#A study in scarlet

[224bbaker]

important reminder that holmes and watson transitioned from polite roommates to friends because watson read one of holmes's articles, called it and the writer a hack piece of shit, and holmes went "tell me more. btw i wrote that--no don't stop" and proceeded to call all watson's favorite detectives hack pieces of shit in return

[the-three-garridebs-destroyed-me]

I love rereading a study in scarlet for the “they don’t know they’re going to fundamentally change each others lives” of their first meeting

[skyriderwednesday]

During the next five chapters of A Study In Scarlet, I want everyone to remember that all of this is Jefferson Hope sitting in handcuffs, having just attempted to throw himself out of Sherlock Holmes's window, monologuing for, at the very least, over an hour (based on the audiobook).

[holmesoldfellow]

December 1987 edition of the Radio Times commemorating 100 years of Sherlock Holmes

[red-umbrella-811]

H: Why’d you have to add a romantic subplot :[[[

W: That literally happened; it was the backstory and motive for the entire murders; it was crucial to the story

H: Well maybe you should have skipped it anyway

[organizedchaotics]

Maybe it is due to the german translation, but the wording (directly translated back to english in the picture) is makeing the investigation scene of "a study in scarlet" maybe a little more odd than nessecary.

His mind works in mysterious ways sometimes. tfw the inspectors who called for your aid are both too shortsighted to see the simplest clues, and you just lie down on the floor for a moment screaming internally, just to avoid becoming a supervillain.

[yeah-thats-probably-it]

So, I recently decided to give the original Sherlock Holmes collection another try on the basis of some recommendations* from friends** after season 3 of the BBC show kind of put me off the whole property however many years ago. I’m about one and a half books in now and it barely took me two chapters to start feeling annoyed about the BBC version again. I mean, look-

This man is so adorable and they decided to just write him as an abrasive showboating asshole for no reason? Nothing about the original Holmes is giving me that sort of impression at all. He’s carelessly insensitive on occasion and was condescending toward some dickish policemen, but on the whole seems more driven by joyful enthusiasm and passion for his work than a need to prove how smart he is

Who looked at a character who, on his introduction, was bursting with childlike excitement to explain his method of identifying bloodstains and thought “instead of that, he should be brimming with sneering contempt toward all people at all times”***

(Disclaimer that anything I say about the BBC show is remembered from many years ago because I have no wish to rewatch any part of it, and also it’s fine if you still like it, personal opinion etc etc)

*posts **tumblr mutuals ***rhetorical question, we know who

[forever-1895]

Mr. Sherlock Holmes

Pay attention! To how cute and soft and bubbly Holmes is when he first met Watson in a Study in Scarlet. Just like a BABY. (long post btw)

While on the way to meet Sherlock Holmes, Stamford tries to warn Watson about how machine-like this guy can be. But he's wrong!

Here's PROOF:

At the sound of our steps he [Sherlock Holmes] glanced round and sprang to is feet with a cry of pleasure. "I've found it! I've found it," he shouted to my companion [Stamford], running towards us with a test tube in his hand. "I have found a reagent which is precipitated by haemoglobin and nothing else." Had he discovered a gold mine, greater delight could not have shone upon his features.

I found it! I found it! (p≧w≦q)

"Dr. Watson, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said Stamford, introducing us. "How are you?" he said cordially, gripping my hand with a strength for which I should hardly have given him credit. "You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive." "How on earth did you know that?" I asked in astonishment. "Never mind," said he, chuckling to himself. "The question now is about haemoglobin..."

how are u? (✿◡‿◡)

"Why, man, it is the most practical medico-legal discovery for years. Don't you see that it gives us an infallible test for blood stains? Come over here now!" he seized me by the coat sleeve in his eagerness...

THE MOST AMAZING FABULOUS PRACTICAL NOBEL-PRIZE MEDICO-LEGAL DISCOVERY EVERRR!!!!! \(≧∇≦)ﾉ

"Ha ha!" he said clapping his hands, and looking as delighted as a child with a new toy. "What do you think of that?"

