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The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories
What a study in contrasts is the friendship between Henry Jekyll and his boon companion, Edward Hyde. Where Jekyll is a handsome and respected man of science, Hyde is a surly and brutish misanthrope. Nevertheless, Jekyll has allowed Hyde free access to his home and laboratory and, surprisingly, made him the sole beneficiary of his will. Given the closeness of their bond, it seems peculiar that no one has ever seen the two men together in public. And yet they share a remarkable chemistry . . .
First published in 1886, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of the duality of human nature and his iconic presentation of what would come to be referred to as the “split personality.”
First published in 1886, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of the duality of human nature and his iconic presentation of what would come to be referred to as the “split personality.”
288 pages, Paperback
Published December 13, 2021
166 people are currently reading
1105 people want to read
About the author
Robert Louis Stevenson
6,652 books6,877 followersRobert 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
July 3, 2024
"My devil had long been caged, he came out roaring."
The complexity of the mind and its endless warfare, my greatest fascination.
The complexity of the mind and its endless warfare, my greatest fascination.
October 7, 2022
A classic tale of Gothic Science Fiction that we all have been spoiled for, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde holds few surprises but is rich enough in atmosphere and relevant themes that it earns its status as one of the most iconic novels of its kind. Everyone knows the twist here but Stevenson still fills his story with intrigue and mystery by utilizing elegant prose and multiple perspectives. He cleverly switches up the narrative style from third person to epistolary first person by the end. Even knowing the reveal was coming, the structure made the novel engrossing and the final chapter was chilling and heartbreaking to read. I'm glad that I got the chance to experience the source material of this pervasive piece of pop-culture and the creepy Victorian vibes were perfect for a spooky season read.
October 29, 2025
It read more like a mystery this time!
I especially enjoyed the moody Victorian vibe! Perfect for the season!
I especially enjoyed the moody Victorian vibe! Perfect for the season!
September 14, 2025
**my rating is only for ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’
October 5, 2024
《"You will not find Dr Jekyll; he is from home."》
♤jekyll: the man
♤hyde: the monster
~review
*quick note: I only read The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, not any of the other short stories.
A very interesting and creepy novella, Jekyll and Hyde explores human nature and the perils of giving in to temptation. Mr Utterson is an interesting character as well, and at the end I'm left wondering if he could have saved Jekyll had he only acted sooner.
~content
Murder, brief violence (all depicted in an older style of writing).
A child is run over.
A woman is hit.
One use of a-s.
♤jekyll: the man
♤hyde: the monster
~review
*quick note: I only read The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, not any of the other short stories.
A very interesting and creepy novella, Jekyll and Hyde explores human nature and the perils of giving in to temptation. Mr Utterson is an interesting character as well, and at the end I'm left wondering if he could have saved Jekyll had he only acted sooner.
~content
Murder, brief violence (all depicted in an older style of writing).
A child is run over.
A woman is hit.
One use of a-s.
January 9, 2024
Disclaimer: I have only read "Jekyll and Hyde" from this book, and am rating it solely on that story.
Jekyll and Hyde was a novella that had been on my list for years. I have only recently begun reading for pleasure again after multiple years away, so this seemed like a fitting story to hit early. Although the story has some of the issues such as complicated or dated verbiage I would commonly ascribe to "classic" literature, this story is not rendered unreadable as a result.
Jekyll and Hyde is as relevant and relatable today as when it was published in 1886. The themes of duality and human nature hold up and really shine here. I came into this book with little to no expectation and was happily surprised. Just a solid, classic story.
Jekyll and Hyde was a novella that had been on my list for years. I have only recently begun reading for pleasure again after multiple years away, so this seemed like a fitting story to hit early. Although the story has some of the issues such as complicated or dated verbiage I would commonly ascribe to "classic" literature, this story is not rendered unreadable as a result.
Jekyll and Hyde is as relevant and relatable today as when it was published in 1886. The themes of duality and human nature hold up and really shine here. I came into this book with little to no expectation and was happily surprised. Just a solid, classic story.
February 21, 2021
Comprei este livro pelo conto principal, "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", que é certamente um dos trabalhos mais populares do autor. Gostei da história, embora o twist não tenha sido uma surpresa para mim. Não se tornou um dos meus clássicos preferidos mas fico contente por riscar mais um título da lista.
