fifty-book milestone, having written that many novels for adults, young adults and children, in genres including mythic fantasy, contemporary fiction, magical realism, horror, and mystery -- although she did not realize she wrote mystery until she won the Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America two years in succession. DARK LIE, recently released from NAL, is her first venture into mass-market psychological suspense.
Born in Montclair, New Jersey, Nancy Springer moved with her family to Gettysburg, of Civil War fame, when she was thirteen. She spent the next forty-six years in Pennsylvania, raising two children (Jonathan, now 38, and Nora, 34), writing, horseback riding, fishing, and birdwatching. In 2007 she surprised her friends and herself by moving with her second husband to an isolated area of the Florida panhandle, where the birdwatching is spectacular and where, when fishing, she occasionally catches an alligator.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,043 reviews
August 4, 2023
I might have complaints but I'm enjoying these books.
There's a comfort food quality to them that I'm just digging. As in, I'm flying through the series and there's no hesitation as to whether or not I'm going to grab the next one.
However.
If you're hoping that this somehow follows the Netflix tv show, then take those expectations, bundle them up with all of your childhood dreams, and push them down into that hole in your soul where you stuff every other disappointment that's come your way since you began your journey into adulthood.
So.
No Tewksbury in this one. Sorry.
These are different stories.
The mystery in this one is Enola trying to find a missing young lady who may or may not have run away with an unsuitable lover.
The overall story of Mycroft and Sherlock looking for her takes a turn, as well. And there's a moment at the end where I decided that this world's Sherlock wasn't as big of an ass as he was in the last book.
Changes on the way, perhaps?
This one was good right up till there was some kind of split personality/mesmerism thing happening at the end.
That's not how it works, ma'am.
I give all that hypnotism nonsense a pass when I'm reading stories like the original Sherlock or Agatha Christie mysteries, but it doesn't work in contemporary books. Even contemporary books based on characters from older books.
But whatever.
It's not a novel for adults so I'm letting it slide a bit.
I know. I'm so magnanimous, aren't I?
Speaking of, I don't know if these are considered MG or YA, but I think they would work for either group. The length is just right for younger middle-grade readers.
It turns out this length is also just right for middle-aged readers who like it when stories get the to point.
Recommended for mystery lovers who aren't too serious about the mystery.
There's a comfort food quality to them that I'm just digging. As in, I'm flying through the series and there's no hesitation as to whether or not I'm going to grab the next one.
However.
If you're hoping that this somehow follows the Netflix tv show, then take those expectations, bundle them up with all of your childhood dreams, and push them down into that hole in your soul where you stuff every other disappointment that's come your way since you began your journey into adulthood.
So.
No Tewksbury in this one. Sorry.
These are different stories.
The mystery in this one is Enola trying to find a missing young lady who may or may not have run away with an unsuitable lover.
The overall story of Mycroft and Sherlock looking for her takes a turn, as well. And there's a moment at the end where I decided that this world's Sherlock wasn't as big of an ass as he was in the last book.
Changes on the way, perhaps?
This one was good right up till there was some kind of split personality/mesmerism thing happening at the end.
That's not how it works, ma'am.
I give all that hypnotism nonsense a pass when I'm reading stories like the original Sherlock or Agatha Christie mysteries, but it doesn't work in contemporary books. Even contemporary books based on characters from older books.
But whatever.
It's not a novel for adults so I'm letting it slide a bit.
I know. I'm so magnanimous, aren't I?
Speaking of, I don't know if these are considered MG or YA, but I think they would work for either group. The length is just right for younger middle-grade readers.
It turns out this length is also just right for middle-aged readers who like it when stories get the to point.
Recommended for mystery lovers who aren't too serious about the mystery.
July 4, 2021
~4.5 stars~
I loved this book so much more than the first. Where the first book was more focussed on character building and setup, this one focussed more on the mystery.
Oh Enola!! She has grown so considerably as a character. She is brave, sharp and fierce. My favorite part of this book has to be the cat and mouse chase between the siblings. And oh how they both are trying to outsmart each other is so entertaining. The historical setting with the social structure captures very well the essence of Victorian London. And I cheer for Enola on keeping up the feminist spirit and being set to choose her own path. Loved the clever disguises she pulled and how easily she moulded into any character.
Such an amazing read. Fast paced and brilliant execution. I can't wait to read about her next adventure.
I loved this book so much more than the first. Where the first book was more focussed on character building and setup, this one focussed more on the mystery.
Oh Enola!! She has grown so considerably as a character. She is brave, sharp and fierce. My favorite part of this book has to be the cat and mouse chase between the siblings. And oh how they both are trying to outsmart each other is so entertaining. The historical setting with the social structure captures very well the essence of Victorian London. And I cheer for Enola on keeping up the feminist spirit and being set to choose her own path. Loved the clever disguises she pulled and how easily she moulded into any character.
Such an amazing read. Fast paced and brilliant execution. I can't wait to read about her next adventure.
February 2, 2024
The second novel in an engaging new series
Pitched at a reading level considerably higher than the justifiably famous Nancy Drew series, THE CASE OF THE LEFT-HANDED LADY continues the adventures of Enola Holmes, the hitherto unknown, late-arriving younger sister of Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes, who was introduced so capably in THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS.
A budding young feminist, intelligent far beyond her tender age of only fourteen years, Enola Holmes is living incognito in London, hiding from her brilliant brothers for fear that they would force her into the stultifying life of a Victorian boarding school for young ladies. Sherlock and Mycroft are portrayed as typical 19th century men in their attitude toward women and whatever intellect they may possess. That is to say, they are at least patronizing and chauvinist and perhaps, in Mycroft's case, downright misogynist.
Despite being of independent means with the financial resources that her mother provided in THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS, Enola has decided that she will live her life as a "perditorian", a "finder of lost things". In THE CASE OF THE LEFT-HANDED LADY, Enola tackles the disappearance of young Lady Cecily Alistair. Because there is reason to believe that the missing teenage daughter of Lord Alistair may have quite improperly eloped with a young man below her station, the potentially scandalous news of her disappearance has been carefully kept out of the London news media of the day. Using her intelligence and the unique feminine perspective that would completely elude the likes of Sherlock Holmes and Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard, Enola's investigation leads her to dismiss the possibility of elopement. She is now searching for an abductor and hopes she will find young Lady Cecily before she comes to any harm.
Despite being fiction aimed at younger readers, THE CASE OF THE LEFT-HANDED LADY is engaging historical fiction which pulls few punches. The story makes no effort to soft pedal the seamier side of Victorian London life; the unimaginable gap between the wealthy gentry and the poor; and, of course, the trials and tribulations faced by the female half of England's population as the notion of universal suffrage begins to take hold. Special attention is paid to the growth of socialism and union organization as working men and employed labourers toil under the yoke of their wealthy employers. Despite the clearly adult nature of these themes, they are presented in a way that will make sense and serve as an excellent learning tool for younger readers.
