The Case of the Missing Marquess: Enola Holmes 1 (Enola Holmes Mystery, #1)

by Nancy Springer

• ASIN: B07DX6C8Z6
• Publish Date: 2018 (first published 16 February 2006)
• Publish Status: Unknown
• Format: eBook (Kindle)
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

The Case of the Missing Marquess is the first novel in the Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer. If I'm correct, the inspiration for the Netflix movie (I haven't seen it yet, so I can't speak to that). Admittedly I did things a little backward here, I started with the seventh novel in the series (Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche), and I just loved it so much I had to go back to the beginning!

Young Enola Holmes is the younger sister of the famous Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, both famous in their own rights. It would be an understatement to say she grew up under their shadow, not that they've been around to cast shadows directly.

When her mother goes missing, Enola must admit that she needs help from two of the most famous detectives. If anyone can find her, it's them. Only, somehow things don't go according to plan, and Enola is the one looking for her mother – by putting herself directly in danger.

“He would expect me to flee from him. Therefore, I would not. I would flee towards him.”

Oh, this series's sheer amount of character and charm is a delight. I adored The Case of the Missing Marquess, and I can already tell you that I'll be reading the rest of this series the first chance I get (which I hope will be soon). Now that I've read the first book, I can finally be kind to myself and watch the Netflix movie! That'll be exciting.

If you've ever hoped for a slightly younger or more feminine twist on the whole Sherlock Holmes world, then you've got to read Enola Holmes. She may not have as much experience as her brothers, but she's got twice the heart (and arguably even more determination).

I was a little surprised by how the whole series started, but that probably stems from the fact that I originally started so late in the series. It's easy to forget what may or may not have caused a scandal in those days, such as a late pregnancy. It's odd to think that Enola is shameful to her family because she was born relatively late in her mother's life. Anyway, onto the actual review!

Enola Holmes is an intelligent and witty character. Neither of these traits stops her from running headfirst into danger, though I daresay they will help her survive whatever she gets into. One can hope, at least.

It was fun seeing this side of the world and Nancy Springer's take on characters we all know and love. I cannot wait to dive into the next book in this series.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

I got this because of the Netflix movie, which I LOVED btw. And also because I'm a bit of a Sherlockian. Even though the book is different from the movie, as with ALL adaptations based on books, it is still the fun filled romp I fell in love with. I look forward to reading the others in the series.

[thepunktheory]

Full book vs. movie review on my blog coming soon!


So, I watched the film immediately when it came out. Then I picked up the novel. Upon finishing that I went to watch the movie a second time just to have some better ground for comparison. So, I'll start with some thoughts on the film!
When I saw Mills in the trailer I knew this was going to be glorious. Also, Helena Bonham Carter is in this movie, so by rule, this can't be bad.
Millie Bobby Brown has so much charisma, she's definitely carrying this entire thing on her shoulders. I loved the dynamic between her and Helena Bonham Carter. Their relationship in the film was amazing!
In general, I appreciate how all of the relationships were portrayed in the film. I feel like you can tell how involved Millie Bobby Brown was in the overall production. If you pay attention you'll immediately notice small differences in how young women are usually shown and how they interact with people. I don't want to go off on a tangent here, but I appreciate how she's not always looking perfect (unruly hair!) or super pretty (real crying face!). Also, a teenager is played by an actual teenager which is a rather rare thing.
Enola is such a fun, smart, and badass character. It was a genuine pleasure to follow her through this film.

So, I picked up the novel with very high expectations. Well, it didn't quite live up to them. First of all, I found the mother/daughter relationship a little disappointing. Honestly, I think it's just because it was different from the movie and I wasn't expecting it. It's not bad but I just liked the film version better.
It soon turned out that the story diverges a little more than just that. Generally speaking, the plot is far less intricate. You can definitely feel that this book is targeted towards kids.
The movie isn't the most complicated thing ever either, but they added some more layers and it was really enjoyable for an adult as well. Actually, I found the Viscount part of the story made more sense in the film with how things played out and developed between Enola and him.
I love that they added a subplot about women's rights. While in the novel those nuances were more subtle and focussed on clothing, the line from the movie "Politics doesn't interest you because you have no interest in changing a world that suits you so well." is everything. I want that on a T-shirt.
I also want to quickly address Sherlock. Many people complained that he was way too different from the Sherlock we all know. Interestingly, there is a lawsuit brought on by the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle estate. Apparently, in the final novels, Sherlock also had caught feelings, so they feel copyright is infringed here. It's so weird to me that they only brought this up now after the Enola Holmes books have been out for years.
This Sherlock definitely had a different vibe but I'm not mad about it. I'm always happy to see Henry Cavill and as he only had such a small role to play here, I didn't care too much about the changes. Honestly, I only had eyes for Enola. Millie Bobby Brown is so talented it's amazing.
Also, can we just talk about the insane transformation of Sam Claflin? I can't get over how different he looks in the film in comparison with his normal look. Even though they didn't do that much to him!
All that aside, I found the movie adaptation to be a lot of fun. Granted it wasn't the best movie out there or the most intricate one, but for me it was simply a good time and I'd love to see more Enola Holmes films.
A little side-note as many people mentioned disliking this: Enola often breaks the fourth wall and directly looks into/talks to the camera. I found it charming and think it gave the film a nice touch. However, I know some people can't stand that at all, so consider yourself warned. ;-)

[bookperson]

Look at me, finished a book, finally!

I really liked this story and characters. Opening and ending deserve honorable mention- they are beautiful and atmospheric

[Beth C.]

Got a request for these at our local store, and so was curious to see what they were about. I quite enjoyed the story overall, though I do have a quibble. This girl is 14 (just turned, no less), and manages to get herself into - and out of! - situations that would more fit a protagonist in a YA story. There is no romance or anything sexual at all - but her escapades and how she gets through them really tested my suspension of disbelief at times.

Having said that - I *did* enjoy the story, and I can definitely see that there would be an audience for them. Enola is bent on showing her older brothers (whom she's only met a couple of times before) that she is NOT of lesser intelligence, and she refuses to be forced into standard society nonsense. It was a quick read and as there are several more in the series, anyone who enjoys the first can head straight into the second.