The Sign of Four

Plenty of racism, and honestly the plot is pretty stupid. Not Sherlock's best outing. But five hearts for the story of Watson getting all smitten and acting dumb around his wife-to-be.

ETA: I'm adding back one more star for the fabulous quote: “‘My mind,” he said, “rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation.”

WHAT

This book gives much more insights into Sherlock Holmes personality then the first, although the story is a little less interesting. Like his previous books I read, its all about the details of the case, not much in terms of character, world or story.

ANALYSIS

There is one important thing to note that makes the book character much different from the most recent screen adaptations: he is a very caring human being! He is genuinely concerned about people and he is disgusted by the evil nature of the crimes he investigates. By the way most reviewers seem to disagree with this. I interpret as “he doesn't let his emotions cloud his judgment” instead of “he doesn't have emotions”.

“It is of the first importance not to allow your judgment to be biased by personal qualities. A client is to me a mere unit, a factor in a problem. The emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning.”


I like the movie and series versions a lot, but they are very different from the book in that aspect. Holmes is a true scientist at heart, he relies on cold hard logic to solve his cases, and he cares nothing for the day to day affairs of the world. But he is not a social tool as is made up to be on the screen. A much more faithful and real representation of him can be found in Mr. Holmes, stared by Ian McKellen.

Sherlock is arrogant, but not without reason. He is in fact the most brilliant man in London, an possible in the world. He states that as an objective fact, not as a matter of bragging. He can be seen as a bit misogynous, but in the same sense that saying “most crimes are committed by black people” is racist, nothing like House for instance. He is a man with such and intellect that he must resort to drugs to cope with ordinary life. That to me is the most defining trait of Sherlock Holmes, the one that most well captures his essence. He cannot shut down his brain, he is always working.

“My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation.”

“...I cannot live without brain-work. What else is there to live for? Stand at the window here. Was ever such a dreary, dismal, unprofitable world? See how the yellow fog swirls down the street and drifts across the dun-colored houses. What could be more hopelessly prosaic and material? What is the use of having powers, doctor, when one has no field upon which to exert them? Crime is commonplace, existence is commonplace, and no qualities save those which are commonplace have any function upon earth.”

He dislikes fiction and fantasy because they have do practical applications. For that same reason he has no interest in philosophy, politics and astronomy.

His drug use is quite extensive by the way. I think that the book starts with something like “for the last three months he has been shooting cocaine upon his arm thrice a day”. He indeed must be numb all the time in order to overcome the mundane existence. Something fiction lovers may relate to.

“You have done all the work in this business. I get a wife out of it, Jones gets the credit, pray what remains for you?”
“For me,” said Sherlock Holmes, “there still remains the cocaine bottle.”