The Sign of Four

I think what I disliked, and a bit liked, in this story the most is that the mystery was solved in the first half of the book. I wanted that strange tingly feeling in my chest combined with an adrenaline rush and a quick flipping of pages (in my case, kindle buttons), but I didn't get it. In crime fiction, what a person likes best is that tension built up to the point where you can't take it anymore, at that point the answer must be given... but no, in here, instead I was left with a boring story on how everything happened which took more than 10% of the book, and which did not interest me much. In fact, I found myself distracted during a huge portion of it. A study in scarlet was way better. I liked the feeling of confusion I got in part II of that story.
A study in scarlet, also, seemed more interesting. This one had a nice looking summary that got me excited but which was revealed at the beginning of chapter II and, thus, I was not exactly hooked up.

I gave 4 stars for that exact beginning, and for the extreme intelligence and shrewdness, combined with extraordinary cognitive and deduction abilities that Sherlock Holmes, yet again, shows.

Oh, I also disliked the very unbelievable way in which Watson came to fall in love with Mary. Seriously, dude, at least take her out on a date first.

What I liked a lot too is Sherlock's addiction to cocaine. Arthur Conan Doyle did not struggle to make his main character lovable, but actually showed him with all his flaws: His hardheartedness, his addiction to cocaine as a cure for boredom (which of course doesn't make it excusable), and the fact that he is a fucking arse to everyone. I still like him a lot. I like his train of thoughts and his lack of prejudice, which is the scientific method I support wholeheartedly. And because I always imagine him as Robert Downey Jr. and damn that MAN IS HOTTTTTTTT!! Also, I am sapiosexual. I can't help not liking intelligent people.

Definitely not a favourite in this series.