A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

First book in the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro

 

(taken from Amazon.com)

The first book in a witty, suspenseful new trilogy about a brilliant new crime-solving duo: the teen descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. This clever page-turner will appeal to fans of Maureen Johnson and Ally Carter.

Jamie Watson has always been intrigued by Charlotte Holmes; after all, their great-great-great-grandfathers are one of the most infamous pairs in history. But the Holmes family has always been odd, and Charlotte is no exception. She’s inherited Sherlock’s volatility and some of his vices—and when Jamie and Charlotte end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, Charlotte makes it clear she’s not looking for friends.

But when a student they both have a history with dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

It has been a really long time since I've enjoyed a book as much as I did this one. Not only was the plot well-paced, full of intrigue, and incredibly clever, but the characters were so imperfect and annoying and yet so endearing at the same time. You can't help but love a girl who hangs bird skeletons in the science closet that she's turned into her own person labratory for solving crimes. And, overall, the writing of the narration is just spectacular. The narrator, Watson, is both a bit of a dorky romantic, but very kind and genuinely caring. He is not nearly as clever as his Holmes counterpart, but he does have a sense of quick-witted cleverness about him, and he doesn't let himself get left in the dust despite how much Charlotte insults his intelligence. And I can't say enough positive things about the way that author Brittany Cavallaro adapts Sherlock Holmes into the female, teenage Charlotte Holmes. She is everything a good Sherlock figure should be--the odd quirks, the witty remarks, the arrogant manner that masks a genuinely, fiercely loving person. If you enjoyed seeing the bromance between John Watson and Sherlock Holmes in the recent BBC Sherlock series, you will equally love this friendship and (budding) romance between Jamie and Charlotte. I am thoroughly impressed at how they feel like the same loveable characters, but they are in other ways entirely their own. This book is not just a one-hit wonder or a Twilight or Hunger Games trend that won't hold up to the test of time and craft; Cavallaro is truly a masterful and talented writer and has created characters and a story that do not disappoint. 

Now that I've given this book my full, glowing endorsement, a disclaimed to parents and teachers: This book does indeed attempt to depict an archetype of the original Sherlock Holmes, right down to the substance abuse issues. Drugs, alcohol, smoking, language, and sex all play a fairly significant role in this narrative, so be prepared for language and references to sex and substances. So long as you feel you or your child is able to handle those, they should really enjoy this book.

Overall Rating: 10 / 10 Stars 

Ten starts (ten!!) to this book, because every aspect of it--characters, descriptions, plot, right down to the flow of words and narrative voice on the page--was fabulous and showed what talented narrative writing really looks like. This book gives me hope for the future of fiction and YA fiction in this time of YA book series that are taking up space on the weekly NY Times bestseller list despite their shoddy writing.