As a character, Enola is exceptionally well developed. She exemplifies that baffling and ultimately paradoxical teenage blend of cock-sure bravado and angst and uncertainty; incipient adulthood contrasted against an occasional reversion to childhood fear; and, of course, self-direction and self-confidence versus the obvious desire for occasional adult guidance and assistance. Enola's budding femininity is also charmingly and endearingly presented in wonderfully good taste with all due regard to Victorian sensibilities. Sherlock, Mycroft and Lestrade, far from being satirized or poorly handled, conduct themselves exactly as any fan would think they might do faced with the situation of a missing mother and a worried younger sister.
Paul Weiss
Pitched at a reading level considerably higher than the justifiably famous Nancy Drew series, THE CASE OF THE LEFT-HANDED LADY continues the adventures of Enola Holmes, the hitherto unknown, late-arriving younger sister of Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes, who was introduced so capably in THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS.
A budding young feminist, intelligent far beyond her tender age of only fourteen years, Enola Holmes is living incognito in London, hiding from her brilliant brothers for fear that they would force her into the stultifying life of a Victorian boarding school for young ladies. Sherlock and Mycroft are portrayed as typical 19th century men in their attitude toward women and whatever intellect they may possess. That is to say, they are at least patronizing and chauvinist and perhaps, in Mycroft's case, downright misogynist.
Despite being of independent means with the financial resources that her mother provided in THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS, Enola has decided that she will live her life as a "perditorian", a "finder of lost things". In THE CASE OF THE LEFT-HANDED LADY, Enola tackles the disappearance of young Lady Cecily Alistair. Because there is reason to believe that the missing teenage daughter of Lord Alistair may have quite improperly eloped with a young man below her station, the potentially scandalous news of her disappearance has been carefully kept out of the London news media of the day. Using her intelligence and the unique feminine perspective that would completely elude the likes of Sherlock Holmes and Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard, Enola's investigation leads her to dismiss the possibility of elopement. She is now searching for an abductor and hopes she will find young Lady Cecily before she comes to any harm.
Despite being fiction aimed at younger readers, THE CASE OF THE LEFT-HANDED LADY is engaging historical fiction which pulls few punches. The story makes no effort to soft pedal the seamier side of Victorian London life; the unimaginable gap between the wealthy gentry and the poor; and, of course, the trials and tribulations faced by the female half of England's population as the notion of universal suffrage begins to take hold. Special attention is paid to the growth of socialism and union organization as working men and employed labourers toil under the yoke of their wealthy employers. Despite the clearly adult nature of these themes, they are presented in a way that will make sense and serve as an excellent learning tool for younger readers.
As a character, Enola is exceptionally well developed. She exemplifies that baffling and ultimately paradoxical teenage blend of cock-sure bravado and angst and uncertainty; incipient adulthood contrasted against an occasional reversion to childhood fear; and, of course, self-direction and self-confidence versus the obvious desire for occasional adult guidance and assistance. Enola's budding femininity is also charmingly and endearingly presented in wonderfully good taste with all due regard to Victorian sensibilities. Sherlock, Mycroft and Lestrade, far from being satirized or poorly handled, conduct themselves exactly as any fan would think they might do faced with the situation of a missing mother and a worried younger sister.
Paul Weiss
May 24, 2025
One of the best young adult series for girls is a series by Nancy Springer featuring a tween-age detective living in London. Her name is Enola.
It is important to note two very important facts: 1) The setting is Victorian England, roughly the latter-half of the 19th century. Not the best time and place for young girls, and women in general, looking to make a career for themselves. 2) Enola’s last name is Holmes. She is the younger sister of another famous detective, the one that lives on Baker Street. Yes, that Holmes.
In the second book, “The Case of the Left-Handed Lady”, Enola is still looking for her mother. In the meantime, she has set up shop in a small office advertising her skills as a perditorian. (In case you didn’t know, a “perditorian” is a finder of lost things and people.) Actually, she has set up shop for a Dr. Ragostin, perditorian extraordinaire, and she is his secretary. Never mind the fact that Dr. Ragostin exists only in her mind, but she’s smart enough to know that people will certainly not take up her services if she advertised as herself, a 14-year-old who is, technically, still on the run from the law and her two brothers, Mycroft and Sherlock, who want to send her away to a boarding school.
In this book, Enola takes on the case of a missing young girl named Lady Cecily. She disappeared one night without a trace, and the police are baffled as to whether she was kidnapped or simply ran away. There are no clues.
What the case needs is, of course, a young lady’s touch. After all, who better to look for a missing young lady than another young lady?
These are fun, suspenseful, and intelligent mysteries. Springer has a goldmine of a series here.
P.S. The “Enola Holmes” movies on Netflix are equally excellent, although the screenplays deviate greatly from Springer’s books. Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven, from “Stranger Things”) is wonderful as the precocious titular character.
It is important to note two very important facts: 1) The setting is Victorian England, roughly the latter-half of the 19th century. Not the best time and place for young girls, and women in general, looking to make a career for themselves. 2) Enola’s last name is Holmes. She is the younger sister of another famous detective, the one that lives on Baker Street. Yes, that Holmes.
In the second book, “The Case of the Left-Handed Lady”, Enola is still looking for her mother. In the meantime, she has set up shop in a small office advertising her skills as a perditorian. (In case you didn’t know, a “perditorian” is a finder of lost things and people.) Actually, she has set up shop for a Dr. Ragostin, perditorian extraordinaire, and she is his secretary. Never mind the fact that Dr. Ragostin exists only in her mind, but she’s smart enough to know that people will certainly not take up her services if she advertised as herself, a 14-year-old who is, technically, still on the run from the law and her two brothers, Mycroft and Sherlock, who want to send her away to a boarding school.
In this book, Enola takes on the case of a missing young girl named Lady Cecily. She disappeared one night without a trace, and the police are baffled as to whether she was kidnapped or simply ran away. There are no clues.
What the case needs is, of course, a young lady’s touch. After all, who better to look for a missing young lady than another young lady?
These are fun, suspenseful, and intelligent mysteries. Springer has a goldmine of a series here.
P.S. The “Enola Holmes” movies on Netflix are equally excellent, although the screenplays deviate greatly from Springer’s books. Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven, from “Stranger Things”) is wonderful as the precocious titular character.
April 17, 2010
My second Enola Holmes mystery on audibook narrated by the great Katherine Kellgren. I think, in many ways, I liked this better than the first book. It is more focused on an actual mystery/case, whereas the first one seemed more character building and setting the scene with a mystery tacked on. They mystery is interesting in terms of character and plot and also in terms of historical aspects. Women's rights and metaphysical stuff and Marxism. Very cool! My only negative is that the beginning seemed rather slow, a bit too much "recap" but then I had only finished the first book only about a week before so probably if I had more of a gap I would have found that aspect beneficial rather than tedious. I'm hoping this series continues to stay strong! Note that despite its "Middle Grade" classification, I think this is more suitable for YA.
November 20, 2020
Simply delightful. This is the first Enola Holmes novel I've read and it is proof that fiction for children need not be stupid, nor must it condescend to their intelligence. There is so much here that the average child would not know and yet it's not explained outright. Springer assumes, quite correctly I think, that children can and will understand words and ideas through context.
The plot is exciting. Enola is smart enough to be a fun heroine, yet fallible enough that young readers can identify with her. As a self-emancipated fourteen year old, she's living a life of adventure that's likely to appeal to tweens and teens as well.
