Okay, so now is the day that I have seen it all! A detective novel starring the characters Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde. This is the first on in a series and I am very happy to say that I absolutely loved it!
I found this book whilst browsing in a Waterstones next to the Birmingham Literature Festival. Yes, I'm still there. I'm also working on a book of short and nostalgic prose pieces each with its own deep philosophical meaning. Hopefully, this blog will keep up.
Characters:
My favourite character was Oscar Wilde. Purely because he wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray (my favourite novel). I really like the way that Doyle spoke about Wilde as if he were a pompous fool at some points - and the fact that Doyle is so opinionated resonates over to the character of Sherlock Holmes.
Themes:
The theme of mystery is always important. Even if you just happen to mention the name "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle" - mystery follows along behind it. The perpetuating sense of mystery in this novel, I feel Doyle would be very proud of.
Storyline:
I love how it's told through a secondary first person narrative. As you know, the Sherlock Holmes novels also work like this - they are told through the eyes of Dr Watson. Also, I loved the part where they talk about the ghost of John Keats, it is so LITERARY!
Verdict:
I give this book 9
100% for characters: I love Oscar Wilde and I feel he was very accurately portrayed here.
100% for themes: Mystery, illusion, uncertainty - it all makes for a great piece of detective fiction.
100% for storyline: Just read about the ghost of John Keats. That part is brilliant!
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