Review
of Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud
Sherlock Holmes
is an intelligent fourteen-year-old who leads an ordinary sort of life. As his
mother is ill, his father serves in the army, and his brother pursues a career,
Sherlock is sent away to the countryside to live with his aunt and uncle. Here,
Sherlock meets an eccentric tutor named Amyus Crowe, and his life takes an
extraordinary turn. During an outdoor lesson with Amyus Crowe, Sherlock
stumbles upon a body. His interest piqued, Sherlock finds an overwhelming
desire to solve the mystery behind the body and the strange “cloud of death.” Sherlock’s
curiosity takes him from country fairs to dark corners of London as he pieces
together a murderous plot that threatens his best friends…and the whole of
Britain.
Death Cloud by Andrew Lane is a suspenseful read
filled with red herrings. Its riveting plot keeps readers interested until the
very last page. Additionally, Lane includes interesting character development;
when characterizing Sherlock, he doesn’t focus too much on the strengths or
weaknesses of the character. He instead tries to offer a more balanced portrait
of Sherlock. Lane also makes Sherlock more relatable to today’s teenagers. Furthermore,
Virginia Crowe, Amyus’s daughter, is portrayed as modern in terms of her views
on gender equality, despite the fact that she grows up in a time period when
women are expected to wear dresses and become housewives. Overall, Death Cloud is a thrilling start to
Andrew Lane’s Young Sherlock Holmes series.
~Ananya
Swaminathan
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