Customer Reviews

A Monstrous Regiment of Women

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Second in terms of release date but third in terms of the timeline (O Jerusalem should actually be read second, its story taking place right before the end of The Beekeeper's Apprentice when Mary is 19), A Monstrous Regiment of Women finds the brilliant Mary Russell approaching her 21st birthday, questioning the nature of her relationship with Sherlock Holmes.

In an effort to distance herself from him a bit, Mary renews an Oxford friendship and finds herself drawn to the charismatic leader of a feminist church/society movement, intellectually and spiritually. A series of deaths attached to the society sends Mary and by proxy, Holmes himself into the investigation.

As with the first book (and the following books), Regiment is primarily about Mary. Finally at an age where she inherits her parents vast estate, she struggles with her newfound freedom, the burden of responsibility and starts to look at parts of herself and Holmes that she'd been able to avoid when she was a girl. Mary is exposed to the seamiest sides of London as she tries to balance depending on Holmes with wanting to do things her own way.

A lot has been made of the romance between Mary and Holmes - something the author could have avoided entirely if she'd have just not mentioned Mary's age. She's written as far, far older than her calendar years; it also wasn't that uncommon around the turn of the century to find a young woman married off to a much older man. I'm not a Sherlock Holmes purist, which enables more suspension of logic, but the romance is still sparingly written and is actually kind of sweet. If anything, a reader looking for passionate clinches and sex is not going to find it in these books; even compared to the tamest of today's romance novels, the scenes here are the mildest of mild.

The mystery itself is well-written and paced, with the exception of the middle section about the society which are a little dull. The clues, confrontations and eventual solving are interesting, the extra little details about London in the early 20's is fun to read. There's a long passage towards the ending where Mary falls into the hands of some criminals that I thought was particularly well done; it goes a long way towards the aging of Mary and towards her understanding of Holmes.

This was a really enjoyable and fast book to read. I recommend it for anyone who likes authors as diverse as Agatha Christie, Patricia Cornwell, Elizabeth Peters, J.D. Robb and P.D. James. A Holmes purist would probably have some issues with Mary, but if you like the idea of a tough, intelligent and capable feminist solving crimes, then you'll enjoy these books.

In this sequel to THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE, Laurie King gives us the now mature Mary Russell, claiming her inheritance and becoming involved in the investigation of a charitable organization run by an extremely charismatic woman, whose wealthy members seemed to be dying and leaving their inheritance to said organization. Mary works undercover and with her newly found wealth makes herself a target, with serious consequences. King creates a real sense of menace in this installment and Russell's peril is strongly rendered and will make the reader feel true compassion for her.
Holmes's presence is felt throughout the novel, and King does a fine job of staying true to this character, fleshing out some of his personality while never forgetting that he is the "world's greatest detective." The eventual match of Russell and Holmes may put some traditionalists out of sorts, but I find it a way to breathe new vitality into this legendary character, and in Mary Russell, King has developed a fine and equal partner for the detective.

I had heard mixed reviews of A Monstrous Regiment of Women before I read it, directly after its prequel, The Beekeeper's Apprentice. I didn't think I would enjoy it nearly as much as the first one--I was wrong. For fans of Mary Russell, this is surely a book to be enjoyed. I read the Holmes/Russell novel for Sherlock Holmes, however. Though he isn't in the book much at this time, the scenes he -is- in are absolutely charming and unforgettable. Many people don't enjoy Holmes in this book--To them he doesn't seem to be the Holmes of Watson. Naturally, he isn't. He's seen from an entirely different perspective in Russell's narration, he's allowing Russell to take the case on her own, rather than stepping in and doing the work for her--And he finally has a woman astute and edgy enough for him to realize that women aren't always something to scoff at. This woman happens to be Mary Russell, thirty-nine years his junior with an intelligence, arrogance, and attitude remniscent of Holmes himself. Mary Russell is, indeed, Holmes as a young woman--including her own weakness to opium derivatives.

I'm not a fan of mystery novels as it is, so I found the character work in the King novels fascinating. Russell's narrative focuses on the people involved, and personal matters, rather than just the case. You get a sense of who people are and why they're involved, not who did it in the where with the what. In order to grasp all of this development, you MUST read The Beekeeper's Apprentice before this book.

A Monstrous Regiment of Women contains some of the best scenes in all of the Holmes/Russell series--Short passages between Holmes and Russell will jump out from the page. You can hear them in your mind and the characters will suddenly become real. Anyone who followed Holmes and Russell through the first six years will find true delight in reading this book.

Actually, "monstrous" doesn't begin to describe the outrageous liberties which Laurie R. King takes with the master detective in this, her second resurrection of Sherlock Holmes in her Mary Russell series. Nor does that fine word cover the extent of the disappointment which readers, your truly included, feel (or are likely to feel) after trudging through a lame plot - laced with religious philosophy that's about as subtle as being brained with a service revolver - only to arrive at a cliched ending straight out of MACMILLIAN AND WIFE. Those who thrilled to King's truly remarkable THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE will no doubt wish to discover how Mary Russell developes into her own, but be warned: this time, the game is afoot, and it's limping - badly.