Quantos aos restantes contos, não achei nenhum particularmente interessante ou tão bom como o principal. Posso destacar os meus dois preferidos, "The Bottle Imp" e "The Isle of Voices"; de resto, não tenho muito mais a exacerbar sobre esta colectânea. Mas também não me posso considerar desiludida, afinal, contos nunca foram a minha praia.
Quantos aos restantes contos, não achei nenhum particularmente interessante ou tão bom como o principal. Posso destacar os meus dois preferidos, "The Bottle Imp" e "The Isle of Voices"; de resto, não tenho muito mais a exacerbar sobre esta colectânea. Mas também não me posso considerar desiludida, afinal, contos nunca foram a minha praia.
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February 18, 2022
Read in one sitting. Zero thoughts for any sort of worthwhile review tbh. It did it's job. I probably should not have picked it up whilst having a cold, since I'm sure I zoned out a few times.
December 16, 2021
While I haven't gotten to the "Other Stories," "The Strange Case ..." was a wonderful Halloween read. I had something different in mind when I began reading "The Strange Case ..." I'm glad I read this story. It is thought provoking.
June 26, 2024
If Sherlock and Frankenstein were combined! This is the book. Weird & wordy. I get the Jekyll references though now! Two people inside one.
August 29, 2025
The title novella is a little masterpiece, even better than I recall from reading it in middle school. I love its pacing, its rootedness in the real world (somewhat following the detective format), and its narration that becomes progressively better acquainted with the truth of the matter. The small cast comes to life, and the actions of the protagonist are unsettlingly plausible.
None of the other stories here comes close, though they’re all well written and show a lot of range. Only one—Will O’ The Mill—is completely devoid of any connection to the “horror” genre, and is a pleasant but forgettable read. Of the rest, Olalla has excellent atmosphere but little else; The Waif-Wife is better in idea than execution; Thrawn Janet is written in Scottish dialect for some reason; Markheim is basically Crime and Punishment fanfic that hardly stands up to the original; The Body-Snatchers provides a nice perspective on the Burke & Hare mixers but could have easily been longer. The best are The Bottle-Imp and The Isle of Voices, which both have unique premises, satisfying endings, and vividly developed Pacific Islander protagonists.
None of the other stories here comes close, though they’re all well written and show a lot of range. Only one—Will O’ The Mill—is completely devoid of any connection to the “horror” genre, and is a pleasant but forgettable read. Of the rest, Olalla has excellent atmosphere but little else; The Waif-Wife is better in idea than execution; Thrawn Janet is written in Scottish dialect for some reason; Markheim is basically Crime and Punishment fanfic that hardly stands up to the original; The Body-Snatchers provides a nice perspective on the Burke & Hare mixers but could have easily been longer. The best are The Bottle-Imp and The Isle of Voices, which both have unique premises, satisfying endings, and vividly developed Pacific Islander protagonists.
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August 10, 2024Nothing can make me happier than when someone I love shares with me a history that they love. I would like to thank my friend Rebecca for introducing me to the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
I have duelled on the idea of guilt before. The book's take is that there is good and evil inside of each man, and all actions inflict a level of decision. Even if related to pleasure, good for guilt. Therefore evil is good for the self and the good was judgemental and shamed a man for his desires and actions.
What I found to be the most interesting in the narrative was the other characters' judgment of (in this case physical) duality of Dr. Jekyll. They were sorry to realise that he was held "hostage" by Mr. Hyde. He was his own prisoner.
Hyde was indifferent to Jekyll. Jekyll was afraid of Hyde.
"Nothing lived in him but fear" - fear is the fuel of evil
"The evil side of my nature, to which I had now transferred the stamping efficacy, was less robust and less developed than the good which I had just deposed."
I"n those provinces of good and ill which divide the compound man's dual nature. In this case, I was driven to reflect deeply and inveterately on a hard law of life, which lies at the root of religion and is one of the most plentiful springs of distress. "
"I was in no sense a hypocrite; both sides of me were in dead earnest.
The man is not truly one. but truly two."
"Only if I could rightly say to be either, it was only because I was radically both. "
“I was slowly losing hold of my original and better self, and becoming slowly incorporated with my second and worse.”
I have duelled on the idea of guilt before. The book's take is that there is good and evil inside of each man, and all actions inflict a level of decision. Even if related to pleasure, good for guilt. Therefore evil is good for the self and the good was judgemental and shamed a man for his desires and actions.
