The Progress of Sherlock Holmes by Ivy Blossom

The stream of consciousness in incredibly immediate and true-to-life, but never heavy or boring in any way. I absolutely love the way Sherlock's voice was rendered. It'll have to tide me over until season 3. The secondary characters were represented brilliantly and the whole thing just felt so familiar and sincere. I especially loved the anatomical detail and use of text messages. It would be just like BBC's Sherlock to think at the speed of light and have all these minutiae flit through his consciousness. At first I was a little put off by the rapid-fire prose and gross overuse of parentheses, but then I started imagining it in Benedict Cumberbatch's voice and it was perfect. Sure, there's a lot of angst, but it's Sherlock-flavoured angst, so it's awesome and self-aware. A lot of the tension is lent by John's choices (and I'd rant about them, but I don't want to spoil it). There's no central plot other than the two of them trying to untangle the gordian knot that is their relationship Sherlock's crime-solving happens in the background, so don't expect a mystery.

This is a delicious glimpse into Sherlock's labyrinthine mind as he struggles with his attraction to Watson. I have serious reservations about reading fan fiction of anything I really love because there's more chance of it pissing me off than me actually enjoying it.

Seriously, that bow scene with Sherlock and Mycroft is a joy I will reread. Gluttonous in comparison to the scant attention afforded everything else. Those things that Sherlock focuses on, obsesses over are wrought in stunning detail, utmost care in the admiration of their construct and whether it is John or a violin bow-it is an indulgence in sensuality. My ignorance is as remarkable as my knowledge. Literally, inside Sherlock and surveying as he would without extraneous data. It was the hyper-close first person point of view that made it work.

Everything important revealed, bare-naked without the artifice of inconsequentials. I can see how it might not appeal to some, but for me, it was like reading shorthand. It felt so comfortable and immediately understandable, it's how I think albeit with less medical biology as the filter. So sharp like flashes of input constantly running and evaluating-analyzing. Sherlock's thought process is what won me.

The Progress of Sherlock Holmes by Ivy Blossom