That was amazing. I'm feeling rather overawed right now. Also incredibly lucky! I love this story so much.
First of all for the story-line, which is so very well constructed. I knew I would love it right from the deduction at the very start. We often see Holmes deducing, but rarely as convincingly as when ACD wrote him. Then there's the band of characters that appear and disappear, their stories cleverly woven with Holmes and Watson's. And the moment when I realised what was at the heart of story - 'soul-killing' is certainly the word for it. It was heart-breaking, but really very powerful.
Even more, though - if that's possible - I loved the language. Very, very rarely have I come across a story written in such beautiful prose.
I almost forgot to say (too blown away by everything else!) that I adore your attention to detail. I do love a well-researched story, and this one is clearly exceptionally well researched. I know 21st-century Brighton, and it was wonderful to have its Victorian version come alive under my eyes. Not to mention the rest of the period detail... Really very impressive indeed.
I'm off now to re-read this again straight away, which is something I practically never do so soon after the first reading.
So, I guess you've picked up on the fact that I quite liked this story by now ;) Thank you so much!
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First of all for the story-line, which is so very well constructed. I knew I would love it right from the deduction at the very start. We often see Holmes deducing, but rarely as convincingly as when ACD wrote him. Then there's the band of characters that appear and disappear, their stories cleverly woven with Holmes and Watson's. And the moment when I realised what was at the heart of story - 'soul-killing' is certainly the word for it. It was heart-breaking, but really very powerful.
Even more, though - if that's possible - I loved the language. Very, very rarely have I come across a story written in such beautiful prose.
I almost forgot to say (too blown away by everything else!) that I adore your attention to detail. I do love a well-researched story, and this one is clearly exceptionally well researched. I know 21st-century Brighton, and it was wonderful to have its Victorian version come alive under my eyes. Not to mention the rest of the period detail... Really very impressive indeed.
I'm off now to re-read this again straight away, which is something I practically never do so soon after the first reading.
So, I guess you've picked up on the fact that I quite liked this story by now ;) Thank you so much!