What I found to be the most interesting in the narrative was the other characters' judgment of (in this case physical) duality of Dr. Jekyll. They were sorry to realise that he was held "hostage" by Mr. Hyde. He was his own prisoner.
Hyde was indifferent to Jekyll. Jekyll was afraid of Hyde.
"Nothing lived in him but fear" - fear is the fuel of evil
"The evil side of my nature, to which I had now transferred the stamping efficacy, was less robust and less developed than the good which I had just deposed."
I"n those provinces of good and ill which divide the compound man's dual nature. In this case, I was driven to reflect deeply and inveterately on a hard law of life, which lies at the root of religion and is one of the most plentiful springs of distress. "
"I was in no sense a hypocrite; both sides of me were in dead earnest.
The man is not truly one. but truly two."
"Only if I could rightly say to be either, it was only because I was radically both. "
“I was slowly losing hold of my original and better self, and becoming slowly incorporated with my second and worse.”
March 30, 2025
I liked Jekyll and Hyde but the rest of the stories were a little hard to focus on and enjoy. Otherwise I also liked Olalla and The Body Snatcher :)
August 12, 2024
I have an incredible soft spot for Victorian writers. I loved the writing, but the stories were a little tough to get through at times. I appreciate Stevenson’s range though. Definitely recommend for fans of Victorian writing or fans of niche horror.
September 24, 2025
Creepy!! I knew how it ended, but this would've been horrifying for the first time. Such good insights into the dual nature of man, feeding our altruistic or demonic selves, and how secrets catch up to you. I also love how understated he is. It doesn't have to be graphic to be terrifying.
February 23, 2019
I'll just paste in the separate reviews I did of all of the stories in this edition:
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
I read this as part of a bigger collection, and I didn't even notice, so I was really surprised when the story suddenly ended, haha!
It's such a shame that this story is so famous, cause you already know the whole mystery! So I guess that makes it less enjoyable. I couldn't really get very into it, I don't know if it was that, I couldn't concentrate or just haven't read a book this old in a while, so not used to how it's written.
But I'm glad that I've finally read it, and I will probably revisit it sometime! Now I will continue reading more of Robert Louis Stevenson's stories. I didn't even know his name, so I think this will be good for me!
Will O' the Mill
Really cute and nicely written!
Markheim
A (very) short story about a man who goes to a closed antique store. The dealer implies that when he usually comes, he is there to sell likely stolen items, but this time he wants to buy a christmas present for a woman. The dealer suggests a mirror, but when Markheim sees his reflection, he becomes angry and doesn't want it. When the dealer turns his back to pick something else, Markheim stabs him, killing him. A short while later a man Markheim thinks is the devil shows up, and starts talking to him, telling him what will happen next and his past - and they start to talk about good and evil. Markheim knows he hasn't been good in his life, but he still decides to the right thing and turn himself in.
It was ok. The good vs evil thing reminds me a bit of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. But it's very short, so there's not that much to it.
Thrawn Janet
Ok my review might not be very fair, cause I had such a hard time understanding the story - Literally! It was very difficult for me to read. There were a couple of footnotes, but it would have been better if just the whole thing was translated.
As for the story itself, I guess it would have been creepy / scary at the time, but for me no, haha.
Olalla
** spoiler alert ** First I thought this was just a regular short story, and then I noticed the gothic elements - and BOOM! Vampires. So that was pretty cool! But honestly, it was unecessarily long in my opinion. It wasn't boring, but I just felt that there was too much fluff, I guess.
The Bottle Imp
A great story! Seems like a classic fairytale.
The Isle of Voices
Don't have much to say about this one, it was alright. I think it's cool that Louis Stevenson wrote stories about Hawaii though, since that probably wasn't very common at the time.
The Waif Woman
A really cool story! Reminds me of the fairytales I heard as a child.
The Body-Snatcher
We have all heard the stories about body snatchers and graverobbers back in the day. This another one of them, and it has a little mystery to it, and I guess a supernatural twist. I didn't think it was great, but maybe it was at the time?
I'm glad that I am now more familiar with Robert Louis Stevenson's works. He isn't AMAZING, but he was a pretty diverse writer, especially when it came to the locations of his stories.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
I read this as part of a bigger collection, and I didn't even notice, so I was really surprised when the story suddenly ended, haha!
