A Study in Charlotte
By: Brittany Cavallaro
Release Date: March 1st 2016
Publisher: Harper
Format: E-ARC
Source: Edelweiss
My Rating:
Summary:
The last thing sixteen-year-old Jamie Watson–writer and great-great-grandson of the John Watson–wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s enigmatic, fiercely independent great-great-granddaughter, who’s inherited not just his genius but also his vices, volatile temperament, and expertly hidden vulnerability. Charlotte has been the object of his fascination for as long as he can remember–but from the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else.
Then a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Holmes stories, and Jamie and Charlotte become the prime suspects. Convinced they’re being framed, they must race against the police to conduct their own investigation. As danger mounts, it becomes clear that nowhere is safe and the only people they can trust are each other.
My Thoughts:
Oh, how I love all the Sherlock themed young adult novels. I new the moment I saw A Study in Charlotte I was desperate to read it. I really enjoyed this novel and found it to be a very fast paced and entertaining read.
We follow the story from Jamie Watson’s point of view and as always the Sherlock’s character is played by a stoic, cold type but in this novel it was a girl. Yay! I loved Charlotte’s characterization and felt that she was very well executed. It isn’t often that the female lead is more closed off than her male counterpart. I loved that this novel switched these roles.
I did expect a tad more chemistry and romance in this book though it wasn’t needed. The flow, pacing and prose were all wonderfully done. There was a chemistry between Watson and Sherlock but I felt it centered around their respect and friendship more than a sexual tension.
Another interesting thing about ASIC that made it stand apart was that Watson and Sherlock are the relatives of the famous duo. These two know the history between their families which added another unique spin to the story. I liked that there were many references to the original works. You can tell that Cavallaro is well versed in Sherlockolgy. Her knowledge adds so much to the overall feel of the novel.
The mystery these two explore was interesting though I wasn’t overly needing to know the outcome. What drove my interest in this novel was the relationship between Jamie and Charlotte. I loved the little bits they shared and deduced about each other. It was very easy to feel the emotions between these two and though it didn’t really veer into the romantic much it was touching and beautifully done.
Final Thoughts:
A Study in Charlotte is a great addition to the Sherlock reworks that have been released lately. I felt that this one was much different than the others I’ve read. I’d highly recommend this book to any Sherlock Holmes fans or anyone that likes a good mystery.
I’m happy to see that you enjoyed it!
This sounds really good! I will definitely consider reading it.
Great review 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! I adore the cover!
I still haven’t read any Sherlock Holmes or anything related to it. Ah! I know, don’t shoot me lol. This one looks really great though. I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Oh, I’m so glad to see that you enjoyed A Study in Charlotte! I’m looking forward to reading this one myself, and I hope I enjoy it as much as you do. I’m fascinated by the fact that they’re both descendants of Holmes & Watson, and can’t wait to see how that plays a part in their relationship 🙂
I’m really looking forward to reading this book. I have yet to find a good Sherlock adaptation or retelling and I’m hoping this one changes that! Now that I know that you like it though, I’m feeling more confident that I will too =)
Hmmm, I love the idea of a female Sherlock type of character and even more a fantastic relationship between them both but not necessarily into the romantic side! I’m even more intrigued than I was before!
Great review Kristen!
Awesome review Kristen. <3 Yay for enjoying this book so much 😀 I still haven't seen Sherlock, lol. But I'm curious. But yeah. Little romance in this book? Not for me, lol. But the rest sounds so good. Sigh. I'm curious about it 🙂 I'm glad you weren't too disappointed by it; that the characters were amazing and such 🙂 Thank you for sharing about it sweetie. <3
I looove Sherlock-related things, but I had NO idea that this was one of them. I’ll definitely be looking into it now; it sounds like something I would really, really like. And I adore the idea of switching roles <3 Lovely review!