A Monstrous Regiment of Women is the second novel in a series that features the female detective Mary Russell. In this volume Russell, who is an Oxford theology scholar, meets Margery Childe, a natural religious mystic, who is the charismatic leader of the Temple of God in 1921 London. Drawn together by their feminist leanings, and attracted to each other by their different approaches to the spiritual, these two women become close. Yet Mary becomes even more involved when rich women start dying in suspicious ways, and their wills show they are leaving large sums to the Temple.

Mary has been a close friend to the retired Sherlock Holmes. Their meeting and early years together are described in the first volume of the series: The Beekeeper's Apprentice. He has been teaching her his skills as a detective. The Temple deaths become her first case.

There is a subplot of romance as Mary and the elderly Holmes develop a sexual attraction towards each other. How they deal with it and how it transforms their professional and personal relationship is quite interesting.

I have been a fan of another set of feminist mystery novels that features a female detective working with Sherlock Holmes, the Irene Adler series by Carole Nelson Douglas. Both series feature a feminist and assertively brilliant American woman with a strong personal career. While Mary Russell is a biblical scholar, Irene Adler is an opera singer. While Laurie King pits a teenage girl against a retired older Holmes, Douglas lifts right out of A Scandal in Bohemia a woman of his own age that Holmes was attracted to and weaves her novels around the existing Arthur Conan Doyle stories. Where Mary Russell is serious and Tom-boyish, Irene Adler is flamboyantly female. Yet both feel comfortable donning a male disguise in their work. Laurie King roots her novels in Mary's theological research which leaves little room for light humor. Douglas's series is much lighter with a minister's daughter playing it straight to Adler's theatrics. Mary Russell's close relationship with Holmes allows a lot more character development than does the more distant relationship between Douglas's married Adler and Holmes. Yet both series are delightful reads in their own ways.

In reading several other opinions of this book, it seems that for "traditionalists" the romance in this story might be off putting. I, however, a mystery and romance fan, found this to be one of the most compellingly romantic stories I have ever read. While at its heart it's a suspensful mystery with wonderful action sequences, I found that the on going dynamic between Russell and Holmes added depth of character in a way that most cozy mysteries often overlook. Age meant nothing, Mary's confusion was sincere and Holmes has now become a great romantic hero. Well done.

I adored the Beekeeper's Apprentice and was almost hesitant to read the second in the Mary Russell series, even while dying to find out more about Holmes and Russell. I wasn't disappointed. Monstrous Regiment surpassed my expectations by a mile. Mary Russell is mature, in command of her fortune and sparks between her and Holmes are starting to show. This book was so fascinating that it got me started researching the suffragete movement in England. A wonderful read, a great mystery and a lovely coming of age story. Laurie R. King does it again!

I recently reread King's Mary Russell series after reading the newest edition, "The Game," and I think "A Monstrous Regiment of Women" is still my favorite, though I'd recommend the whole series to anyone who's interested in an intelligent turn-of-the-century mystery starring an acerbic, intelligent woman who is more than the equal of the famous Sherlock Holmes.

I think "A Monstrous Regiment of Women" is the book I most enjoyed because it shows Russell pursuing a case that is entirely her own -- mysterious deaths among the followers of a charismatic feminist preacher -- and coming into her own as a woman in every sense of the word. Sherlock Holmes is very much present, but this is Russell's story and Russell is one of the most interesting characters I've encountered in mysteries.

I also enjoy the book because of the developing romantic relationship between Holmes and Russell. I've read the howls of protest from fans of Sherlock Holmes over this series, but I find King's books more enjoyable than Arthur Conan Doyle's. I took a course in college on Holmes and always viewed the stories as a rather quaint, stodgy, stilted picture of the Victorian era. By giving him Russell as a partner, King gave him a much needed shot in the arm and human vulnerabilities. Why wouldn't this Holmes fall in love with his best friend and partner? They're clearly soul mates. King makes the 39-year age difference insignificant.

I was impressed again with the talent of Laurie R. King. There are several levels of review in this book. First the coming of age of an intelligent and brave young women. Someone who is not afraid to be honest with herself. Second, a love story between equals . Two people that respect each other and themselves. Third, a mystery surrounding a women that could be incredibly evil or a saint. Fourth, the relationship between God and women and the relationship between God, man and woman. Fifth, what is the truth about the Bible's interpretation. All these work together to enliven the mind and romance the heart.

It is 1921, England is still adjusting to life after World War I, and in her second outing from the pen of talented writer Laurie King, Mary Russell has moved on to studies at Oxford. Her relationship with Holmes is necessarily changing, and a renewed friendship has involved her in a women's organization with a charismatic and mysterious leader. Mary is intrigued. So are we. Author King writes with a sure and steady hand, weaving interesting historical detail effortlessly into a fine tale. More importantly, she writes Sherlock Holmes exceedingly fine. Conversations between the two are the highlights of the book, which suffers only from too little Holmes. Mary Russell is an admirable heroine, and I look forward to reading her further adventures, but she truly sparkles in dialogue with her mentor.

Not just for romantic Holmes-loving bluestockings! Great series.