It's such a shame that this story is so famous, cause you already know the whole mystery! So I guess that makes it less enjoyable. I couldn't really get very into it, I don't know if it was that, I couldn't concentrate or just haven't read a book this old in a while, so not used to how it's written.
But I'm glad that I've finally read it, and I will probably revisit it sometime! Now I will continue reading more of Robert Louis Stevenson's stories. I didn't even know his name, so I think this will be good for me!
Will O' the Mill
Really cute and nicely written!
Markheim
A (very) short story about a man who goes to a closed antique store. The dealer implies that when he usually comes, he is there to sell likely stolen items, but this time he wants to buy a christmas present for a woman. The dealer suggests a mirror, but when Markheim sees his reflection, he becomes angry and doesn't want it. When the dealer turns his back to pick something else, Markheim stabs him, killing him. A short while later a man Markheim thinks is the devil shows up, and starts talking to him, telling him what will happen next and his past - and they start to talk about good and evil. Markheim knows he hasn't been good in his life, but he still decides to the right thing and turn himself in.
It was ok. The good vs evil thing reminds me a bit of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. But it's very short, so there's not that much to it.
Thrawn Janet
Ok my review might not be very fair, cause I had such a hard time understanding the story - Literally! It was very difficult for me to read. There were a couple of footnotes, but it would have been better if just the whole thing was translated.
As for the story itself, I guess it would have been creepy / scary at the time, but for me no, haha.
Olalla
** spoiler alert ** First I thought this was just a regular short story, and then I noticed the gothic elements - and BOOM! Vampires. So that was pretty cool! But honestly, it was unecessarily long in my opinion. It wasn't boring, but I just felt that there was too much fluff, I guess.
The Bottle Imp
A great story! Seems like a classic fairytale.
The Isle of Voices
Don't have much to say about this one, it was alright. I think it's cool that Louis Stevenson wrote stories about Hawaii though, since that probably wasn't very common at the time.
The Waif Woman
A really cool story! Reminds me of the fairytales I heard as a child.
The Body-Snatcher
We have all heard the stories about body snatchers and graverobbers back in the day. This another one of them, and it has a little mystery to it, and I guess a supernatural twist. I didn't think it was great, but maybe it was at the time?
I'm glad that I am now more familiar with Robert Louis Stevenson's works. He isn't AMAZING, but he was a pretty diverse writer, especially when it came to the locations of his stories.
May 17, 2020
I've currently only read the title story in this compilation, since that was my main drive for buying it. I plan on picking off the other stories between other books I read through the year.
First off, the star rating aspect of reviews. How can anyone really rate a classic, such as this, without being influenced by the years of its prevalence in our history and by virtue of it being labelled a classic, I honestly don't think you can. So, letting alone quality of writing, narrative construction, pacing and the myriad other elements that go into writing a quality novel, or in this case novella, my rating is based simply on overall reading enjoyment. To which end I think four stars is accurate. It possibly would have made it to five stars if not for the last twenty pages being Jekyll's own accounting of his experiments and their results, which was a large block of narration that seemed to offer little relief for the reader and bogged me down a little.
The story itself was not what I was expecting at all. Which is actually very gratifying to discover, and the reason I want to read more classic stories like this, to experience the real stories as they were originally written. We grow up privy to so many bastardised versions of classic stories, in movies, TV and written adaptations that all we tend to get is the essence and not the actuality.
The Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde was not the monstrously violent escapade I'd presumed it would be, instead it was more an externally observed case of loss and tragedy. The majority of the goings-on are observed from without not within, until the last section that is. And personally I think it probably held much more atmosphere because of this than if it had been written solely from Jekyll's point of view, as I expected it would be.
The writing itself won me over completely, I found it an absolute joy, and was happy to meander through the rich prose. I think it's both a tragedy and a blessing that books today aren't written with this kind of language structure, because it's a joy to read this kind of thing as a rarity, but if all books were written in this manner it would simply be an incredible chore.
I personally am a fan of, for want of a better phrase, 'flowery writing'. Writing that is happy to wander off into colourful and detailed explanations and descriptions, character moods and mindset, atmosphere building and sensory elements. So I very much look forward to dipping into this book and more of the works of Stevenson in the future.
