The Case of the Missing Marquess: Enola Holmes, #1 -- Nancy Springer

I have a new love.  From The Case of the Missing Marquess:

Dipping the pen into the ink, on the cream-coloured stationary I wrote a few words to the local constabulary, informing them that my mother seemed to have gone astray and requesting them to kindly organise a search for her.

Then I sat thinking: Did I really have to?

Unfortunately, yes.  I could put it off no longer. 

More slowly I wrote another note, one that would soon wing for miles via wire to be printed out by a teletype machine as:

LADY EUDORIA VERNET HOLMES MISSING SINCE YESTERDAY STOP PLEASE ADVISE STOP ENOLA HOLMES

I directed this wire to Mycroft Homes, of Pall Mall, in London.

And also, the same message, to Sherlock Holmes, of Baker Street, also in London.

My brothers.

Although I spent the entirety of pages 7 through 72 frustratedly thinking, "HELLO!!  ENOLA!!  Your mother gave you a booklet of ciphers for your birthday!!  Don't you think it might be important??", I loved this book unreservedly.  Once she had her forehead-slap moment, she was off to the races.  Mycroft and Sherlock were as Mycroft-y and Sherlock-y as you could imagine, and Lestrade even played a part.

Enola herself is bright, courageous, stubborn and sees the ridiculousness of the Way Things Are Done* -- all qualities I love in a heroine -- and I'm DYING to read the other books in the series.  Highly recommended to young readers of historical fiction and to grown-up fans of the Holmes brothers, whether it be Doyle's originals or fanfiction like Laurie R. King's Mary Russell series.  GREAT FUN.

______________________________________________

*From the book, while riding her bicycle towards London:  "I met with just another such beige-clad figure upon a gravel wagon track, and we nodded in passing.  She looked all of a glow from the heat and the exercise.  horses sweat, you know, and men perspire, whereas ladies glow.  I am sure I looked all of a glow also.  Indeed, I could feel all-of-a-glow trickling down my sides beneath my corset, the steel ribs of which jabbed me under the arms most annoyingly."  I think Amelia Peabody would QUITE approve of Enola.

Comments

[TadMack]

I *absolutely adore* this series!!!! Can't wait to get home and get the latest one.

[Maureen E]

I liked this one, but I felt somewhat done with Independent Girl raised in Unconventional Manner Thwarts Male Authority and Makes Her Own Way. I don't know, maybe I was just feeling particularly prickly the day I read it.

[Leila]

It's funny, Maureen, because that plot device has been driving me C.R.A.Z.Y. lately -- but it didn't even remotely bother me in this one. Maybe because I think of the Holmes Bros. as being unconventional as it is, so it made sense to me that Enola would be too, in her own way. And I loved that some of the plot points hinged on things that would be in the "women's sphere" -- though I don't know if I totally buy it that Sherlock Holmes would have missed the clues that Enola picked up on...

Regardless, I'm in lurrrve.

[Grace]

This is such an awesome series. My only complaint is that each book isn't long enough - it ends too soon.

[Fuse #8]

Yesssss! I claim this as a personal victory. The best thing is that the books never seem to get old as you read through the series. Plus there's the remarkable fact that Enola never ever dresses up as a boy to elude the villains and her brothers. Y'all might be tired of the IGRUMTMAMHOW trope, but I for one am tired of any book where a girl puts on a pair of pants and is somehow magically rendered male in the eyes of the world.

[Maureen E]

Fuse #8, I'm with you on that one!

Leila, I can see that. I did like that she had a special insight into the case which was as smart as Sherlock but in a different way. Maybe I'll give the next book a try and see how I like it.

[Rebecca]

I just read this yesterday in one sitting and enjoyed it very much. The characters were great, and I loved how Enola managed to squeak away from major trouble in inventive and believable ways.

And yeah, the fact that she didn't dress up like a boy was great, and I looooved how she used her "supportive" garments!

I love this series too!
Pat

[rachel]

I LOVE this series

[Ms. Yingling]

While I loved this, I wasn't sure middle school students would, but they DO. Any time I can get strong heroines in their hands, I am happy. THere is just something charming about Springer's characters.

[QueenAnnaChan]

I have to agree. Thank you so much for the quote section! Whenever I finish a book a put a quote in my signature in my email. So that's my quote now. Heehee.