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Apr. 3rd, 2022 06:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
darchildreBack in March of 2020, like many people, I spent a lot of time revisiting favorite comfortable old interests - for me, this meant that I read a truly enormous number of Holmes pastiches and revisited some of my favorite Holmes fic. Among the pastiches that I particularly enjoyed was Lyndsay Faye's* collection The Whole Art of Deduction which was, basically, completely delightful. So much so that, after finishing the library ebook copy, I immediately bought it for myself.
Recently, I noticed that the library had a new collection of Lyndsay Faye's Holmes stories - Observations by Gaslight - which I immediately put on hold. However, I've been putting off reading it, because the first story in this collection involves Irene Adler and I am very picky about Irene Adler content. (Basically, I can't stand any hint of romantic attraction between Holmes and Adler from either direction. It's dumb and I hate it.)
But! I shouldn't have worried, because I started reading the book this evening and Lyndsay Faye's Irene Adler absolutely fabulous - just the best. I'm having so much fun reading this story, I can't stop grinning. It's fucking great.
I'm going to read this, and then maybe reread The Whole Art of Deduction again. Maybe it's time for another Holmes binge, really.
*I also read half of her Holmes vs Jack the Ripper novel, Dust and Shadows, but that was...less good. Not her fault - there are only two ways to write a Holmes vs Jack the Ripper novel and both of them have problems. You can go heavy on the fictionalizing, which annoys the Ripperologists and makes you wonder why the author didn't just invent their own serial killer, or you can go heavy on the historical accuracy, which is annoying because it stifles Holmes' ability to actually, y'know, solve much of anything before you get to Mary Jane Kelly. Faye does the latter, and it just isn't a lot of fun, sadly. Possibly it ends well? But the front half is a slog and I didn't finish.
ETA - Hi, I had forgotten how extremely in love with Watson Holmes is in every one of Lyndsay Faye's stories, holy shit.
Recently, I noticed that the library had a new collection of Lyndsay Faye's Holmes stories - Observations by Gaslight - which I immediately put on hold. However, I've been putting off reading it, because the first story in this collection involves Irene Adler and I am very picky about Irene Adler content. (Basically, I can't stand any hint of romantic attraction between Holmes and Adler from either direction. It's dumb and I hate it.)
But! I shouldn't have worried, because I started reading the book this evening and Lyndsay Faye's Irene Adler absolutely fabulous - just the best. I'm having so much fun reading this story, I can't stop grinning. It's fucking great.
I'm going to read this, and then maybe reread The Whole Art of Deduction again. Maybe it's time for another Holmes binge, really.
*I also read half of her Holmes vs Jack the Ripper novel, Dust and Shadows, but that was...less good. Not her fault - there are only two ways to write a Holmes vs Jack the Ripper novel and both of them have problems. You can go heavy on the fictionalizing, which annoys the Ripperologists and makes you wonder why the author didn't just invent their own serial killer, or you can go heavy on the historical accuracy, which is annoying because it stifles Holmes' ability to actually, y'know, solve much of anything before you get to Mary Jane Kelly. Faye does the latter, and it just isn't a lot of fun, sadly. Possibly it ends well? But the front half is a slog and I didn't finish.
ETA - Hi, I had forgotten how extremely in love with Watson Holmes is in every one of Lyndsay Faye's stories, holy shit.
