Instead of adding my own review of this best seller, A Slight Trick of the Mind, for which tons of reviews already exist, I'm just scribbling some of my initial reactions after my first reading.

As I kid, I loved to read the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr Watson.  Needless to say, those memories made this book very enjoyable to me, as Holmes' character is close to my heart.  But in allusion to the rave reviews on how Cullin succeeds at portraying his human frailties, part of the famous sleuth's attraction for me was his superhero-ness, the persona that was beyond ordinary humans.  The deft presentation of this humanity leaves me wondering which I would've preferred.  Do I cling to Sherlock Holme's invincible aura I was so accustomed to reading about as a kid, or do I feel more connected to the being that I can better relate to, one with weaknesses and faults?  Due to the moroseness of these frailties presented, I am tempted to say the former.  But I hesitate to declare this choice unequivocally.  In making me squirm as I read about my hero and question how I really want to remember him, the author demonstrates his mastery in touching the reader on a personal and intimate level, perhaps uncomfortably so.  As I put the book down with mixed feelings about the story, I invite you to enjoy the superb writing and come to your own conclusions on how you feel about it.