by J.G. Summary The instance begins on an exceptionally elemental evening, as Watson and Holmes dwell in their quarters on 221b Baker Street. To their great curiosity, and in spite of the thunderous weather and late hour, they receive a client with the name John Openshaw. Seeking the gifted detective’s help, Openshaw begins to narrate the disturbing events that weigh down on him like a great anxiety. The man begins by describing his uncle, Elias Openshaw, who emigrated to America as a young man, where he worked for a few years before returning to England due to his aversion to blacks. One day, whilst resting in his solitary estate, Elias received a letter from India, with a Pondicherry postmark. As he opened it, the initials “K.K.K.” were brandished on the flap. Five little dried orange pips tumbled out. Elias recognized the pips as a death omen. Seven weeks later, he was found face downwards in a two-foot deep pool, and a verdict of suicide was brought in. When his brother, Joseph Openshaw, John Openshaw’s father, took over the estate, he lived normally for a short period of time before his own death omen arrived in identical shipping as his brother’s, perniciously leading up to his death days later, where a verdict of “Death from accidental causes” was brought in. The reason that John Openshaw had come to Holmes, was that he had received a letter in the mail the day before containing five dried orange pips and recognized the pips as forewarning. Holmes and Watson immediately get to work, and discover the meaning behind the initials “K.K.K.,” and the precursor of Elias Openshaw’s death. They further deduce that the writer of the letter was on board a ship each time, based on the postmark. The proficient detective begins his investigation the following day, but before his departure, he and Watson read news that the young Openshaw had died. The shaken detective leaves the quarters, and does not return until late at night, near ten o’clock. Upon his return, he explains that he has spent all day researching the career of each vessel which touched at Pondicherry. He had found records of a ship with a name of American origin, “The Lone Star.” He researched the passengers and deduced who must be Openshaw’s murderers. He also sent a telegram to the local police so that by the time the vessel will have reached its destination, the murderers would have already gotten their letter and the authorities would be informed of their crime. The detective and his sidekick waited long for news of the Lone Star, but none came. They did hear, at last, that somewhere far out in the Atlantic a shattered sternpost of a boat was seen swinging in the trough of a wave, with the letters ‘L.S.’ carved upon it, and that is all they will ever know of the fate of the damned vessel, and the inhumane persons which it beared through the severe gales of that year. Thoughts Although the ending of this short-story is mildly thought-provoking, it lacks the necessary details that would enthrall the reader throughout the other parts of the book. Few clues on Sherlock’s mystery are provided until the very end, allowing no opportunities for the reader to form exciting contemplations of their own throughout their read. One would easily find themselves bored of Doyle’s overly meticulous language a few pages in, and lose interest in the solution to the mystery altogether. However, we are also shown an interesting side of the character of Sherlock that is seldom shown in Doyle’s previous works. In stark contrast to the cold and calculating behaviour that Sherlock typically displays, we see a version of him that feels emotions like anger and sadness, especially after a rare failure.
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by Mia Kondogiannis In the introductory paragraph of Timothy Findley’s The Wars, published in 1977, Findley is described as “one of Canada’s most compelling and best-loved writers”. Upon trudging through this odious book, prompted forward only by sheer willpower, I find myself driven to disagree.
The book begins by introducing 19-year-old Robert Ross, a young Canadian in the midst of World War One. He enlists as a soldier following the death of his closest sibling, and experiences first-hand the unimaginable tragedy of the “war to end all wars”. Findley, unfortunately, does hardly any justice to this unforgettable part of human history. This failing has partly to do with Findley’s dry writing style, which creates a significant problem in the development of the plot. It converts Robert, an otherwise complex, changing character, into an unlikeable protagonist with barely any opportunity for growth. In a third-person omniscient perspective, the protagonists’ emotions are described to the reader; in a third-person limited, it is the author’s responsibility to portray these emotions through the actions of the protagonists. Findley falls short in either of these categories, and because of this, Robert is essentially given no personality. His actions, therefore, are passionless and without motive, and he becomes a distant character with no grounds for relativity or feeling. The display, let alone the confrontation, of any emotions is clearly lacking throughout the book. For a story taking place in one of the most trauma-inducing settings of the twentieth century, this was a true mistake. Robert experiences struggle in extreme forms. The trauma he faces manifests in subtle ways, but is never analyzed by himself or the characters around him. The modest political commentary that this book may have possessed - for example, on homosexuality in the early 1900s, or the effects of PTSD - is made negligible because no emotions exist through which the value of the commentary could have been established. This is a disappointing loss for any reader, and it ultimately leads to my negative perspective of the text. The Wars is a book that holds great potential. The sluggish execution was, in the end, what drained its power as a piece of literature. Moving forward, I may be convinced to read another of Findley’s works, simply to observe whether or not the writing style encountered in this book remains the same throughout his career. If I ever manage to scrape up the amount of resolve it will take to open another Timothy Findley novel, it will be Headhunters. But I have far better things to do with my time. RATING: 6/10 by Z'Nyah Wells In a world where humans are divided by blood, Red and Silver, one rules over the other. Naturally, the Silvers evolved over time and gained superhuman powers and because of this, the Reds have been forced under their rule. However, Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red from a poor village, has been invited to work in the castle alongside her Silver King. In the palace, Mare discovers that she has a special ability of her own, despite the colour of her blood. This discovery may hinder the Silver’s persona that they’ve constructed for the Reds. Desperate to keep up their characters, the Silvers decide to disguise Mare as one of their own, as a long-lost Silver. Even though one mistake on Mare’s part could lead to her death, she decides to help her Red friends, the Scarlet Guard, and a rebel group trying to bring down the Silver regime.
‘‘You are not Silver. Your parents are Red, you are Red, and your blood is red,’’ the queen murmurs, prowling before the bars of my cage. ‘‘You are a miracle, Mare Barrow, an impossibility. Something even I can’t understand, and I have seen all of you.’’ The 1st book in the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard really shows that anyone can betray anyone and your trust should be placed wisely. I was easily engrossed into this book once I read the first couple pages. You can tell Mare is determined, motivated, and caring through her decision in joining the Scarlet Guard, despite her risking her life. She truly wants justice for her Red brothers and sisters. I am not surprised that Victoria is both a screenwriter and author since the imagery in this book was fantastic. The story flowed greatly and details that seem like small matters end up changing the whole dynamic of the story in the end. Following Mare’s journey was a pleasant, hopeful, and shocking ride that I’m glad isn’t over as the Red Queen series is a quartet. This book is definitely deserving of its high rating and I would highly recommend it. RATING: 8.5/10 |
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