🎩

༼ つ ◕∇◕ ༽つ ⚗️🧪 = ༼ つ ◕∇◕ ༽つ 🧸🚗

"Criminal cases are continually hinging upon that one point. A man is suspected of a crime months perhaps after it has been committed. His linen or clothes are examined and brownish stains discovered upon them. Are they bloodstains, or mud stains, or rust stains, or fruit stains, or what are they? That is a question that has puzzled many an expert and why? Because there was no reliable test. Now we have the Sherlock Holmes' test, and there will no longer be any difficulty. " His eyes fairly glittered as he spoke, and he put his hand to his heart snd bowed as if to some applauding crowd conjured up by his imagination.

EVERYONE, Behold...

The Sherlock Holmes' test

And my man's got glittering eyes!

Sherlock Holmes seemed delighted at the idea of sharing his rooms with me. "I have an eye on a suite in Baker Street," he said, "which would suit us down to the ground. You don't mind the smell of strong tobacco I hope?" "I always smoke 'ship's' myself,' I answered. "That's good enough. I generally have chemicals about, and occasionally do experiments. Would that annoy you?"

Of course Holmes is delighted! Stamford just got him a beau!

"Let me see - what are my other shortcomings? I get in the dumps at times, and don't open my mouth for days on end. You must not think I am sulky when I do that. Just let me alone, and I'll soon be right. What have you to confess now? It's just as well for two fellows to know the worst of one another before they begin to date live together." I laughed at this cross-examination. "I keep a bull pup," I said, "and I object to rows because my nerves are shaken, and I get up at all sorts of ungodly hours, and I am extremely lazy. I have another set of vices when I'm well, but those are the principal ones at present."

sulky little holmes o(TヘTo)

"Do you include violin playing in your category of rows?" he asked, anxiously. "It depends on the player," I answered. "A well-played violin is a treat for the gods - a badly-played one - " "Oh, that's all right," he cried, with a merry laugh. "I think we may consider the thing as settled - that is if the rooms are agreeable to you."

do you include violin-playing in your category of rows? (•᷄- •᷅ ;)

"Call for me here at noon tomorrow, and we'll go together and settle everything," he answered. "All right - noon exactly," - said I, shaking his hand. We left him working among his chemicals, and we walked together towards my hotel.

[hordeofcorvids]

My deepest desire is for a Sherlock Holmes adaption with a Scottish Watson because one line in a Study in Scarlet mentions that he doesn't have any family in England and I used it as a thin excuse to incorporate Scottish Watson™ into my world view

[blistering-typhoons]

*immediately almost start crying*

[224bbaker]

idk maybe the "dark, cold, and brooding holmes" just doesn't sit right with me because I remember that the first introduction to holmes in the canon is him doing the victorian equivalent of running down a row of people high fiving everyone because he finished his science project

[teacup-captor]

John Watson, A Study in Scarlet; 1888

[no-side-us]

It's interesting, reading the beginning of A Study in Scarlet after reading all the short stories and ending on His Last Bow. You sort of get to see how far Holmes and Watson have come in all those decades of adventures. You go from Sherlock Holmes as this young man who needs someone to go halves with him on rent to an aged, experienced detective who has been undercover for two years infiltrating a German spy ring. His flair for the dramatic is ever present however.

And I love comparing the descriptions of Watson from being as "thin as a lath" here to him in His Last Bow, where he's "heavily built" and "thickset." I take it as a sign of healing. Also, I'm only noticing it now but does this line:

As to you, Watson, you are joining us with your old service, as I understand, so London won't be out of your way.

imply that Watson is joining the army again? If so, that's another point of comparison to be made that we see Watson start and end with being a soldier. Not sure I like it, but it's interesting nonetheless.

Anyways, can't wait to read the rest of A Study in Scarlet. I'm kind of curious about the reaction when we get to the latter half of the story, cause honestly I don't know if I'll enjoy it. But I'm sure it'll still be interesting to read. And I did do a liveblog for the first time this was sent, so here's a link if people want to go back and read that.

Happy (day-late) Birthday Mr. Sherlock Holmes!

[thefisherqueen]

I'm not sure about whether I shall go. I am the most incurably lazy devil that ever stood in shoe leather

Holmes is very relatable when the executive dysfunction hits him

[renthebarbarian]

Stamford: Tbh I think Holmes would poison someone just to see what would happen.

Watson, openly salivating: I HAVE to move in with this guy

[doingbad]

A Study in Scarlet: a summary

Dr. Watson: "I'm in a really low place right now. The only things that could possibly cheer me up would be a roommate, violin music, or a mystery to solve."

Stamford, about to invent Holmes/Watson: "Oh, you haven't heard?"