First off, the star rating aspect of reviews. How can anyone really rate a classic, such as this, without being influenced by the years of its prevalence in our history and by virtue of it being labelled a classic, I honestly don't think you can. So, letting alone quality of writing, narrative construction, pacing and the myriad other elements that go into writing a quality novel, or in this case novella, my rating is based simply on overall reading enjoyment. To which end I think four stars is accurate. It possibly would have made it to five stars if not for the last twenty pages being Jekyll's own accounting of his experiments and their results, which was a large block of narration that seemed to offer little relief for the reader and bogged me down a little.
The story itself was not what I was expecting at all. Which is actually very gratifying to discover, and the reason I want to read more classic stories like this, to experience the real stories as they were originally written. We grow up privy to so many bastardised versions of classic stories, in movies, TV and written adaptations that all we tend to get is the essence and not the actuality.
The Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde was not the monstrously violent escapade I'd presumed it would be, instead it was more an externally observed case of loss and tragedy. The majority of the goings-on are observed from without not within, until the last section that is. And personally I think it probably held much more atmosphere because of this than if it had been written solely from Jekyll's point of view, as I expected it would be.
The writing itself won me over completely, I found it an absolute joy, and was happy to meander through the rich prose. I think it's both a tragedy and a blessing that books today aren't written with this kind of language structure, because it's a joy to read this kind of thing as a rarity, but if all books were written in this manner it would simply be an incredible chore.
I personally am a fan of, for want of a better phrase, 'flowery writing'. Writing that is happy to wander off into colourful and detailed explanations and descriptions, character moods and mindset, atmosphere building and sensory elements. So I very much look forward to dipping into this book and more of the works of Stevenson in the future.
July 28, 2022
{3⭐️} This had several short stories, so I will rate them all:
Jekyll and Hyde: 3⭐️ Though it’s the most famous, I could take it or leave it.
Will o’ the Mill: 4⭐️ A bit depressing, but I liked it.
“They are worlds like ours, some of them less; many of them one million times greater; and some of the least sparkles that you see are not only worlds but whole clusters of worlds turning about each other in the midst of space. We do not know what there may be in any of them; perhaps the answer to all our difficulties or the cure of all our sufferings: and yet we can never reach them; not all the skill of the craftiest men can fit out a ship for the nearest of these our neighbors, nor would the life of the most age suffice for a journey. When a great battle has been lost, or friend is dead, when we are hipped or in high spirits, there they are unweariedly shining overhead. We may stand down here, a whole army of us together, and shout until we break our hearts, and not a whisper reaches them. We may climb the highest mountain, and we are no nearer them. All we can do is to stand down here in the garden and take off our hats.”
Markheim: 3⭐️ A little sick and twisted, but then boring.
Thrawn Janet: 2⭐️ Literally forgot about this one already.
Olalla: 4⭐️ Entertaining and bizarre, but then again a boring ending.
The Bottle Imp: 5⭐️ LOVE such a funny and cute (definitely shouldn’t say cute but whatever) premise and execution. I loved the end!
“‘I tell you,’ said Keawe, ‘the man who has that bottle goes to hell.’
‘I reckon I’m going anyway,’ returned the sailor; ‘and this bottle’s the best thing to go with I’ve struck yet. No, sir!’ he cried again, ‘this is my bottle now, and you can go and fish for another.’”
The Isle of Voices: 1⭐️ I did not like this one.
The Waif Woman: 3⭐️ There were no stakes.
The Body-Snatcher: 3⭐️ I didn’t feel any suspense.
Jekyll and Hyde: 3⭐️ Though it’s the most famous, I could take it or leave it.
Will o’ the Mill: 4⭐️ A bit depressing, but I liked it.
“They are worlds like ours, some of them less; many of them one million times greater; and some of the least sparkles that you see are not only worlds but whole clusters of worlds turning about each other in the midst of space. We do not know what there may be in any of them; perhaps the answer to all our difficulties or the cure of all our sufferings: and yet we can never reach them; not all the skill of the craftiest men can fit out a ship for the nearest of these our neighbors, nor would the life of the most age suffice for a journey. When a great battle has been lost, or friend is dead, when we are hipped or in high spirits, there they are unweariedly shining overhead. We may stand down here, a whole army of us together, and shout until we break our hearts, and not a whisper reaches them. We may climb the highest mountain, and we are no nearer them. All we can do is to stand down here in the garden and take off our hats.”
Markheim: 3⭐️ A little sick and twisted, but then boring.