I am neither a tween nor a teen. I've passed the half-century mark, but I found the book to be quite a page-turner. It was complex enough to keep me interested and I even learned a new word. I really do wish Springer would write about Enola for grown-ups, too. I'm going to go through this series far too quickly and would love a book long and dense enough to make me digest it more slowly. Just the same, I'll cheerfully read every Enola book for children.
The plot is exciting. Enola is smart enough to be a fun heroine, yet fallible enough that young readers can identify with her. As a self-emancipated fourteen year old, she's living a life of adventure that's likely to appeal to tweens and teens as well.
I am neither a tween nor a teen. I've passed the half-century mark, but I found the book to be quite a page-turner. It was complex enough to keep me interested and I even learned a new word. I really do wish Springer would write about Enola for grown-ups, too. I'm going to go through this series far too quickly and would love a book long and dense enough to make me digest it more slowly. Just the same, I'll cheerfully read every Enola book for children.
November 10, 2023
I read “The Case of the Left-Handed Lady” to see if Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes series would improve with the second instalment.
When I came upon »Chapter the First«, though, I had an inkling about how this review would read because just like the ridiculous chapter titles, this is The Case of Even More of the Same that Didn’t Work for Me the First Time Either: Springer’s writing style still resembles that of a middle-grade school teacher who wants to provide material for her pupils.
She still taints the legacy of Holmes; here in a discussion with Mycroft who states…
»The only rational way to reform her into some semblance of decent young womanhood!” interrupts the older brother with asperity. “You, of all people, should see the logic – ”«
To which Springer let’s Sherlock Holmes answer: “Logic is not everything.” and Mycroft rightly replies: “Certainly this is the first time I have ever heard you say so!”
I haven’t read Sherlock Holmes state something as untypical as that either.
In Springer’s universe, though, Mycroft is a slobbering idiot anyway:
»“Nonsense!” At once the older brother puts a stop to such balderdash. “Preposterous! She is a female . Her intellect is inferior, she requires protection . . . there can be no comparison.”«
The story itself is somewhat similar as well - this time it’s the daughter (not son) of an aristocratic family who disappeared and Enola bumbling investigates. Neither the investigation nor its outcome were very interesting to read for me and don’t get me started on “mesmerism”...
Nevertheless, not all was bad in either novel so, if you liked the first instalment in this series, you’re likely to enjoy this one just as much. Or, in my case, not that much.
Again, a generous three stars out of five.
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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam
When I came upon »Chapter the First«, though, I had an inkling about how this review would read because just like the ridiculous chapter titles, this is The Case of Even More of the Same that Didn’t Work for Me the First Time Either: Springer’s writing style still resembles that of a middle-grade school teacher who wants to provide material for her pupils.
She still taints the legacy of Holmes; here in a discussion with Mycroft who states…
»The only rational way to reform her into some semblance of decent young womanhood!” interrupts the older brother with asperity. “You, of all people, should see the logic – ”«
To which Springer let’s Sherlock Holmes answer: “Logic is not everything.” and Mycroft rightly replies: “Certainly this is the first time I have ever heard you say so!”
I haven’t read Sherlock Holmes state something as untypical as that either.
In Springer’s universe, though, Mycroft is a slobbering idiot anyway:
»“Nonsense!” At once the older brother puts a stop to such balderdash. “Preposterous! She is a female . Her intellect is inferior, she requires protection . . . there can be no comparison.”«
The story itself is somewhat similar as well - this time it’s the daughter (not son) of an aristocratic family who disappeared and Enola bumbling investigates. Neither the investigation nor its outcome were very interesting to read for me and don’t get me started on “mesmerism”...
Nevertheless, not all was bad in either novel so, if you liked the first instalment in this series, you’re likely to enjoy this one just as much. Or, in my case, not that much.
Again, a generous three stars out of five.
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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam
September 19, 2020
3,75 stars
This book continues to follow Enola and her various adventures living undercover in London. I quite enjoyed reading about her shenanigans and especially her fooling her older brothers. But in my opinion, the overall plot just wasn't as interesting as it was in the first book, so I rated this sequel a bit lower.
This book continues to follow Enola and her various adventures living undercover in London. I quite enjoyed reading about her shenanigans and especially her fooling her older brothers. But in my opinion, the overall plot just wasn't as interesting as it was in the first book, so I rated this sequel a bit lower.
January 22, 2023
✩ 4 stars
~
“”Fidelity not a clinging vine, I knew you would stand tall.” In other words, “Daughter I knew you would do quit well on your own.””
~
i do like the movie more but this is still such a good book.
~
this is way better then the first book. <3
~
sherlock & enola’s “realtionship” was so fun!
~
it was so entertaining to see how they were out smarting one another ;) 🫶🏻
~
“”Fidelity not a clinging vine, I knew you would stand tall.” In other words, “Daughter I knew you would do quit well on your own.””
~
i do like the movie more but this is still such a good book.
~
this is way better then the first book. <3
~
sherlock & enola’s “realtionship” was so fun!
~
it was so entertaining to see how they were out smarting one another ;) 🫶🏻
August 18, 2018
2018 Re-Read
<3 I love this series. Such fun adventures! I want to re-read the rest of them.
<3 I love this series. Such fun adventures! I want to re-read the rest of them.
May 24, 2023
Hmmmm... Okay, I liked the book a lot, but there were quite a lot of problems too. So I'll put what I disliked first, then what I liked.
What I disliked:
1) Enola needs to stop swearing "naughtily". I get it, okay? She's not like other girls, she's rebellious, she's edgy. Fine. You don't have to rub my nose in it every ten pages. If you still take such note of it every time you swear, you clearly aren't as edgy as you think you are. On top of that, if she really were edgy, she wouldn't blush when she has to mention things like bust enhancers in the presence of men, and she would call "unmentionables" underwear. So yeah, she's overcompensating and taking the Lord's name in vain. On the topic of bad language: there was no need to put the word b***h in here but it's there.
2) So we finally meet John Watson. Bring out the party hats, y'all, it's my favourite character!!!! Except now he's sexist. Yep. For some reason, Nancy Springer has completely overlooked all the times canon Watson has called Holmes' opinions on women out. I guess all men in this version of history are sexists (no really, there isn't an unsexist man to be found in this book)
3)
4) About the religion thing......... Can we please stop. Just.... Stop. The villain mentions "the opiod (or opium, can't remember) of the people". Some communist leader coined this phrase. It's about religion: he said religion was useful only in that it made the masses feel good. The villain then continues speeching and takes a passage out of context from - I kid you not - All Things Bright and Beautiful to accuse God of making certain people dirt poor and others filthy rich and not caring. Enola agrees with him, thinking that even evil people can be right. So yeah. God's entire character is based off of a few lines from a hymn.
5)
6)
Things I liked:
1) Sherlock showing emotion is a thing of beauty.
2) John Watson is extremely nice if you ignore that one part where he's apparently sexist now.
3) The portrayal of being alone and lonely? *chef's kiss*
4) Lol Enola tries to read Marx and legit just almost falls asleep. She calls it nonsense. Good for her.
5) All these encounters with her brothers while she was in disguise were making me incredibly excited.
