Book #27

[katikat]

"The Fall of the Amazing Zalindas (Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars #1)" by Tracy Mack, Michael Citrin

Rating: ♣ ♣

This is a children's book and I guess my inner child has already grown up too much for me to enjoy it. As a kid, I might've gobbled it up with a spoon. But now? Two things really bothered me: a) didn't like any of the Irregulars and b) Watson was portrayed as an unlikable fool which is a pet peeve of mine.

Regarding a: The only kid that was fleshed out was Ozzie. But he talked like a scholar and was more knowledgeable than Watson and in some instances even Holmes. A kid of 12 years? He was basically a miniature Sherlock Holmes. And then there was Pilar, the gypsy Mary-Sue, who knew how to do everything, from driving a coach to lip-reading, I kid you not! And she was, what? 10? 11? If you have to shoe-horn a girl in, don't make it so obvious, writer.

Regarding b: What is it with the Sherlock Holmes tie-in writers and their bashing of Watson? Every one of the authors who bring in their own creations or focus on a different character, not Holmes and Watson, does it at the expense of Watson. I've read quite a few Sherlock Holmes tie-ins so I know what I'm talking about. Here, Watson was nearly invisible and when he was there, he was dumb as a brick and cranky to boot. Sherlock Holmes even confided in the children instead of Watson, for Christ's sake!

To sum it up: Dear writer, there are other ways to make your characters shine, you don't have to dumb down the original author's creations. If you don't plan on keeping the existing characters true to themselves, write original stories.