A study in scarlet

Back in London.

I've read nothing during the last 2 weeks, apart from a Thesis on a related topic to my PhD research. Today I did. In my go-trip I finished the first part of A Study in Scarlet (Conan Doyle, 1887), the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes. Today, as I was waiting for boarding my returning flight I continued with the second part, in spite of my uneasiness and little anxiety (I find harder and harder to come back lately, not only first days).

I have been struck by it. I've loved it! My interest in the story has been increasing page after page from the misleading initials as seems not to bear any relation with the first part whatsoever. I've been reading from take-off to landing, well enjoying the story.

Apart from the portrayal of Mormons (which is devastating), the story is marvellous. A full compendia of emotions and virtues, actions and heroes, evil and villains, love, hate and wrath, injustice and fairness, hopes and fear, the almighty and omnipresent fear. It is the perfect story for a story-teller. In fact, I've thought that it might be fun to re-write it in a fairy-tale format.

The story of the hungry, thirsty, dying creatures crawling the desert, the buzzards, the treat, the make and splendor of John Ferrier, the beauty of Lucy, the story of how Jefferson Hope saves Lucy's life and fells in love with her, the settling of the marriage between Hope and Lucy, the threatens, the mysterious and ghostly paintings and the count-down for 29 days, the escape, the Avenging Angles, the Four, the schism, dead of John and Lucy, the feelings of all characters, the pursuit of Hope after Drebber and Stangerson, the murders, the description of Hope's ill heart and death ... So inspiring, so evocative,so rich! The criminal is giving a background, and what a background... . A purpose and a human touch.

I've also thought about writing a proper essay, step by step, exploring down everything and making comment on each detail of the story.

Or what about a movie or a musical suit out of it?

Or to start a collection of stories on the lack of freedom (dictatorship), coming from Religion?:
 "(...) Beyond his post the path broadened out, and the horses were able to break into a trot. Looking back, they could see the solitary watcher leaning upon his gun, and knew that they had passed the outlying post of the Chosen People, and that freedom lay before them".