6) Using corsettes as a defensive shield? Noice
7) “Forgetting my weapon, like a bumbling fool I had kicked and clawed, no better than any other preyedupon female.” Why does this book both insist that women are way better than men but then also keeps putting typical women down?
8) Lady Cecily Alistair writes a whole treatise in her diary about social Darwinism and survival of the fittest. And… yeah, it’s pretty great: “Those who have showed themselve unable to support themselves should be let alone as Nature takes its course, eliminating them, making way for a superior human race. […] What of the babies? For the most part, the poverty-stricken people who are succumbing to Darwin’s selective process have already reproduced. By this way of thinking, should the babies also be abandoned to perish?” Welll… yes. That is kind of the point of survival of the fittest (a point both Malthus and Darwin understood). Thanks for realising that Darwin’s theory of evolution and Malthus’ idea of survival of the fittest are inherently discriminatory, eugenical and murderous. Sadly, this is the deepest the author ever plunges into this debate, and I’m sure most of it will go over younger readers’ heads. It also does not stop Enola from repeatedly mentioning Malthus and Darwin as geniuses. But at least the book acknowledges the extreme problems of the evolutionistic worldview.
So yeah... I liked it, but there were definitely some problems.
Warnings: I mean.... okay. Lots and lots and lots of poor people in appalling conditions, people getting garrotted, Enola legit stabs a guy like twenty times, Lord's name used in vain, scorn toward religion, the word b***h, swearing seen as funny and edgy
What I disliked:
1) Enola needs to stop swearing "naughtily". I get it, okay? She's not like other girls, she's rebellious, she's edgy. Fine. You don't have to rub my nose in it every ten pages. If you still take such note of it every time you swear, you clearly aren't as edgy as you think you are. On top of that, if she really were edgy, she wouldn't blush when she has to mention things like bust enhancers in the presence of men, and she would call "unmentionables" underwear. So yeah, she's overcompensating and taking the Lord's name in vain. On the topic of bad language: there was no need to put the word b***h in here but it's there.
2) So we finally meet John Watson. Bring out the party hats, y'all, it's my favourite character!!!! Except now he's sexist. Yep. For some reason, Nancy Springer has completely overlooked all the times canon Watson has called Holmes' opinions on women out. I guess all men in this version of history are sexists (no really, there isn't an unsexist man to be found in this book)
3)
4) About the religion thing......... Can we please stop. Just.... Stop. The villain mentions "the opiod (or opium, can't remember) of the people". Some communist leader coined this phrase. It's about religion: he said religion was useful only in that it made the masses feel good. The villain then continues speeching and takes a passage out of context from - I kid you not - All Things Bright and Beautiful to accuse God of making certain people dirt poor and others filthy rich and not caring. Enola agrees with him, thinking that even evil people can be right. So yeah. God's entire character is based off of a few lines from a hymn.
5)
6)
Things I liked:
1) Sherlock showing emotion is a thing of beauty.
2) John Watson is extremely nice if you ignore that one part where he's apparently sexist now.
3) The portrayal of being alone and lonely? *chef's kiss*
4) Lol Enola tries to read Marx and legit just almost falls asleep. She calls it nonsense. Good for her.
5) All these encounters with her brothers while she was in disguise were making me incredibly excited.
6) Using corsettes as a defensive shield? Noice
7) “Forgetting my weapon, like a bumbling fool I had kicked and clawed, no better than any other preyedupon female.” Why does this book both insist that women are way better than men but then also keeps putting typical women down?
8) Lady Cecily Alistair writes a whole treatise in her diary about social Darwinism and survival of the fittest. And… yeah, it’s pretty great: “Those who have showed themselve unable to support themselves should be let alone as Nature takes its course, eliminating them, making way for a superior human race. […] What of the babies? For the most part, the poverty-stricken people who are succumbing to Darwin’s selective process have already reproduced. By this way of thinking, should the babies also be abandoned to perish?” Welll… yes. That is kind of the point of survival of the fittest (a point both Malthus and Darwin understood). Thanks for realising that Darwin’s theory of evolution and Malthus’ idea of survival of the fittest are inherently discriminatory, eugenical and murderous. Sadly, this is the deepest the author ever plunges into this debate, and I’m sure most of it will go over younger readers’ heads. It also does not stop Enola from repeatedly mentioning Malthus and Darwin as geniuses. But at least the book acknowledges the extreme problems of the evolutionistic worldview.
So yeah... I liked it, but there were definitely some problems.
Warnings: I mean.... okay. Lots and lots and lots of poor people in appalling conditions, people getting garrotted, Enola legit stabs a guy like twenty times, Lord's name used in vain, scorn toward religion, the word b***h, swearing seen as funny and edgy
April 26, 2021
Una continuación que resulta tan entretenida como El caso del marqués desaparecido, el primer libro de la saga. La diferencia es que aquí el caso principal está más trabajado, aunque siguió faltando que tuviera un poco más de chispa para llegar a ser adictivo. Eso es lo que me impide darle más puntuación, ya que hasta me parecía que algunos descubrimientos se daban de forma milagrosa. Para mí, lo mejor de esta novela ha sido todo el asunto de Enola intentando evadir a sus hermanos.
A partir de aquí, mencionaré detalles que son spoilers del libro anterior
Retomamos la historia casi donde la dejamos. Enola está instalada en Londres y ha abierto un consultorio en el que se hace pasar por secretaria de un supuesto doctor Ragostin, un presunto experto en encontrar a gente desaparecida, pero todo es una farsa y es ella quien está ejerciendo como investigadora (o peditoriana, que es el término que ella utiliza). Al mismo tiempo, Enola sigue intentando mensajearse con su madre y mantenerse alejada de Mycroft y Sherlock, sus hermanos mayores, los cuales están empeñados en encontrarla para mandarla a un internado y que se convierta en la dama que supuestamente debería ser a sus 14 años.
Debo decir que a mí lo que me encantó fue todo lo relacionado con Enola y sus hermanos, o más bien su hermano, ya que Mycroft pinta poco o nada y es Sherlock quien realmente está intentando darle caza. Como él creía que Enola no era muy espabilada por el simple hecho de ser mujer, ver que ella está consiguiendo darle esquinazo lo tiene atormentado. Lo bueno de Sherlock es que, aunque salga poco, se va notando una evolución en él… no sé si algún libro de la saga estará dedicado exclusivamente a Enola y a su familia, pero ojalá sea así, ya que cualquier interacción, directa o indirecta, entre Sherlock y Enola vale oro. Me reí con ellos, me gustaron los zascas que se daban, amé cómo se hacían trampas mutuamente y así veían sus semejanzas… En serio, adoro a estos dos personajes.
