A Study in Scarlet

[Samantha Carter]

A Study in Scarlet is like the beginning of all Sherlock Holmes stories. It starts off as a doctor name John Watson wanting a roommate and he is introduced to Holmes. They room together and Holmes reveals that he is a consulting detective. Holmes gets a visitor about a murder that had just happened and him and Watson goes to the murder scene together. Holmes describes the murderer perfectly and says that the murderer (Hope) had forgotten a ring that he would return for again. He puts an ad out for it and an old lady picks the ring up and somehow vanishes out of the cab. After that there was a second murder that happened and Holmes tells that murder for what it was too. The second half of the book tells how the murders began. The murderer was caught and the murders happened out of revenge for a lost love. The murderer wanted to tell the story because he knew he would die before there was a trial and he did, in fact, die the day before his trial due to an aneurism. 

This book does not connect to the YAL criteria. This story is told by a man is well over the age of a young adult. The feelings in this book are not what young adults can relate to. The only feeling that they could probably relate to is love. However, the love described in this book is not what they would go through at a young age.

http://www.angelfire.com/ks/landzastanza/scarlet.html this is a link about the main characters in the book.

I would not recommend this book for young people. This book is interesting but at the same time it does not meet the YAL criteria. I think that young people who are not interested in mysteries would not like this book at all. The second half is a lot better than the first half because it really tells what led up to the murders. If there was a way to only recommend that half I would but not the whole book for young people.

[Danielle Sonni]

Lots of murder going on! Was this the type of book where the reader was always trying to figure out what was happening and solve the story them-self? It seems like Holmes gives away the whole murder mystery before the reader even has a chance to try and solve/think about it. This book was a graphic novel, right? What did you think about the illustrations? Could they appeal to young adults?

I think the whole detective genre could appeal to a lot of young adults but it seems like this book just didn't cut it! What are your thoughts about this book being on the list for great graphic novels?

[Samantha Carter]

The murders started because Hope could not marry his love Lucy. When Lucy was younger her and her father was found nearly dead. They were helped because they had sworn to take the ways of the Mormons. Lucy and Hope had fallen in love (a part that YA can relate to) and they were supposed to get married when Hope had gotten back from his journey. While Hope was away Lucy was told her vows to the Mormons was that she could not date outside of that group and there were two men fighting to marry her (Strangerson and Drebber). She sent for Hope and he had come back and the day before she was to marry one of the two her and her father had ran away with Hope. They lived together for a few months then one day while Hope was out Strangerson and Drebber came in and killed Lucy's father and took her. After a "hearing" to see which one was to marry Lucy, Drebber won and they were married. A few weeks later Lucy died. The two men knew that Hope was going to come after them so they ran all across America then went to London. When they were about to run from London they missed their train. He first kills Drebber then he kills Strangerson. This part is nothing that a YA could realate to. I doubt that YA are going out killing because someone says that they cant go out with someone.

[Danielle Sonni]

I find the character names really interesting. I could see using this to teach foreshadowing and how the names of characters can help the reader predict what is to happen later in the story.

I definitely became more interested in the story after your second review. Taboo and forbidden love is very common theme in literature and although YA wouldn't go out and kill someone because of it (let's hope!) I think they can relate to unrequited love in some way.

[Christina Abruzzini]

I am a huge fan of mysteries, so this book does actually sound quite interesting. As a young girl, I used to LOVE reading Nancy Drew books---I'm pretty sure I got through all of them! While you felt this book may not relate with students via the love aspect, I do think that any type of love in a story could relate to younger people. I have not read the book, so I'm not exactly sure what type of love is portrayed; however, I do feel that students can usually relate when there are romantic/love concepts in stories. They may not have gone through something personally as they are so young, but chances are, they have either had a similar experience or even dreamt about something like that. When I was younger, I used to think about when one day I would fall in love and meet my "Prince Charming." I think a lot of people sometimes put themselves into the characters and dive into this literary world of fantasy. That is what makes reading fun in my opinion. If the love material in this book was inappropriate though, I can definitely see where you are coming from. I also agree with you that students not interested in mysteries would not like this book probably. Because I am an avid fan of mysteries, I might like a book like this. Going back to my old favorite series, Nancy Drew, I do not think that those books would be intriguing to students who do not like mysteries either. It all depends on the kinds of genres people like!

[Meghann Lothson]

Do you think it could just be a good story, even if it doesn't follow the criteria? Many kids' attention could at least be held with the murder part. I think there's probably some boredom in most things you read, but they can still be good. Do you think it could be good for teaching students about different themes or literary subjects?
I loooved reading the real Sherlock Holmes stories when I was younger, but maybe I was just strange. ^_^