Thrawn Janet: 2⭐️ Literally forgot about this one already.
Olalla: 4⭐️ Entertaining and bizarre, but then again a boring ending.
The Bottle Imp: 5⭐️ LOVE such a funny and cute (definitely shouldn’t say cute but whatever) premise and execution. I loved the end!
“‘I tell you,’ said Keawe, ‘the man who has that bottle goes to hell.’
‘I reckon I’m going anyway,’ returned the sailor; ‘and this bottle’s the best thing to go with I’ve struck yet. No, sir!’ he cried again, ‘this is my bottle now, and you can go and fish for another.’”
The Isle of Voices: 1⭐️ I did not like this one.
The Waif Woman: 3⭐️ There were no stakes.
The Body-Snatcher: 3⭐️ I didn’t feel any suspense.
February 3, 2019
"But when I slept, or when the virtue of the medicine wore off, I would leap almost without transition into the possession of a fancy brimming with images of terror, a soul boiling with causeless hatreds, and a body that seemed not strong enough to contain the raging energies of life."
My first Robert Louis Stevenson book! It did not disappoint. He has a very intricate way of playing with words to properly express the emotions that the storyline requires.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is, of course, the best story in the collection though the others were quite marvellous too. What struck me the most was that Jekyll was attempting to create an alter-ego, so as to seperate his evil parts from his good parts and yet, after succeeding to do so, he suddenly seems so distant from the alter-ego that he doesn't even recognise (much less claim) it as his own anymore. Perhaps that is what makes the story so very human, that if we tr
saw what evil truly lurks inside us, we wouldn't even recognise it as our own.
The one other story that really struck me as well was Olalla. The story is about a man who falls in love with a woman and then finds out she is cursed. Not wanted to spread the curse any further she makes him leave her. Such a simple idea for a story but Stevenson dives deep into the emotions and suffering that it is impossible not to be moved by it. This story also has a lot of symbolism that painted a beautiful and complete picture.
It is not an easy read but absolutely worth the trouble of investing in!
My first Robert Louis Stevenson book! It did not disappoint. He has a very intricate way of playing with words to properly express the emotions that the storyline requires.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is, of course, the best story in the collection though the others were quite marvellous too. What struck me the most was that Jekyll was attempting to create an alter-ego, so as to seperate his evil parts from his good parts and yet, after succeeding to do so, he suddenly seems so distant from the alter-ego that he doesn't even recognise (much less claim) it as his own anymore. Perhaps that is what makes the story so very human, that if we tr
saw what evil truly lurks inside us, we wouldn't even recognise it as our own.
The one other story that really struck me as well was Olalla. The story is about a man who falls in love with a woman and then finds out she is cursed. Not wanted to spread the curse any further she makes him leave her. Such a simple idea for a story but Stevenson dives deep into the emotions and suffering that it is impossible not to be moved by it. This story also has a lot of symbolism that painted a beautiful and complete picture.
It is not an easy read but absolutely worth the trouble of investing in!
September 13, 2023
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is obviously a classic work, and I definitely enjoyed it! I knew the bare basics about this story before reading, so I was actually surprised as my expectations were that it would be more psychological than it was. With that being said, this legendary story deserves no less than 5 stars!
Will O’ the Mill-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a philosophical, thought-provoking, and beautifully written story! I don’t have anything negative to say about it, however, I didn’t find it quite impressive enough to warrant 5 stars.
Markheim-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A great short story that really reminded me of Dostoyevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”. 5 stars!!!
Thrown Janet-no rating (couldn’t understand Scottish dialect)
Olalla-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read this in one sitting. The gothic atmosphere was immediately captivating, and I really enjoyed the prose. It is very interesting and impressive that this was published 12 years before the classic Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It had very similar vibes in some small ways. I was also moved by the ending.
The Bottle Imp-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A lesson in not dealing with the devil! Extremely well written! I only wish there were slightly more consequences for the actions of the characters.
The Isle of Voices-⭐️⭐️
Didn’t really get the point of this one. It was written well, and made me laugh a few times.
The Waif Woman-⭐️⭐️⭐️
A story of the danger of greed and envy…not spectacular, but not bad in the least.
The Body Snatcher-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Creepy and well-written!
Total Stars: 32
Average: 4 ⭐️
This is obviously a classic work, and I definitely enjoyed it! I knew the bare basics about this story before reading, so I was actually surprised as my expectations were that it would be more psychological than it was. With that being said, this legendary story deserves no less than 5 stars!
