| Product: |
The Hound Of The Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle |
| Date: |
06.05.08 (15 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: exceptional mix of suspense, horror, keen intellect
Disadvantages: none
. . . in a literary sense, that is.
Reading some of the excellent existing reviews nearly put me off writing mine. But I must have my say, and will therefore take a slightly different approach.
Doyle's background and the story's background have been covered in great detail. So I'll dwell on the points that set it apart from anything else of this kind.
First a quick summary of the story itself. The Baskerville family has been hounded, pun intended, for hundreds of years by the family curse, in the shape of a hell hound. It began with the depraved Hugo Baskerville, and most of his descendants have died violent and unnatural deaths. This includes the death of the recently late Sir Charles Baskerville. His doctor and trusted friend Dr Mortimer, hopes to prevent the only living heir, Sir Henry from meeting the same fate. He is returning from Canada to take possession. Dr. Mortimer turns to Holmes, though still unsure whether it is a matter for a detective or a priest.
Holmes sends Watson with Dr. Mortimer and Sir Henry, to investigate, keep Holmes informed and Sir Henry safe. Later Holmes appears himself and brings the case to a hair-raising but logical conclusion. Elementary.
It has been called the best mystery ever written. It has supernatural aspects, as well as an intriguing investigation and significant elements of gothic horror. I would call it classical and classy horror. It is where the real genius of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle comes in. He terrifies the reader with the perfect mix of descriptive skills and suspense, but never resorts to cheap violence.
The wild bleak landscape with genuine threat of the moor is as even Holmes says "the perfect setting, if the Devil did choose to have a hand in the affairs of men".
And this skill of getting into the reader's head puts this mystery in a class of its own. Personally, I read hardly any other fiction than thrillers. But the suspense that makes them enjoyable, also turns them into disposable items. I t has to be an exceptional book that I can enjoy for a second time. Yes, even a good memory can be a curse at times. If you pick up a book you read a while ago, and find you remember everything after reading the first few pages again, you may as well not bother.
Not so with The Hound of the Baskervilles. Knowing the story doesn't in the least weaken the effect on the reader. One small example, those who know the story will recognize it but it won't spoil it for those who don't. Near the beginning of the story Dr Motimer says "Mr. Holmes, they were the foot prints of a gigantic hound!" It doesn't matter how many times you've read it, it will always make your hair stand on end and you pull your feet up. I dare anyone to contradict this, this is crime writing at its peak! Unlike those books that require gallons of blood on every other page to keep you interested, Doyle's writings use brilliant psychology to achieve a far better effect over an over again.
There is one detail I can't figure out to my satisfaction. As always, the outcome is very logical. Explaining his reasoning to Watson, Holmes states he knew about one significant detail even before leaving London. Admittedly, anyone is probably slow in the uptake beside Sherlock Holmes. But that just isn't good enough for me. I keep wondering, am I dense for not noticing these obvious clues? Or is it the author's genius that makes you race through the pages without paying attention to clues? Opinions on that would be appreciated.
To conclude, it is my opinion that it doesn't compare to "similar" works, at least not from other authors. It stands alone. Which is exactly the problem you're faced with if you desperately want to read more of the kind.
Perhaps one has to do, or rather presume to attempt, what Professor Tolkien did. He said that he couldn't find the books he wanted to read. So he was compelled to write them.
If I don't do the same, it won't be for the want of trying.
Summary: the best crime story to date
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