Last week, I caught up on British news, especially COVID-19 and Brexit.
Enola Holmes, younger sister of Mycroft and Sherlock, solving mysteries and changing the world[/caption]The movie Enola Holmes, about the younger sister of Sherlock, was released by Netflix on Wednesday. I just happened to log in that day so I saw it on its debut day. I was so charmed that I watched it a second time yesterday.
Enola Holmes delighted me from the first shot. She rides her bicycle in Victorian dress, while telling her story straight to the audience. Her tale is illustrated with quick vignettes of animated collage and scene snippets of life with her mother, played by Helena Bonham Carter.
The game is quickly afoot when Enola's mother disappears and her two brothers, Mycroft and Sherlock, return home to discover what has happened. The plot thickens as Enola takes on the role of detective, her brothers appearing to be uninterested or inadequate for the job.
Enola Holmes was intended for theatrical release, but COVID-19 changed all that and the film premiered on Netflix.
The film is based on a book, The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Spring, the first in a six-book series published between 2006 and 2010. So, perhaps, this film will be the first in a franchise. The books were for young adults - Enola is 16. The film has some harrowing moments and is rated PG-13. Of course, the story is enhanced by some familiarity with the character of Sherlock Holmes.
Have you seen Enola Holmes? What did you think?
About Joy Weese Moll
a librarian writing about books