Enola Holmes
| Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Enola Holmes |
| Abbreviation(s): | |
| Creator: | Nancy Springer |
| Date(s): | First book published 2006, movie released Sept 2020 |
| Medium: | book series, movie |
| Country of Origin: | United States |
| External Links: | The Enola Holmes Mysteries and Enola Holmes (film) at Wikipedia |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Enola Holmes is the protagonist and narrator of a series of books by Nancy Springer, and more recently the heroine of a popular Netflix adaptation starring Millie Bobby Brown. She is the much younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, the Sherlock Holmes canon having inspired Springer and her editor to create the series.
Premise
Enola Holmes is the much younger sister of Sherlock Holmes, who has been raised in almost complete isolation at the Holmes' country estate, with only her mother for companionship. When her mother unexpectedly disappears -- on Enola's birthday, no less -- leaving behind only a handful of cryptic clues, this youngest Holmes sibling is left alone to secure her future and prove that she is as clever and resourceful as her elder brothers, who are equally determined (at least at first) to see her transformed into a properly feminine and socially acceptable member of polite Victorian society.
Books
The initial series consisted of six chapter books written to appeal to "middle grade" readers, and appeared from 2007 through 2010. Following the success of the Netflix adaptation, Springer returned to the series, publishing Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche in 2021, and Enola Holms and the Elegant Escapade in early fall 2022. These newer volumes are longer, feature more complex plots, and are marketed to young adult readers as well as fans of the Netflix film(s).
Film(s)
Though initially conceived for theatrical release, the film adaptation of Enola Holmes was acquired by Netflix midway through the development process. Star Millie Bobby Brown, also credited as a co-producer, had been an avid fan of Springer's books and pursued the film rights via her production company. The film's story parallels that of the first book (The Case of the Missing Marquess), though some details are modified. Specifically, movie-Enola is sixteen years old as opposed to 14, and the reason for her mother's disappearance just prior to the series' opening is altered, allowing Helena Bonham Carter to appear in that role.
Enola Holmes proved to be one of Netflix' most popular releases of 2021, garnering acclaim from both critics and viewers in addition to financial success. As of mid-2022 a sequel is in production, with Brown and several other performers returning, including Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes and Louis Partridge as Viscount Tewkesbury.
Fanworks
Fanfic
While the Springer books initially drew a degree of fannish attention (largely from existing fans of Holmesian pastiche), the release of the Netflix adaptation sparked a flurry of additional interest. Despite this uptick, the total volume of fic remains small (well within Yuletide rarity levels). Despite the differences between the books and films, the majority of fanworks are broadly cross-compatible with both versions. Ships exist both for Enola/Tewkesbury (het), and Enola/Cecily (slash), the latter involving a character introduced in the series' second book, The Case of the Left-Handed Lady; both pairings remain extra-canonical through Black Barouche.
- Amongst Friends by sanguinity
- Open Wounds by trash_kid
- Public Lives by RecessiveJean
- The Wright Archive (featuring Enola Holmes and allies) by Gray Cardinal (series, 2 works to date)
Fanart
Other Literature
Links and Resources
- Enola Holmes Series - Nancy Springer at Archive of Our Own
- Enola Holmes (Movies) at AO3
- Enola Holmes character tag at AO3