En cuanto al caso que Enola investiga, pues no está mal, al menos no parece tan improvisado como el del libro anterior y se ve a Enola esforzándose por recabar pruebas. Lo que no me convence es que no me parecía que a ella le interesara en exceso el asunto. A ver, comprendo que solo tiene 14 años y que, aunque haya demostrado ser madura para su edad, pues no sea experta en lo que hace, pero me daba la impresión de que el trabajo era para ella una especie de entretenimiento y que lo usaba para poder ver hasta qué punto se le daba bien camuflarse y obtener testimonios de otras personas. Aquí debe buscar a Lady Cecily, una joven de clase alta que se esfumó de su casa supuestamente para huir con un chico, pero pronto se ve que no es así y hay que ir analizando otras opciones. Hay hallazgos que considero que estaban bien justificados, pero en otros sencillamente veía a Enola hacer deducciones milagrosas. Hasta la propia Enola parecía querer tirar la toalla muchas veces, así que esa desgana hizo que a mí el caso me acabara causando una cierta indiferencia.
Al tener solo 250 páginas y al ir dándose con celeridad todos los acontecimientos, la lectura no llega a resultar tediosa. Es mejorable, pero no es un mal libro.
La puntuación real sería un 3,5/5. Si los encuentros o desafíos entre Enola y Sherlock hubieran tenido más peso, elevaría la nota al 4/5, pero, aunque los que hubieron fueran maravillosos, apenas representaban un 20% de todo lo que se narró, así que no puedo permitirme cegarme por un par de escenas y redondear al alza. En todo caso, sigo queriendo continuar con la saga y espero hacerlo en un futuro.
A partir de aquí, mencionaré detalles que son spoilers del libro anterior
Retomamos la historia casi donde la dejamos. Enola está instalada en Londres y ha abierto un consultorio en el que se hace pasar por secretaria de un supuesto doctor Ragostin, un presunto experto en encontrar a gente desaparecida, pero todo es una farsa y es ella quien está ejerciendo como investigadora (o peditoriana, que es el término que ella utiliza). Al mismo tiempo, Enola sigue intentando mensajearse con su madre y mantenerse alejada de Mycroft y Sherlock, sus hermanos mayores, los cuales están empeñados en encontrarla para mandarla a un internado y que se convierta en la dama que supuestamente debería ser a sus 14 años.
Debo decir que a mí lo que me encantó fue todo lo relacionado con Enola y sus hermanos, o más bien su hermano, ya que Mycroft pinta poco o nada y es Sherlock quien realmente está intentando darle caza. Como él creía que Enola no era muy espabilada por el simple hecho de ser mujer, ver que ella está consiguiendo darle esquinazo lo tiene atormentado. Lo bueno de Sherlock es que, aunque salga poco, se va notando una evolución en él… no sé si algún libro de la saga estará dedicado exclusivamente a Enola y a su familia, pero ojalá sea así, ya que cualquier interacción, directa o indirecta, entre Sherlock y Enola vale oro. Me reí con ellos, me gustaron los zascas que se daban, amé cómo se hacían trampas mutuamente y así veían sus semejanzas… En serio, adoro a estos dos personajes.
En cuanto al caso que Enola investiga, pues no está mal, al menos no parece tan improvisado como el del libro anterior y se ve a Enola esforzándose por recabar pruebas. Lo que no me convence es que no me parecía que a ella le interesara en exceso el asunto. A ver, comprendo que solo tiene 14 años y que, aunque haya demostrado ser madura para su edad, pues no sea experta en lo que hace, pero me daba la impresión de que el trabajo era para ella una especie de entretenimiento y que lo usaba para poder ver hasta qué punto se le daba bien camuflarse y obtener testimonios de otras personas. Aquí debe buscar a Lady Cecily, una joven de clase alta que se esfumó de su casa supuestamente para huir con un chico, pero pronto se ve que no es así y hay que ir analizando otras opciones. Hay hallazgos que considero que estaban bien justificados, pero en otros sencillamente veía a Enola hacer deducciones milagrosas. Hasta la propia Enola parecía querer tirar la toalla muchas veces, así que esa desgana hizo que a mí el caso me acabara causando una cierta indiferencia.
Al tener solo 250 páginas y al ir dándose con celeridad todos los acontecimientos, la lectura no llega a resultar tediosa. Es mejorable, pero no es un mal libro.
La puntuación real sería un 3,5/5. Si los encuentros o desafíos entre Enola y Sherlock hubieran tenido más peso, elevaría la nota al 4/5, pero, aunque los que hubieron fueran maravillosos, apenas representaban un 20% de todo lo que se narró, así que no puedo permitirme cegarme por un par de escenas y redondear al alza. En todo caso, sigo queriendo continuar con la saga y espero hacerlo en un futuro.
October 2, 2024
4.5
„Slučaj ljevoruke dame“ uspješan je nastavak odlične prve priče o Enoli Holmes „Slučaj nestalog markiza“. Imajući to na umu, divna je vijest da nam je nakladnik već preveo još jedan nastavak, treći dio „Slučaj bizarnih buketa“. Odmah ću reći da od mene imate preporuku za prva dva dijela, a ako se nastavi niz, ne sumnjam da će i treći biti na istoj razini. Nadam se čitanju i pisanju i o njemu. Ali prvo ćemo se pozabaviti „Damom“.
Enola Holmes odlično je uveden lik u već nam dragu i dobro znanu Holmes braću. Enola je zabavna, vrckava, inteligentna, tvrdoglava, radoznala, duhovita, spretna mlada dama. Djevojčurak koji je u drugom dijelu sve navedeno, ali svakako ozbiljnija. Lijepo je autorica utkala njezinu promjenu u odgovornosti kada je to, za kvalitetu priče, bilo potrebno. Ostaje ona svoja, ali nam naočigled odrasta.
Više o utiscima na roman i seriju pročitajte klikom na link: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...
„Slučaj ljevoruke dame“ uspješan je nastavak odlične prve priče o Enoli Holmes „Slučaj nestalog markiza“. Imajući to na umu, divna je vijest da nam je nakladnik već preveo još jedan nastavak, treći dio „Slučaj bizarnih buketa“. Odmah ću reći da od mene imate preporuku za prva dva dijela, a ako se nastavi niz, ne sumnjam da će i treći biti na istoj razini. Nadam se čitanju i pisanju i o njemu. Ali prvo ćemo se pozabaviti „Damom“.
Enola Holmes odlično je uveden lik u već nam dragu i dobro znanu Holmes braću. Enola je zabavna, vrckava, inteligentna, tvrdoglava, radoznala, duhovita, spretna mlada dama. Djevojčurak koji je u drugom dijelu sve navedeno, ali svakako ozbiljnija. Lijepo je autorica utkala njezinu promjenu u odgovornosti kada je to, za kvalitetu priče, bilo potrebno. Ostaje ona svoja, ali nam naočigled odrasta.
Više o utiscima na roman i seriju pročitajte klikom na link: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...
October 11, 2010
In this, the second of the series, Enola Holmes is living in London masquerading as a young miss named Ivy Meshle and working for the famous Perditorian, Dr. Ragostin. What is a "perditorian" you say? Good question, I had to look it up myself. A perditorian is a finder of lost things. And Dr. Ragostin is reputed to be very good at what he does although most people have never heard of him.
In truth, Dr. Ragostin doesn't actually exist. He and his reputation are entirely made up as a means for Enola to make a living. As Ivy Meshle, Dr. Ragostins's assistant, she is able to take cases to find whatever is asked. Like her much-older brother, Sherlock Holmes, Enola employs various costumes and identities to help her make her way through Victorian era London.