Will O’ the Mill-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a philosophical, thought-provoking, and beautifully written story! I don’t have anything negative to say about it, however, I didn’t find it quite impressive enough to warrant 5 stars.
Markheim-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A great short story that really reminded me of Dostoyevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”. 5 stars!!!
Thrown Janet-no rating (couldn’t understand Scottish dialect)
Olalla-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read this in one sitting. The gothic atmosphere was immediately captivating, and I really enjoyed the prose. It is very interesting and impressive that this was published 12 years before the classic Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It had very similar vibes in some small ways. I was also moved by the ending.
The Bottle Imp-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A lesson in not dealing with the devil! Extremely well written! I only wish there were slightly more consequences for the actions of the characters.
The Isle of Voices-⭐️⭐️
Didn’t really get the point of this one. It was written well, and made me laugh a few times.
The Waif Woman-⭐️⭐️⭐️
A story of the danger of greed and envy…not spectacular, but not bad in the least.
The Body Snatcher-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Creepy and well-written!
Total Stars: 32
Average: 4 ⭐️
March 2, 2024
Stevenson is an amazing storyteller. His writing is captivating and his plot’s imaginative. I loved most of the stories in this collection.
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde: 5 Stars. We all know this story through cultural osmosis but I’m glad I finally read it. 🤡
Will o’ the Mill: 4 Stars
A wistful boy who at first longs to visit faraway cities but then adamantly chooses to stay home. Pretty philosophical. 🤡
Markheim: 4 Stars
A man commits a crime, and then chooses to be redeemed or sink further into evil. 🤡
Thrawn Janet: 5 Stars
A ghost story about a priest’s wife. This is written in a Scottish dialect that is hard to understand. 🤡
Olalla: 5 Stars
Strange happenings in a barely inhabited Spanish mansion where a man goes to convalesce. Gorgeous writing but can be long winded at times. 🤡
The Bottle Imp: 3 Stars
The imp in the bottle is the genie in the lamp. This is a “be careful what you wish for” tale. It was told a bit too simplistically for me. 🤡
The Isle of Voices: 3 Stars
Creative idea for sure! But this story like the one before was told too simplistically. It felt more like reading a fable. 🤡
The Waif Woman: 4 Stars
A woman appears with fine clothes and jewelry, but another woman wants them to be hers. 🤡
The Body Snatcher: 5 Stars
Two men, who had a sordid past with one another, coincidentally end up in the same bar. 🤡
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde: 5 Stars. We all know this story through cultural osmosis but I’m glad I finally read it. 🤡
Will o’ the Mill: 4 Stars
A wistful boy who at first longs to visit faraway cities but then adamantly chooses to stay home. Pretty philosophical. 🤡
Markheim: 4 Stars
A man commits a crime, and then chooses to be redeemed or sink further into evil. 🤡
Thrawn Janet: 5 Stars
A ghost story about a priest’s wife. This is written in a Scottish dialect that is hard to understand. 🤡
Olalla: 5 Stars
Strange happenings in a barely inhabited Spanish mansion where a man goes to convalesce. Gorgeous writing but can be long winded at times. 🤡
The Bottle Imp: 3 Stars
The imp in the bottle is the genie in the lamp. This is a “be careful what you wish for” tale. It was told a bit too simplistically for me. 🤡
The Isle of Voices: 3 Stars
Creative idea for sure! But this story like the one before was told too simplistically. It felt more like reading a fable. 🤡
The Waif Woman: 4 Stars
A woman appears with fine clothes and jewelry, but another woman wants them to be hers. 🤡
The Body Snatcher: 5 Stars
Two men, who had a sordid past with one another, coincidentally end up in the same bar. 🤡
March 22, 2016
This book was assigned in a British Literature class I took. I loved this novella. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of my all time favorite stories by Stevenson. The writing is fantastic and the story is great too.
This is a great story about the duality of man. The story is set in late nineteenth century London given the description in the story. For most of this story, Utterson is telling what is happening except for the last two chapters which are told from Lanyon's and Jekyll's point of view to explain their experiences from their perspectives. The narrator of the story is not known but speaks in a third person point of view. However, Dr. Lanyon and Dr. Jekyll each narrate a chapter in a confessional letter.
