The Case of the Missing Marquess (An Enola Holmes Mystery) by Nancy Springer
Summary - Enola Holmes is the younger sister of the most famous detective in the world, Sherlock Holmes. Her mother is an eccentric progressive who disappears on her fourteenth birthday, and her oldest brother, Mycroft, wants to send her to a finishing school to "make a lady out of her". Overall, Enola decides it is time to strike out on her own, and heads to London to live her own life in her own way. Relying on secret flower messages left by her mother, and the money the puzzles lead to, Enola sets herself up as a self-sufficient widow, but soon finds herself enmeshed in a mysterious kidnapping scheme. In the end, it will take all of Enola's intelligence and new found independence, as well as a little assistance from her family, to find her way safely out.
Impressions - Enola Holmes starts the book as a precocious, but sheltered, Victorian girl and ends it with the growing temperament and understanding of a modern young woman. In this series opener, the Missing Marquess of the title, and Enola's adventures at getting him home, is merely one piece of a book whose concentration lies in exploring the relationships between mothers and daughters, as well as those between siblings, and, perhaps more importantly, social expectations and how much we should allow them to dictate who we are. Enola suffers from her mother's desertion, but through the book, and the subsequent sequels, comes to better understand her mother's decisions, even if she recognizes that they were not the ones she herself would have made. Additionally, Enola's relationships with her brothers begin in very constrained manner - rigidly defined by social expectations - but over the course of solving this mystery (as well as the follow on ones), Enola and Sherlock learn more about each other and gain a mutual respect that surpasses Enola's initial awe of her brilliant older brother. The investigation of the family and the push for independence in spite of society's expectations are the most important elements of this book, and offer interesting insights for children of all ages. While the Victorian descriptions and social standards may be unfamiliar to most readers, they offer a great starting point for further discussion and examination, and readers will become more familiar and comfortable with them throughout the series. The character of Enola, with her common sense and acceptance of self, stands as a great role model for young women and can help them work out issues of inferiority and loneliness, with a little adventure and mystery on the side.
Reviews - In rehosting of a School Library Journal review on Amazon.com (1), B. Allison Gray discusses Enola's "bravery" and writes that the underlying theme of the book surrounds the idea that Enola "wants her brothers affection, or indeed anyones, but knows that a socially accepted life will strictly limit her freedom and learning (sic)." Ms. Gray discusses how excited she is that this is the beginning book in an "exciting new series", and what an "extremely appealing heroine" Enola is for young readers everywhere. This review gives readers a good impression of what the book is about and what the characters are like, as well as who will most be drawn to the spirit of the youngest Holmes sibling.
Use - This book would be a wonderful introduction for any child, but especially for girls, into the Victorian era and the Sherlock Holmes mystery novels. Readers as young as late-elementary school will be drawn in to Enola's stories, and the social mores discussions are a great starting point for parents to talk with children about peer/social pressures and demands - and what the child's true feelings about them may be. In true escapist form, this book offers young girls a look a the bridge between girlhood and becoming a young woman, and the mystery elements only heighten this aspect, and add additional interest points for younger readers. It is refreshing to see the Victorian era, and the young members of its society, discussed in a practical and realistic manner in a children's book, and the Enola Holmes series is a fun exploration for any young reader.
(1) Gray, B. A. (Unk). The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery (hardcover). Retreived from http://www.amazon.com/Case-Missing-Marquess-Holmes-Mystery/dp/0399243046/ref=dp_return_1?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
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