This case involves looking for a missing girl, Lady Cecily, who appears to have runaway or possibly eloped, a possibility that is so shameful that her father and the police have tried to cover it up so as not to disgrace her family. The only person who doesn't believe it is her mother. Enola hears of the case by coincidence from her brother's dear friend, Dr. John Watson, who comes to Dr. Ragostin to get some help on another matter. What follows is a fairly dark situation involving a possible serial killer, kidnapping, and abuse.
I was a little surprised at how dark and scary this was, especially for a Young Adult novel. Not that anything was extremely graphic; it was well-done in that sense. I had a hard time believing the level of maturity that Enola shows at some points in the story and her lack of naivete in other situations. The Sister of the Streets was one point where I struggled with credibility but Enola's perseverance and her dogged pursuit of the bad guy were exciting and kept me reading. I also enjoyed the ciphers and the second storyline of Sherlock's pursuit of his sister. I will be reading the next in the series to see how Enola is doing.
In truth, Dr. Ragostin doesn't actually exist. He and his reputation are entirely made up as a means for Enola to make a living. As Ivy Meshle, Dr. Ragostins's assistant, she is able to take cases to find whatever is asked. Like her much-older brother, Sherlock Holmes, Enola employs various costumes and identities to help her make her way through Victorian era London.
This case involves looking for a missing girl, Lady Cecily, who appears to have runaway or possibly eloped, a possibility that is so shameful that her father and the police have tried to cover it up so as not to disgrace her family. The only person who doesn't believe it is her mother. Enola hears of the case by coincidence from her brother's dear friend, Dr. John Watson, who comes to Dr. Ragostin to get some help on another matter. What follows is a fairly dark situation involving a possible serial killer, kidnapping, and abuse.
I was a little surprised at how dark and scary this was, especially for a Young Adult novel. Not that anything was extremely graphic; it was well-done in that sense. I had a hard time believing the level of maturity that Enola shows at some points in the story and her lack of naivete in other situations. The Sister of the Streets was one point where I struggled with credibility but Enola's perseverance and her dogged pursuit of the bad guy were exciting and kept me reading. I also enjoyed the ciphers and the second storyline of Sherlock's pursuit of his sister. I will be reading the next in the series to see how Enola is doing.
May 5, 2021
Esta segunda parte de Enola Holmes no se me ha hecho tan emocionante como la primera, pues el misterio me ha parecido un poco extraño, pero aun así sigue contando con unos personajes, y una protagonista, que resultan cautivadores, y la ambientación es de lo más interesante.
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...
September 19, 2019
Ich finde diese Reihe echt außergewöhnlich, weil sie für das empfohlene Lesealter wirklich anspruchsvoll geschrieben ist. Die gesellschaftlichen Umstände Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts werden gekonnt in die Handlung mit eingeflochten und durch viele kleine Details bekommt man die Denkweise der Gesellschaft und die gravierenden Missstände mit, die zwischen Ober- und Unterschicht herrschen.
"Dieses Land ist verrückt, Menschen nach ihrem Titel zu beurteilen."
Er schnürte den braunen Stiefel weiter. "Warum sollte ein fauler, sogenannter Aristokrat
mehr als Gentleman gelten als ein sparsames, nüchternes, fleißiges Mitglied
der Arbeiterklasse?" Seite 97
Auch Enola Holmes, die 14jährige Protagonistin und kleine Schwester der berühmten Holmes Brüder hat damit zu kämpfen, denn es schleichen sich immer wieder Zweifel und Selbstkritik ein. Während nämlich ihre Brüder auf ihre nüchterne, rationelle Art versuchen, sie in London zu finden, hat Enola Eigeninitiative bewiesen und versucht, in die Fußstapfen ihrer Mutter zu treten. Sie möchte nicht in diese klassische Frauenrolle dieser Zeit gepresst werden und ein stilles Vorzeigefrauchen in der Gesellschaft werden, sondern auf ihren eigenen Füßen stehen und Freiheit genießen.
Dass sie durch ihr Geschlecht und ihr Alter immer wieder unterschätzt wird kommt ihr manchmal aber auch zupass, vor allem wenn sie sich ihrem ersten Fall widmet, dem Verschwinden von Lady Cecily.
Trotzdem muss sie aufpassen, dass sie sich nicht überschätzt, denn London ist ein gefährliches Pflaster, was man auch als Leser durch die Atmosphäre bestens zu spüren bekommt. Sie überwindet jedoch ihre Ängste und zeigt durch ihr gewieftes Auftreten und ihre mutigen Entscheidungen, dass sie ihren Willen durchsetzen kann. Nichtsdestotrotz spürt sie die Einsamkeit und versucht, einen Kontakt mit ihrer Mutter herzustellen. Aber auch zu ihren Brüdern, vor allem zu Sherlock, spürt sie eine Verbundenheit, der sie nicht nachgeben möchte aus Angst, in ihrer Eigenständigkeit nicht akzeptiert zu werden.
Der Schreibstil ist, wie oben erwähnt, doch recht anspruchsvoll und doch flüssig zu lesen. Einige fremde Wörter kommen vor und gesellschaftliche Kalamitäten, die bei jüngeren Lesern sicher Fragen aufwerfen: was ich sehr gut finde!
Die Handlung an sich baut langsam an Spannung auf und grade gegen Ende wird es äußerst brenzlig. Die Aufklärung fand ich ein bisschen weit hergeholt, hat sich aber gut im Rahmen der Geschichte eingefügt.
Weltenwanderer
"Dieses Land ist verrückt, Menschen nach ihrem Titel zu beurteilen."
Er schnürte den braunen Stiefel weiter. "Warum sollte ein fauler, sogenannter Aristokrat
mehr als Gentleman gelten als ein sparsames, nüchternes, fleißiges Mitglied
der Arbeiterklasse?" Seite 97
Auch Enola Holmes, die 14jährige Protagonistin und kleine Schwester der berühmten Holmes Brüder hat damit zu kämpfen, denn es schleichen sich immer wieder Zweifel und Selbstkritik ein. Während nämlich ihre Brüder auf ihre nüchterne, rationelle Art versuchen, sie in London zu finden, hat Enola Eigeninitiative bewiesen und versucht, in die Fußstapfen ihrer Mutter zu treten. Sie möchte nicht in diese klassische Frauenrolle dieser Zeit gepresst werden und ein stilles Vorzeigefrauchen in der Gesellschaft werden, sondern auf ihren eigenen Füßen stehen und Freiheit genießen.
Dass sie durch ihr Geschlecht und ihr Alter immer wieder unterschätzt wird kommt ihr manchmal aber auch zupass, vor allem wenn sie sich ihrem ersten Fall widmet, dem Verschwinden von Lady Cecily.
Trotzdem muss sie aufpassen, dass sie sich nicht überschätzt, denn London ist ein gefährliches Pflaster, was man auch als Leser durch die Atmosphäre bestens zu spüren bekommt. Sie überwindet jedoch ihre Ängste und zeigt durch ihr gewieftes Auftreten und ihre mutigen Entscheidungen, dass sie ihren Willen durchsetzen kann. Nichtsdestotrotz spürt sie die Einsamkeit und versucht, einen Kontakt mit ihrer Mutter herzustellen. Aber auch zu ihren Brüdern, vor allem zu Sherlock, spürt sie eine Verbundenheit, der sie nicht nachgeben möchte aus Angst, in ihrer Eigenständigkeit nicht akzeptiert zu werden.
