Laurie King: Dreaming Spies

[bibliogramma]

Dreaming Spies, Laurie King’s engaging novel of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes in pre-war Japan, is, as always, a tightly-plotted and action-filled excursion into a world of crime and deduction.

This time, Mary and Holmes are caught up in a web of forgery, blackmail and deceit that touches on the honour of the Japanese Prince Regent, Hirohito, and their allies are members of a family of shinobi - what the west calls ninja - who live to serve the Imperial family in whatever capacity is required.

What I particularly enjoyed about this novel was that we saw Holmes as well as Mary entering a culture they know little about - up until now, Holmes has always been there before, knows the language and customs, has contacts. This time, but are outsiders, both must learn how to move in Japanese society well enough to carry out their roles. And it’s interesting to see Holmes in particular approaching this task with humility. In most circumstances, Holmes seems arrogant because he is frighteningly observant and intelligent - and he knows more than most. Here, where he does not know, he accepts correction, and learns. I liked seeing that aspect of Holmes.

An enjoyable addition to the Mary Russell books. Particularly welcome as the last few books were not as engaging as this, or the early books.

Comments

[wild_irises]

Interesting that you're still reading these. I got unhappy with them when they converted from cross-generational friendship to marriage, and I lost interest completely at A Letter to Mary, which I found completely unbelievable from start to finish.

Laurie King is an author whose work I would like to like more than I do.

[bibliogramma]

What works for me about the marruage is that it still seems more of a friendship than a marriage, except that they sleep in the same bed more often. Neither character is particularly romantic or given to declarations of passion, and it could easily be read as a marriage between two asexual characters. The relationship remains based on a deep mutual respect and shared inclinations for adventure. The marriage aspect, once established, doesn’t impinge much on the actual events. I’d enjoy the novels a lot less if the relationship were more romantic, I think, but it’s solidly companionate.

[antisoppist]

Interesting. I haven't read any since The God of the Hive (I think) and felt they were getting a bit formulaic. As I first read the Kate Martinellis and only started reading the Mary Russell ones when it looked like she wasn't going to write any more of those, I was also cross about the one that crossed over the two, in which Kate Martinelli had suddenly never heard of Sherlock Holmes. I like her stand-alones too and have recently re-read Folly, but I don't think I've read anything new by her for about ten years. This is a reminder that it might be worth catching up via library books.