As everyone knows, Dr. Jekyll is the good one and Mr. Hyde is the evil one. The story is ultimately about Dr. Jekyll trying to keep his dark half under control, and also keep himself from turning into Hyde permanently. At the end of the story, Utterson discovers the letters written by Dr. Lanyon and Dr. Jekyll explaining everything.
I thought this was a really interesting story that I think everyone should read because it's fantastic. I think this is a masterpiece by Stevenson.
This is a great story about the duality of man. The story is set in late nineteenth century London given the description in the story. For most of this story, Utterson is telling what is happening except for the last two chapters which are told from Lanyon's and Jekyll's point of view to explain their experiences from their perspectives. The narrator of the story is not known but speaks in a third person point of view. However, Dr. Lanyon and Dr. Jekyll each narrate a chapter in a confessional letter.
As everyone knows, Dr. Jekyll is the good one and Mr. Hyde is the evil one. The story is ultimately about Dr. Jekyll trying to keep his dark half under control, and also keep himself from turning into Hyde permanently. At the end of the story, Utterson discovers the letters written by Dr. Lanyon and Dr. Jekyll explaining everything.
I thought this was a really interesting story that I think everyone should read because it's fantastic. I think this is a masterpiece by Stevenson.
November 1, 2018
{Rated PG-13: murder.... but quite vague in details and drug consumption} I’d rate this more as a 2.5 stars. Although I love the idea of a well respected doctor changing into a wild powerful murdering maniac by taking a drug that he has concocted, I was actually quite sadden when the story lacked much detail to everything. I know it’s a short story... but I think this story would have been so much more bad ass if it was instead a whole novel with more descriptive details about the way Dr. Jekyll changed into Mr. Hyde, as well as really dive into more character development with many of the side characters. The murders that happened could have been explained more with more enthusiasm and detail. But, it is an old tale and writing was much different back in that time. I felt the story kind of boring to be honest and it could have been so much more scarier if it had been a much longer book.
October 29, 2017
The first story in this collection, the famous (or infamous) Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is well-worth the read. A classic story, but also very readable and well-paced, Jekyll and Hyde is a fascinating tale to analyze, thinking of the nature of humanity and personality and what one's own darker side may desire. I highly recommend anyone who enjoys the contemporary retellings of this story should certainly read the original. The other stories included don't seem to have the same brilliance. I did enjoy the Polynesian story of the Bottle Imp, but otherwise, little in these stories resonated with me.
April 24, 2024
This short story of the pitiful Dr Jekyll's temptation and despair and Mr Hyde's vile acts of terror made by heart shudder. Stevenson's rich prose lays bare the darkness lurking within man's heart, a darkness to which even the most upright( or apparently upright) may succumb. A gripping, glorious, unsettling work that plumbs the abyssal depths of man's conflicted human nature and inability to rescue himself from evil within. Deep Christian themes. Another chilling short story in the collection, "The Body-Snatcher" about grave robbing and medical dissection is also a disturbing read!
February 3, 2022
God ! I need to buy me a physical copy just to reread this masterpiece. The beautiful writing is everything ahhhh it’s gold. I wish I didn’t know the spoiler beforehand. It would make a blast coming across it as a big reveal in the end but it’s written about 2 centuries ago, of course it would be spoiled:(
But the fact that it didn’t matter knowing it made it even better because I enjoyed the language immensely without worrying about the plot.
But the fact that it didn’t matter knowing it made it even better because I enjoyed the language immensely without worrying about the plot.
February 27, 2018
I am giving this book 4 stars for The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but I didn't enjoy some of the other short stories in this book. Will o' the Mill might be the most boring short story I have ever read and I didn't enjoy Thrawn Janet either. I enjoyed most of the other stories though.
October 7, 2021
Like most short story collections, this collection was a mixed bag. There were some really great stories along with some that were just okay. My favorites were The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Bottle Imp, The Isle of Voices, and The Body Snatchers
July 2, 2023
Classic horror is hard to come by when it's as good as Robert Louis Stevenson's.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde might now be a product of its time, but the genius behind it is undeniable. However, from the stories of this book, Thrawn Janet was the best by far.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde might now be a product of its time, but the genius behind it is undeniable. However, from the stories of this book, Thrawn Janet was the best by far.
September 30, 2017
I vastly enjoyed this collection of stories. Stevenson is a great author, and I'm looking forward to reading more of his work.
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