Der Schreibstil ist, wie oben erwähnt, doch recht anspruchsvoll und doch flüssig zu lesen. Einige fremde Wörter kommen vor und gesellschaftliche Kalamitäten, die bei jüngeren Lesern sicher Fragen aufwerfen: was ich sehr gut finde!
Die Handlung an sich baut langsam an Spannung auf und grade gegen Ende wird es äußerst brenzlig. Die Aufklärung fand ich ein bisschen weit hergeholt, hat sich aber gut im Rahmen der Geschichte eingefügt.
Weltenwanderer
September 8, 2021
Well, I liked this one more than the first! There was more of an air of mystery in this one. I loved that Enola was always trying to fool Sherlock somehow. She was always one step ahead of him and it was refreshing to see. Reading about her switching identities was also pretty fun. Definitely a lot more enjoyable than book one. I feel like book one gave us the groundwork and what was there to know about Enola, while this one showed us how clever and resourceful she really is.
October 9, 2021
La noi (și poate în mare parte din țările lumii), nebunia Enola Holmes a început odată cu filmul cu același nume, apărut în 2020 pe Netflix. Astfel, cărțile din serie semnate de Nancy Springer au dat ocolul lumii, au fost plăcute și simpatizate și nu mai e necesar să așteptăm următoarele filme ale genului pentru a fi la curent cu aventurile surorii lui Sherlock Holmes, o tânără, o adolescentă ce speră să schimbe și anchetele detectivistice, și tendințele epocii de la finalul secolului 19.
Enola Holmes încearcă încă o dublă victorie, așa cum a făcut și în prima carte/film: să rezolve încă un caz complicat și plin de secrete, dar și să reușească să se elibereze de sub tutela fratelui celebru. O carte care se potrivește adolescenților, dar în care autoarea pune accentul și pe câteva teme mult uzitate în acești ultimi ani: feminism, feminitate, libertate, emancipare.
(Despre primul volum a scris colegul meu, Tudor-Costin: https://filme-carti.ro/carti/enola-ho..., care a scris și despre primul film din serie, singurul apărut până acum: https://filme-carti.ro/filme/fascinan...)
Enola Holmes încearcă încă o dublă victorie, așa cum a făcut și în prima carte/film: să rezolve încă un caz complicat și plin de secrete, dar și să reușească să se elibereze de sub tutela fratelui celebru. O carte care se potrivește adolescenților, dar în care autoarea pune accentul și pe câteva teme mult uzitate în acești ultimi ani: feminism, feminitate, libertate, emancipare.
(Despre primul volum a scris colegul meu, Tudor-Costin: https://filme-carti.ro/carti/enola-ho..., care a scris și despre primul film din serie, singurul apărut până acum: https://filme-carti.ro/filme/fascinan...)
July 16, 2022
Secondo capitolo delle indagini da detective della sorellina minore del più noto Sherlock Holmes: anche questo, come il primo, è una lettura piacevole, che non richiede un impegno eccessivo ma che diverte.
***
Second chapter for Sherlock Holmes' little sister's investigations: this too, like the first one, is a pleasant reading, which does not require an excessive effort, being fun and nice anyway.
***
Second chapter for Sherlock Holmes' little sister's investigations: this too, like the first one, is a pleasant reading, which does not require an excessive effort, being fun and nice anyway.
July 21, 2021
O ador pe Enola şi abia aştept să citesc următorul volum ❤
October 29, 2025
Mračnije, ozbiljnije, odraslije, nije mi za čistih 5⭐️, ali s obzirom da svakako djevojčicama dokazuje i pokazuje da su sposobne za sve što požele, moram joj ostaviti najsjajnije odličje!
November 17, 2020
Hay películas palomeras. Y, este es un libro palomero.
Excelente para los amantes del estilo de Conan Doyle, que desean algo más contemporáneo y entretenido.
Excelente para los amantes del estilo de Conan Doyle, que desean algo más contemporáneo y entretenido.
August 8, 2022
Con respecto al primer libro de Enola, creo que este está mejor planteado en el sentido de que propone un misterio y se centra en él, mientras que en el primero había dos misterios y uno quedó demasiado de lado en cierto punto.
En este segundo libro, Enola ya está bien establecida en una vida independiente, y me encanta todo lo que ha hecho y conseguido la joven Holmes con los recursos a su disposición. Es muy divertido ver cómo se desenvuelve entre los adultos e incluso cómo juega con ellos a su antojo, y también me gusta ver los guiños a su famoso hermano, ya no solo a través de las apariciones de este sino, por ejemplo, con todo el tema de los disfraces de los que también se sirve Enola.
En esta segunda historia, exploramos de la mano de Enola la estructura social de la época y seguimos con el enfoque feminista, así que fenomenal.
No obstante, me parece que la resolución del caso y parte de su base se enraízan en unos conceptos que no me parecen del todo fáciles para el principal público de estos libros: niños de entre 8 y 12 años. La parte positiva es que, desde mi perspectiva, este misterio me ha parecido más complejo que el primero, pero hay ciertos detalles de la resolución que me han parecido un tanto inverosímiles.
En este segundo libro, Enola ya está bien establecida en una vida independiente, y me encanta todo lo que ha hecho y conseguido la joven Holmes con los recursos a su disposición. Es muy divertido ver cómo se desenvuelve entre los adultos e incluso cómo juega con ellos a su antojo, y también me gusta ver los guiños a su famoso hermano, ya no solo a través de las apariciones de este sino, por ejemplo, con todo el tema de los disfraces de los que también se sirve Enola.
En esta segunda historia, exploramos de la mano de Enola la estructura social de la época y seguimos con el enfoque feminista, así que fenomenal.
No obstante, me parece que la resolución del caso y parte de su base se enraízan en unos conceptos que no me parecen del todo fáciles para el principal público de estos libros: niños de entre 8 y 12 años. La parte positiva es que, desde mi perspectiva, este misterio me ha parecido más complejo que el primero, pero hay ciertos detalles de la resolución que me han parecido un tanto inverosímiles.
October 18, 2020
Of course, since I watched the movie first, I compared the first book to the movie. I can assure you that the case is a lot more complicated and impressive in the movie. However, in this second book I wasn't sure what to expect, since the movie didn't capture this. And since I was expecting more of a Middle Grade than a Young Adult I was actually quite positively surprised by this second book. Because this was certainly a lot more serious than the first book!
This book shows very clearly the circumstances of women in the time of Sherlock Holmes. We get to see the women living on the streets, trying to survive another day without getting much help. We also get to see women in much better positions and although they might not struggle to survive, they do struggle to live. In a way this is one of the most raw portrayals of this time period I've read in a YA novel. It's not romantic. It's not pretty. It's only very very sad.
Just like the case of the Left-Handed Lady. Even though we only got to meet the girl near the end of the story, we got a heartbreaking image of her life. And therefore we also got a heartbreaking image of the life Enola would have if Mycroft would get what he wants. The contrast between the Enola we see and the life she knows she should have is huge. And therefore I'd say that this book is not so much about the case, but more a very well done history lesson.
