From Holmes to Sherlock

March 13, 2017
This exhaustive study of the 130-year Sherlock Holmes phenomenon spans Arthur Conan Doyle’s earliest inspirations up to today’s two successful Holmes-inspired TV shows. Boström begins with Conan Doyle’s pre-Sherlock life, explaining how the fledgling author struggled to place his early fiction in the popular magazines of the day. He goes on to show how Sherlock Holmes and the faithful Dr. John Watson have been represented in every imaginable medium: plays, radio, film, TV, and even podcasts. The keepers of the flame have been the “Sherlockians,” the individuals who analyze Conan Doyle’s works and collect memorabilia. Boström narrates Holmes’s pervasive and global influence after Conan Doyle’s death in 1930; screen adaptations were even produced behind the Iron Curtain. He also lays out the bungling efforts of Conan Doyle’s children to control the portrayal of his creations and ensure they got a share of the profits. The book occasionally bogs down in their legal skirmishing, but always gets back on track as it explores the world’s continuing fascination with fiction’s leading detective hero. The informal, accessible style of Gallagher’s translation makes for an easy, if lengthy, read. Elin Hellström, Brandt New Agency (Spain).

October 30, 2017
Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart companion Dr. Watson have captivated audiences from the late Victorian era to the present day. Unfortunately, the audio edition of this work of literary criticism by Swedish author Boström isn’t nearly as enthralling as its subject. The book chronicles the history and evolution of the Holmes phenomenon and its enduring popularity through the seemingly endless series of incarnations and reincarnations of the legendary detective. There’s a massive amount of ground covered in Boström’s work, and voice actor Grindell presents it all with a simple, deliberately paced reading. While much of the information is fascinating, Grindell adds little excitement to the reading, and robotic pacing dulls down the narrative. The narration makes the audiobook a snoozefest. A Mysterious hardcover.