Saturday, October 22, 2022

Today's read... Sherlock Holmes—The Final Problem adapted by Hannes Binder

I'm a bit late with today's read...which wasn't scheduled to be today's read...but hey, who said life was predictable? (And whoever did say that must be fantasizing.) I had some schedule shuffling due to shipping issues...and then, I had chicken coop issues. Lots of chicken issues. For those who aren't on the up-and-up when it comes to raising chickens, it's always bad to have more than one rooster. My last batch of chicks (from June) held 4 chickens and 8 roosters, and yesterday evening, the roosters decided to go all Halloweeny-horror on the poor chickens. (I'm just going to call it that because...well, if I were a chicken, I have no doubt I'd see it as living through a bloody, painful, horrible, awful nightmare).

Let's just say chickens are evil.

Anyway, all of that's taken care of now, and I finally had time to brew myself a nice, calming tea and dive into a bit of mystery. This read doesn't come out until April, which gives Sherlock Holmes and mystery fans plenty of time to get excited. 



SHERLOCK HOLMES
The Final Problem
adapted by Hannes Binder
by Arthur Conan Doyle
NorthSouth Books
Middle Grade / YA Mystery
56 pages
ages 10 and up



COMING...
APRIL 4, 2023!!!



Sherlock Holmes' most famous adventure, in a striking graphic novel format.

Hunting hat, smoking pipe, coat collar turned up— that's how we know Sherlock Holmes, the most famous detective of all time. He usually investigates from London's Baker Street. But Holmes' most spectacular case leads him in a fast-paced chase from the metropolis of London across the continent to the Swiss Alps. At the roaring Reichenbach Falls there is a showdown between Holmes and his archenemy Professor Moriarty. Who will triumph in this battle between good and evil?

Black and white line drawings on scratchboard are Hannes Binder's trademark. The Zurich illustrator has created dramatic images of the Swiss landscape for this epic story, the pull of which is hard to resist. An exciting graphic novel for beginners and seasoned Holmes fans alike.


GOODREADS :    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61272615-sherlock-holmes-the-final-problem


MY TIDBITS


This is an interesting twist on Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty. While sticking to the every-loved Holmes atmosphere, this one dives a bit deeper into the man himself, giving away more of his personality. The aloof air, as found in the original works, isn't as strong, and, instead, this carries a little more of a thriller feel. 

It's a quick read and keeps the tension high. Of course, the mystery is well laid...although the wonderfully clever thought process didn't come across quite as strong as usual. Instead, there was more suspense, which works well, too.

The illustrations are very well done and take a mix between wonderful scenes and artistic imagery. These alone make this worth picking up and diving into. Although...this doesn't really take the usual graphic novel format. Instead, it reminds me of a highly illustrated read. I see upper middle graders as well as young adults enjoying this one...oh, and adults too.

No comments: