Enola Holmes: A Fresh Gust of Wind that Replaces Age-Old Male Detectives

Enola Holmes

Enola Holmes, sister of Sherlock Holmes on the way to be a world-famous detective like her brother is all the film about. Yet there is more to the film than what meets the eyes.

The literary and cinematic trend of retelling stories from the perspective of a character other than the original protagonist of a bestseller has gained quite a popularity these days. The same has been followed in the very plot of the film. While detectives have been largely portrayed as men by authors, Nancy Springer, the original book series writer, decided to bring forth a female detective who could trick any man with her wits. And she chose Sherlock Holmes as the backdrop. Who on earth would have imagined that the famous fictional detective had such a happening family other than Springer who brought them to us.

Enola has humor, knowledge, intelligence, physical strength, and everything that a woman in the 19th century could only dream to have. She is a misfit amongst the ladies of her time embodying a glimpse of the female movement that started during the period in England. Thanks to her mother, Eudoria Holmes played by Bonham Carter, the matriarch (a single mother) of the Holmes family who trains her to emerge as a fierce feminist.

I was completely taken aback by Millie Bobby Brown as Enola. Playing the weird super-kid has perhaps become her favorite prototype since she stunned us earlier with a similar role in Stranger Things. What I found most entertaining and humorous in the film are the monologues by Millie aka Enola. I have a funny feeling that Millie is going to be the upcoming female superstar in Hollywood just the way Emma Watson did – from Hermoine to Belle. I want to watch more of Millie Bobby Brown in the coming days and I am sure even you will after you watch the film.

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Though Millie is the protagonist, all the female eyes have been caught by Sherlock Holmes played by Henry Cavill. This man is just too hot to handle and has played Sherlock so rightly. His chemistry as a brother to Millie is just amazing. There’s news that Henry is going to play James Bond in upcoming Netflix ventures. Fingers crossed.

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Coming to Bonham Carter, largely known for playing Lestrange in Harry Potter films, she has yet again chosen a script that matches the crazy lady prototype. Only this time, she is not exactly evil but whimsical to bring a revolution. The inclusion of characters like these is commendable as misfits badly need to find a fit amongst the stereotypes who otherwise judge the whole time.

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If you feel that I’m missing out the guy Enola fell for, chuck it. She deserves better and she knew it right from the beginning. I couldn’t find anything striking about his performance either.

I would rate the film 4.5/5 with a deduction of 0.5 for Sam Claflin as Mycroft Holmes, the eldest of the three children. I did not find Sam to be doing justice to his role. He could have been a bit more grave and strict to match the description of the character.

Director Harry Bradbeer recently mentioned that he made the film for little ‘fleabags’, referring to the award-winning series by the same name. He rightly said so as he connects wonderfully with women who are judged every day by the patriarchal world out there.

More sequels to this film, please!

 

5 Indian Mythological Fictions that are thrilling like a Sci-fi

shiva with a snake

Every country is deep-rooted in its mythology. While there are several claims and historical evidence of mythologies, not everything has been found true by researchers. Yet the age-old tales, either spread by word of mouth or written by hermits and scholars have indeed captivated the history of the land they have spoken of.

Moreover, each of these myths has had several renditions while being narrated by different people over the passage of time.

Lately, writers across India have been affected by a literary trend that emerged back in the west when writers took the liberty of mixing facts and mythology with fiction which came to be known as mythological fiction. This genre has been picked up so wonderfully by our writers that none of their books can be put down. While some have researched the unrevealed section of the myth, some chose to speak of taboos, and some even glorified the villain.

I have listed five such books written by Indian writers which will thrill you no less than science fiction. Here they are.

 

shiva trilogy

Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathi

Shiva Trilogy has been selling like hotcakes ever since its publication. The book series has become synonymous with the genre itself. Written by Amish Tripathi, the trilogy depicts the story of the Hindu Lord Shiva since his advent as a God.

Amish humanizes the sacred lord as a Tibetan immigrant who is the only hope of the Chandravanshi’s against the evil in his first book – Immortals of Meluha. His second book –The Secret of Nagas portrays Shiva as the God, the destroyer of evil, set to find the door of the Nagas with vengeance in his mind. The third in the series, The Oath of the Vayuputras, is the final showdown between the destroyer of evil and his enemy.

The Pregnant King

The Pregnant King by Devdutt Pattnaik

Devdutt Patnaik can easily be deemed as the mythology know-all of the current living generation. The Pregnant King is one of the best books written by him although each of his books is completely worth reading. He has also used pictorial representations in many of his books.

The book tells the story of Yuvanashva, a childless king, who accidentally drinks the magic potion meant to make his queens pregnant. It is set in the backdrop of the Mahabharata and makes references to characters and incidents in the Kurukshetra as well as the Ramayana.

The palace of Illusion

The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Every story has many facets when retold through the eyes of each of its characters. The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is likewise the retelling of Mahabharata from Panchali/Draupadi’s perspective. In an epic that deals majorly with male characters, The Palace of Illusions narrates the story through a woman’s mind.

Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi

The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi

This book is the best creation by writer Ashwin Sanghi. He weaves the story around a boy who grows up believing that he is the tenth avatar of Vishnu, and ends up being a serial killer. From the mystical city of Dwarka and its remains deep under the sea to the ivory white Taj Mahal, Sanghi makes the reader visualize it all very vividly.

Asura by Anand Neelakanthan

Asura: Tale of the Vanquished by Anand Neelakantan

Did you know that in parts of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka the greatest of all mythological villains – Raavana – is actually revered and worshiped? The ancient king of Sri Lanka was full of wisdom and might which the Ram Rajya failed to notice.

Anand Neelakantan, in his book Asura, retells the Ramayana from Raavan’s perspective. Asuras, the declining clan, saw Ravana as a young leader and their only hope for prosperity narrates Neelakantan.