The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde

by Robert Louis Stevenson, Edoardo Ballerini (Narrator)

When a mild-mannered London physician concocts a potion to isolate the dark impulses of human nature, he unleashes a monstrous, depraved alter ego that threatens to consume his life and soul.

Genres: Classics, Book Club, Horror

Audible Audio

Published October 20, 2026

About the author

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, and a leading representative of English literature. He was greatly admired by many authors, including Jorge Luis Borges, Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling and Vladimir Nabokov.

Most modernist writers dismissed him, however, because he was popular and did not write within their narrow definition of literature. It is only recently that critics have begun to look beyond Stevenson's popularity and allow him a place in the Western canon.

Reviews

[Leslye (Grim) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always found this story fascinating, especially after encountering so many retellings over the years. Reading the original The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson gave me a deeper appreciation for where those adaptations come from. It's interesting to see the changes made in modern versions - what they emphasize, what they leave out, and how they reinterpret the themes.

Overall, I enjoyed this exploration of the duality of human nature, the idea of man becoming monster, and the internal struggle between good and evil. While it’s not my favorite of the classic horror novels I've read, it’s still a compelling and worthwhile read. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in classic horror, especially if you're drawn to stories that blend psychological horror with mystery and subtle detective elements.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m amazed that I hadn’t read this until now. It’s fascinating! I understand there are some more modern versions, and I’d like to read one or two of those as well.

I’m very glad I finally got around to reading this!

[Boyana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Не е хорор.
Мислам дека Хајд е зависност од дрога.

[Rylan Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent read, but seemingly disjointed at times. It is a very quick read as well, coming in at around 120 pages. Pretty cut and dry, but has a decent plot and an interesting theme. 4 star plot but more like 3 star writing

[Julie Ustad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dang for en interessant og spennende bok! Bare sånn 130 sida, men den e jo gammel så språket e litt komplisert, men det gikk fint! Viben føles litt som hvis Faust av Goethe hadd et barn med en detektivroman? Spooky, spennende, mørk og sikkert veldig overraskende plottwist hvis man lest den når den kom ut (i 1886) lol

[Rick Ruble · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to believe I had never read this before, in spite of knowing the story since my teen years. Stevenson had great insight into the human condition and the battle that rages within each of us (the apostle Paul mentioned the same thing in Romans 7 and Ephesians 6). The language and vocabulary of Stevenson is challenging!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading this classic

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second spooky classic for October

I feel like the effects of syphilis on Victorian culture and morality cannot be overstated

[noni · Rating 4 out of 5]

[re-read]
12 years-ish later from reading it at school and i had big craving of revisiting the story, i love the gothic style

[Matt Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly creepy for a book written in the 1800s

[Veni_Vedi_Legi · Rating 5 out of 5]

*a pitch black room*

CLICK!

(I am sitting across from you, a flashlight shining an eerie, garish light under my chin. I speak in a spooky voice. I am very spooky. Just in case you didn't catch that.)

I wish to tell you a story about the "duality of man." A tale of a man who could not reconcile his secret appetites with his public persona. A tale of a man and a monster within. The tale of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson.

CLICK!

(Florescent lights hum to life. It turns out you are sitting across from me in a classroom - perhaps even more frightening to some than the dark.😄)

By now, we all know the story. In some iteration or another, it has become a framework arguably almost as utilized as "The Hero's Journey," exemplified by "The Odyssey" by Homer.

Dr. Jekyll wants to separate his evil yearnings from his good self. But he does not wish to destroy or understand or fix that side of himself. No, he wants to indulge it free of guilt. He wants his cake and to eat it too. He wants to sin on Saturday and be saved on Sunday. Pick your metaphor.

He finds a science fiction-y way of making drugs that will do this for him. Now he is two men, as he wanted. But things go awry. Evil gets stronger. It goes out of control. And then - SPOILER! - he kills himself as Jekyll to stop Hyde. The whole thing is told from - at first - the point of view of Mr. Utterson, his lawyer and good, trusted friend, and lastly from Jekyll himself, through letter.

Its obviously allegory, but for what? "Duality of man" as stated in the text? The hypocrisy of the church or even just the well-to-do, keeping up false appearances? Homosexuality? Authorities in the Victorian era in London (when and where this takes place) were putting people in prison for suspected homosexuality. Example: Oscar Wilde.

However you choose to interpret it, there is evidence in the text for it. Most choose the broader "duality of man," which - like most - was what I was taught. But there is definitely interesting discussion to be had about other interpretations.

The writing is rich and laden with gorgeous Victorian imagery. The story is haunting and spooky. You can close your eyes and see the smoggy, lamp-lit streets of London at night. Hear the approaching footsteps on the cobblestone. Feel the fear on the back of your neck.

I highly recommend it for a spooky read and its only a little over 100 pages long!

*** All reviews are my opinion only. Your experience may vary. ***

[Gabriela C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil.” 

