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Title: A Monstrous Regiment of Women
ISBN: 0553574566
Author:
Laurie R. King
Publicate Date: 1996-12-01
Publish: 1996-12-01
List Price: $6.99
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $2.95
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $0.01
Amazon Merchant Price: $6.99
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Creative
I thought that Laurie King was quite creative in blending in a character like Mary to enter into a relationship with an aging Sherlock Holmes. For that time and era, Mary reflects a real feminism that probably is more true of Laurie King than would've been the case in that day...not withstanding the Suffragette Movement. However, the intricacies of the plot and the dialog of the principles was very credible; I enjoyed her book very much.
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2: British humor + Holmes + Post WWI = a fine read!
As a fan of most things Holmes-related, I must have been living under a rock, because I had never heard of this series until very recently. I stumbled upon O Jerusalem and was fascinated by the idea of a young, headstrong woman with a vicious wit and knife-throwing arm, who could also keep pace with England's most famous detective.
In this, MRoW, Mary is just coming into her inheritence and with it come all the follies and responsibilities of newfound wealth. I found this a compelling and touching basis for the story because, while she is obviously trying to find her place in life, she is also of a generation that has been devastated by WWI and already wise beyond her years in her own way. King expertly weaves the story of Mary getting drawn into a women's suffrage group (the head of which seems to be part preacher, part women's rights activist, and part cult leader) with her daily interactions with mentor Holmes and her duties as a student. We also get a close (sometimes too close) look at post-WWI London in all its seedy, wounded, rollicking, and occasionally good, glory.
I was particularly drawn to a section at the end where Mary is taken against her will and fears not just for safety of her corporeal self, but for that of her very soul. It is here, I found, that all the faults and flaws in both Mary and Holmes lay themselves out, for good and bad, and we see what draws them together.
Anyone hoping to see the famous detective brought to his knees by sexual passion will be sorely disappointed. Even the most intimate and tender of scenes wouldn't cause a historical romance reader to blink twice, though I found them touching.
Overall, a very fine read!
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3: Not Real Exciting
This is the second book in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series. The first book was a little slow but Mary was young. In this book, she's just recently turned 21 and graduated from Oxford. I still find it hard to believe that she is helping the great Sherlock Holmes. Ms. King has created a fascinating back story of how she obtained a trunk that had all of Mary Russell's diaries to document this series. I enjoyed the look at theology and Mary's exploration of the women's movement in London. The mystery part of the book was just ok. I didn't think that it was edited very tightly and would have like for it move a little more quickly. I didn't find this book keeping me on the edge of my seat. However, I did enjoy the exploration of a charming leader of a religious movement and how that person can get people to do different things. I also enjoyed the interactions between Sherlock Holmes and Mary. I'm not so sure about the romanance because of the 39 year age difference but maybe it could work. I would recommend this book to those looking to learn something while going about reading their mysteries. This series sheds a new light on Sherlock Holmes.
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4: The primary sex organ is the brain. . .
This is the thoroughly satisfying second book in King's Mary Russell series. Mary is Sherlock Holmes protege--a young orphan who lives the life of the mind much as Holmes does. She has now graduated from Oxford and is about to receive her considerable inheritance. In addition Holmes has created considerable tension into their relationship by suggesting that Mary will propose marriage.
Russell retreats from Holmes in confusion and absorbs herself in a mystery surrounding a charismatic female cult leader who seems to be the genuine article--a mystic with healing powers and a genuine mission to help women. Yet Mary connects mysterious deaths of rich women to this cult leader. Ultimately Holmes and Mary unite in a perilous pursuit of a malefactor.
King crafts an absorbing mystery with appealing characters and with considerable suspense. Despite the considerable age difference between Mary and Holmes, they are clearly soul-mates and could never be happy with anyone else. The ending is gratifying with the mystery solved and Russell and Holmes negotiating a satisfactory relationship based upon their sharp wit and passionate souls. Highly recommended!
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5: Like many sequels, not as satisfying as the original.
This followup to The Beekeeper's Apprentice was an enjoyable read and held my interest all the way through. It touches expertly on some very engrossing subjects, such as love between friends, and also explores the very dark elements of abduction and drug use. However the author seems to get bogged down in discussion of religious topics. Understandable, because King has a degree in theology and the topic definitely relates to the story, but it seemed to be a little too much in a "less is more" situation.
The climax of the story was also somewhat of a dissapointment; it had sort of a rushed-to-the-end feeling. The buildup to this was quite good, though, and if you loved the first in the series, you will definitely enjoy this.
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