And that history lesson works because we see the world through Enola's eyes. We live inside her head, we see how smart she is, how intelligent she is, how she has dreams and wishes and what she has to do to make them come true. Enola is only 14, but because she's quite resourceful and aware of her own flaws, she's easy to like and root for. And although I'm quite sure Sherlock will warm up to her, it might take him a few books to see her for who she is.
It's an amazing book for young girls to realize how far we've come, but also to realize that those prejudices are not entirely gone yet. However, the atmosphere and everything that's being said can be quite heavy. I'm curious to read the next books and to see where the story will end!
This book shows very clearly the circumstances of women in the time of Sherlock Holmes. We get to see the women living on the streets, trying to survive another day without getting much help. We also get to see women in much better positions and although they might not struggle to survive, they do struggle to live. In a way this is one of the most raw portrayals of this time period I've read in a YA novel. It's not romantic. It's not pretty. It's only very very sad.
Just like the case of the Left-Handed Lady. Even though we only got to meet the girl near the end of the story, we got a heartbreaking image of her life. And therefore we also got a heartbreaking image of the life Enola would have if Mycroft would get what he wants. The contrast between the Enola we see and the life she knows she should have is huge. And therefore I'd say that this book is not so much about the case, but more a very well done history lesson.
And that history lesson works because we see the world through Enola's eyes. We live inside her head, we see how smart she is, how intelligent she is, how she has dreams and wishes and what she has to do to make them come true. Enola is only 14, but because she's quite resourceful and aware of her own flaws, she's easy to like and root for. And although I'm quite sure Sherlock will warm up to her, it might take him a few books to see her for who she is.
It's an amazing book for young girls to realize how far we've come, but also to realize that those prejudices are not entirely gone yet. However, the atmosphere and everything that's being said can be quite heavy. I'm curious to read the next books and to see where the story will end!
January 4, 2025
Reread (again), 2025, still 5 stars. Still I will never watch the series because a) I love the books too much and don't want to alter my perception of them in any way, and b) I cannot accept Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes.
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2021 - I am so glad the upcoming (or current?) Netflix series reminded me of these books. I never know if I can trust my own years-ago opinions, or even my opinions from two days ago, so I am very pleased to report that I love this series even more than I did upon first reading it. It's fun to read about the stern, serious, and somewhat misogynistic Sherlock from the perspective of his much younger but equally brilliant sister. I hope the television series lives up to the books.
In this entry Enola, like her mother, wants nothing more than the freedom to do as she chooses in life (a freedom denied to women in Victorian England, legally and otherwise). What I love about her the most is how she takes the ridiculous limits placed on females, and uses them to her full advantage. She's still wearing her bust enhancer stuffed with cash, for instance, and her loosely tied corset houses a dagger. She outsmarts Sherlock at every turn, but never in a way that contradicts his reputation as the most distinguished and astute detective of his time. And her observations, about herself and others, are spot-on and often quite funny.
Long story short, I love this series and wish it were longer than 6 fairly slim books.
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2021 - I am so glad the upcoming (or current?) Netflix series reminded me of these books. I never know if I can trust my own years-ago opinions, or even my opinions from two days ago, so I am very pleased to report that I love this series even more than I did upon first reading it. It's fun to read about the stern, serious, and somewhat misogynistic Sherlock from the perspective of his much younger but equally brilliant sister. I hope the television series lives up to the books.
In this entry Enola, like her mother, wants nothing more than the freedom to do as she chooses in life (a freedom denied to women in Victorian England, legally and otherwise). What I love about her the most is how she takes the ridiculous limits placed on females, and uses them to her full advantage. She's still wearing her bust enhancer stuffed with cash, for instance, and her loosely tied corset houses a dagger. She outsmarts Sherlock at every turn, but never in a way that contradicts his reputation as the most distinguished and astute detective of his time. And her observations, about herself and others, are spot-on and often quite funny.
Long story short, I love this series and wish it were longer than 6 fairly slim books.
January 6, 2022
Wow. So now I want to go watch BBC Sherlock Holmes right now. XD
Okay, okay, back to the review. So, I didn't read the first book; I ended up watching the movie because my younger sister is a big fan of the series. And we ended up reading the second book for our family reading time.
I just love how complex Enola is; I think the author did an excellent job at creating depth and realism in the main character. The author stays true to the time period, so you actually feel like you're living in the late Victorian era. And while she doesn't sugar-coat the poverty and dangers on London's streets, it doesn't get overly graphic (after all, I think this is middle-grade/early YA? Have to double-check).
As for the mystery, there was foreshadowing and clues cleverly planted along the way (you really have to focus on this book, or you might miss something!) Just when I thought I had it figured out, there was a twist which left me second-guessing my deduction skills *haha*
For some reason, it kinda reminded me of the episode layout of BBC Sherlock Holmes, the way the clues were planted and how there was the character's internal conflict/growth woven in.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the others (also, can we start petitioning for more Enola Holmes movies? Anyone with me?)
Okay, okay, back to the review. So, I didn't read the first book; I ended up watching the movie because my younger sister is a big fan of the series. And we ended up reading the second book for our family reading time.
I just love how complex Enola is; I think the author did an excellent job at creating depth and realism in the main character. The author stays true to the time period, so you actually feel like you're living in the late Victorian era. And while she doesn't sugar-coat the poverty and dangers on London's streets, it doesn't get overly graphic (after all, I think this is middle-grade/early YA? Have to double-check).
As for the mystery, there was foreshadowing and clues cleverly planted along the way (you really have to focus on this book, or you might miss something!) Just when I thought I had it figured out, there was a twist which left me second-guessing my deduction skills *haha*
For some reason, it kinda reminded me of the episode layout of BBC Sherlock Holmes, the way the clues were planted and how there was the character's internal conflict/growth woven in.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the others (also, can we start petitioning for more Enola Holmes movies? Anyone with me?)
November 6, 2015
Packed with much more action and suspense than the first book, definitely had me curious. I really enjoyed the sizeable cameo of big brother Sherlock, appearances by Dr. Watson and Mrs. Hudson, as well as all the references to canon. I do feel that Enola is a bit more stubborn than I would like, perhaps out of fear of a dull life or perhaps out of pride. Hoping she may grow a bit as the books go along.
April 30, 2021
2.5 🌟
No es un suspenso, ha sido un libro que ha estado entretenido, me gusta mucho la ambientación, y la protagonista es genialosa, pero en esta ocasión el misterio se me ha hecho muy poco creíble, y por eso mismo, también un poquito cuesta arriba.
No es un suspenso, ha sido un libro que ha estado entretenido, me gusta mucho la ambientación, y la protagonista es genialosa, pero en esta ocasión el misterio se me ha hecho muy poco creíble, y por eso mismo, también un poquito cuesta arriba.
February 28, 2023
Very interesting read after seeing the movie last year I recognised some parts of the movie look forward to the next book
May 7, 2021
Quick, easy to read & full of action. I hereby declare my most sincere affection for this lovely series set in 19th century London. Being able to follow Enola’s story is a blessing
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