WOW. I enjoyed this audiobook a lot more than expected. Everyone knows about “Jekyll and Hyde” character dynamics in books and movies now, but it was really amazing to step into the original. I loved that the beginning of the story felt like a police investigation, and it slowly transforms into this scientific, psychological horror battle within one person. I thought I knew the story, but finding out the “good” character is the one that unleashes the “evil” character and slowly loses control of both was shocking considering I always thought it was the inverse. It reiterates that you can’t know a person 100%. The constant struggle of being one man or the other really marked that descent into complete madness because the reality of it all was he was both. 

This is a very short audiobook and book. It’s very fitting right now AKA spooky season. I really enjoyed it. Consider giving it a read. 😎

[Lauren Doherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable classic Gothic. Perfect in preparation for Halloween. A nice manageable length.

A precaution on the seductive nature of evil. Dr. Jekyll invents a serum to split his psyche in two; good and evil. However, he creates a second bodily form in Mr Hyde. He goes on to indulge in wickedness as Mr. Hyde, whilst maintaining irreproachability as the doctor. It goes to show that good and evil cannot necessarily cohabitate, as previously theorized. That evil will always corrupt good. And good cannot nullify evil. We see Mr. Hyde become increasingly present, resulting in Dr. Jekyll’s eventual suicide, to finally rid himself of the beast’s influence.

[Estrella de Mar · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Leí este libro porque fue una recomendación de Terror por Goodreads. La verdad esperaba que al menos diera miedo, pero lo clasificaría como un cuento dramático corto. Al principio inició siendo muy interesante pero siento que a medida que se fue desarrollando se volvió demasiado aburrido, casi al punto en el que era demasiado previsible lo que iba pasar. La novela intenta no explicarte el fenómeno del que trata hasta el último capítulo, sin embargo, puedo decir que desde el segundo capítulo ya sabía cuál era el “secreto” y la explicación del “extraño caso”, por lo que no hubo un factor de emoción ni suspenso, y mucho menos de terror para mi

[Raul Melendez · Rating 1.5 out of 5]

Honestly . . . I really don't understand all the hype surrounding this book. Nothing of real substance seems to happen. Perhaps I've completely missed the point (or important details), but the pace is excruciatingly slow, and there doesn't seem to be a solid point. What there certainly was was a lot of repetition. Stephen King raves about this book, especially Hyde walking over a young child and how one could hear the bones crunching under the footsteps. The one thing that was clear was that Hyde was dark and evil and Jeckyll was light and (goodness?). If I recommend this book, it would have to be with conditions.

[Irina Prokofieva · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I must admit I didn't know much about the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, except that it deals with the duality of man. So everything was new and surprising to me.

I thought the story was very well done—the suspense, the gradual revelations and hints at what might be going on, the big reveal at the end—I loved it! The pacing was perfect, the setting in foggy London was top-notch, and the book was very easy to read. I'd say it's one of the most accessible and straightforward classics I've read from that period. Plus, it's very short.

I can definitely see why this story has stood the test of time, and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.

[Melanie Bailiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was exactly what I expected and at the same time was different from what I was thinking it would be. I’m sure that’s because over time pop culture has been more creative with the differences between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and gone more in depth with the characters. It reminded me a lot of Frankenstein in the way it was written. I also wasn’t expecting the narrator to be who it was, but it made the book feel like more of a mystery that way. It was an only 98 pages, so it was a short read, and perfect to read around Halloween.

Actual Rating: 7/10 or 4/5 stars

[Shane Maher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have made a challenge to myself to try and read one classic novel a year and my love of the eponymous musical lead me here. I think the brevity of this novel helps the pacing quite a bit, though the narrative can be a bit jumpy, the consequence of RLS writing it in the span of a weekend, I imagine. All in all, the mystery was very intriguing and the characters were engaging and the allegory is solid.

[Amanda S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but thoroughly enjoyable read, at least for myself. Dr. Jeckyll and Mr Hyde was one of the first books to explore the idea of the "inner shadow" of a person, especially in this sort of classic horror setting.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of students have been assigned this short novel before they get to AP Language, so it comes up a bit in our discussions. This reread, I was thinking about lenses that go beyond the dark side of human nature--addiction, Victorian mores, etc.

[Carl Sagstad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was excellent, one I’d heard of but knew absolutely nothing about it. I went in blind.
It was easy to read and not too long, with an engaging storyline.

[Megan Booth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was good things to think about in this one. Liked how it made me think deeper

[Brian Rector · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't believe I've never read this. What the heck was on Jeckyll's devious mind that he needed a Hyde to execute? I need to queue up more Robert Louis Stevenson.

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

a little dry/slow in the letter-excerpt sections, but fun nonetheless

[Ella Grace]

Read for school! I liked the movie better but so glad I read the book

[Maria Mena · Rating 4 out of 5]

plot tuist

[yungjisus · Rating 5 out of 5]

este libro fue muy importante para mi un MUST READ

[chinitabb · Rating 3 out of 5]

breve e interesante a la vez. mantiene el suspenso a lo largo del libro hasta que te revela finalmente los sucesos sobrenaturales

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick but worthwhile read. Felt a lot like Frankenstein and Dracula in tone and style.

[Elise Marilene · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

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