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| Book cover via Amazon.com |
Opinion
I wanted to make this week sing, and I thought the best way to do it was to cover the book that was my very first novel. My grandmother gave me this with the gold leaf edges when I was in second grade, and it took me a few years to fully grasp all of the richness of the text. Moreover, yet, I knew the moment I had opened it at eight years old, that this was going to be one of my favorite books.
First impressions for me are difficult with this book because as I mentioned, I’ve read this many times. “Hound” has some of the most well-written wit that ever there was to Sherlock Holmes. I also had a strong impression as a child that if I was going to read this book, I needed snacks. I remember why I have that memory, Holmes, and Watson frequently eat in this novel. You never hear about what they eat, only that they are going to dinner or lunch all the time.
Let’s talk about a couple of critiques for the story, and it’s the same thing I’ve been talking about with most of these “Amazon Classic” novels. There is a spacing issue between paragraphs, there is a margins issue on occasion, and every now and again you get weird italics. I think honestly whoever is the guardian of these e-copies has something against paragraph spacing. This is like the fourth or fifth book I’ve encountered this month with these issues.
That said, some of you may be asking “Well if you have a copy why are you reading the e-book”? That’s a fair question. The sad truth is that my copy is precious to me, and it’s worn. I don’t want to review a book that has issues with it because of my personal over a reading of the book. Also, I do know many of my readers like to know my impressions on e-copies. So with that in mind, this is why I went to the e-copy from Amazon Classics.
I also want to point out a very positive thing about the Amazon Classic e-copies. They tend to have the cleanest and best downloads available. I’ve yet to get one where I have to do multiple removes and reinstalls from an Amazon Classic e-book. Now, I’ve read more than a few comments about the print versions were terrible, and to that end, I wouldn’t recommend buying the print version, but I do like the e-copy versions for data reasons.
Let’s get into what I truly love about “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” and that is pacing and tension. Sir Arthur had this way to lay on natural suspense into the story and weave it in with tension. Either there is a time situation like with trains getting to places at certain intervals, or there is a date situation like when the right moon is coming, but those things add to the need of progression in the story. In the case of the Baronet Sir Henry, we have a character who is believable and noble, but who is like a dangling worm on a hook for most of the story. Whenever he’s in the room in a scene, you feel this natural tension come in from the surrounding, and that wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for how the story was laid out.
When the story is presented, it’s given in these perfect layers, bit by bit. Unlike Agatha Christie who gives you the evidence right away, the facts from Sir Arthur come in layers. You have to pay attention through everything to pick up new clues. That’s important because if you keep a mystery journal, you’re going to be on your toes to remember or keep up with something.
Moreover, while I have read this book many times over and know the ending, I still find that I like using my mystery journal system to keep track of things. I always pick up something new every time I read it or consider a different perspective on some other point. For example, no spoilers here but the chemicals on the hound, it broke my heart. We live now in a world where animal cruelty is so very wrong, and yet back then we have elements of true cruelty to both humans and animals in the story. Then there is the matter of what damage was done to the wife character. Female empowerment added a new element to the story for me this time, something that never would have been considered in days of long ago.
Thus, if you are familiar with this story, I think you still will take something from it even now. Moreover, if you are not, this is a great place to start a new mystery novel.
Oh, and one last thing. “How does it compare to the ‘Sherlock” BBC show?”
So, I do want to say that this novel to me is more fun now that I have seen the modern take to it on the show. I like what the show did to change things up, but at the same time, I feel some of these characters are best in the elements they are in now. I also really love the Novel version of Watson’s solo adventure, he to me seems less hurt about going and more concerned with helping.
Score
Thus with the math and everything in mind, I’m leaving “The Hound of the Baskervilles” a 94/100 and this goes into the “Mrs. Y Recomends” pile because I do. Yeah, I think I fangirl a bit here, but I’m delighted I got to share my love of this book with you all.
