The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales of Terror

by Robert Louis Stevenson

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" Stevenson's famous exploration of humanity's basest capacity for evil, has become synonymous with the idea of a split personality. More than a moral tale, this dark psychological fantasy is also a product of its time, drawing on contemporary theories of class, evolution, criminality, and secret lives. Also in this volume are "The Body Snatcher," which charts the murky underside of Victorian medical practice, and "Olalla," a tale of vampirism and "The Beast Within" which features a beautiful woman at its center.

This new edition features a critical introduction, chronology, suggestions for further reading, explanatory notes, and appendixes, including an abridged extract from "A Chapter on Dreams" and an essay on the scientific context of Jekyll and Hyde.

Genres: Classics, Horror, Novella

99 pages, Leather Bound

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

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

He’s so real for running over a little girl then just giving her a fat check so he doesn’t have to deal with it

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favourite quote: “‘if he be Mr Hyde,’ he had thought, ‘I shall be Mr Seek’”. Why was this book actually so funny? I don’t know if he meant for it to be that way but it was.

[shayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’ve never read a classic before so this was a first. i had to constantly reread pages because it didn’t click in my head what they were trying to say, but that’s on me. i enjoyed the atmosphere of the book. the dark, gothic aesthetic. the story was interesting however, i kinda already knew what was going to happen because this book has been out forever lol. it was nice to actually read it. there was definitely some homoerotic feelings towards mr. utterson and practically everyone. not a single woman in this book besides the maids but yk. the way they spoke made me laugh a little. especially “the room was gay with firelight”. i know it means something else, but i still had a little chuckle. overall, i probably wouldn’t read it again. not because it’s bad, but because i don’t want to. to me, it’s the type of book you read once and move on.

[silvaliningreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classic with an interesting premise about the duality of man, but the pacing is slow and the storytelling feels distant. The reveal is clever, but getting there takes patience. Worth reading, but not the most thrilling ride.

[Kiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has become ubiquitous in Western society, with most people knowing the basic idea of the narrative, but I’ve always wanted to read the actual book (well, at 99 pages, novella). This is a great example of Victorian sci-fi/horror that set the stage for many of the tropes we enjoy in novels today, especially the big twist. Definitely worth a few hours of your time.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dated but a classic none-the-less.

[P.J. Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I told myself that I wanted to read at least one spooky book this October, and I'm happy to say that I did it! It was a short one, so I feel like I may have cheated but nonetheless, I did read a spooky book!

'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', by Robert Louis Stevenson.

SYNOPSIS:
'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', by Robert Louis Stevenson follows the account of London-based lawyer Mr. Utterson as he investigates a cruel little man known by the name of Hyde and his connection to an old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll.

RATING: 4 stars

REVIEW:
As one of the most famous stories in modern English literature and a defining book in the gothic horror genre, most people are familiar with the phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" in reference to people with a good or kind outward appearance but a cruel and evil hidden nature. I think I first learned of the tale through the children's show Arthur, where the Brain sang a song about turning into Hyde - anyone else remember that gem?

Anyway, I was really glad that I finally sat down and read this novella. I have seen so many different interpretations of it over the years, whether it be in film with direct reimaginings of the character or with personality types in other stories. So it was nice to finally read the original.

I think it is important to keep in mind the year in which this story was written while reading. The story does move a little bit slowly. Some of Mr. Utterson's reactions and the actions of the supporting characters may seem a little strange, but they make sense for 1886, and overall, I think that this timeless tale holds up well. It's intriguing, draws the reader in, and presents the fascinating concept of human duality and the internal struggle between good and evil. It also really paints the picture of the Victorian era and how important outward respectability and appearances were over any inner desires.

The thing I found most interesting about reading this work is considering how much things have changed. Edward Hyde's character is an unquestionably cruel and evil man within the story. However, most of his misdeeds are only alluded to by Stevenson, and with only two instances of Hyde doing something horrible on screen, he almost feels tame in comparison to modern media villains. Seeing the difference in what would be considered shocking in 1886 versus now and the way that the horror genre has changed over the years was the most fascinating part of this read.

CONCLUSION:
Despite being well-known in concept and reworked so many times over the years, I think the original tale is still worth a read. And at only 99 pages, it doesn't take too long to get through it, so add it to your spooky list!

RECOMMENDED AUDIENCE:
Anyone who loves classic tales of horror, mystery, or suspense!

DETAILS:
Authors: Robert Louis Stevenson
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Page count: 99
Publication date: First published January 5, 1886.
Available in paperback, hardcover, ebook, and audiobook.

[Jeff Tankersley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"He put the glass to his lips and drank at one gulp. A cry followed; he reeled, staggered, clutched at the table and held on, staring with injected eyes, gasping with open mouth; and as I looked there came, I thought, a change - he seemed to swell - his face became suddenly black and the features seemed to melt and alter - and the next moment, I had sprung to my feet and leaped back against the wall, my arm raised to shield me from that prodigy, my mind submerged in terror."

A London lawyer named Utterson is hired to handle Dr. Harry Jekyll's will and to his surprise finds that the good doctor has willed almost his entire fortune to a suspicious character named Hyde. He hears a rumor that Hyde accidentally but unapologetically injured a child and with a monstrous description of the man Utterson then starts to kick around in his head nightmares and waking paranoia about this sinister Hyde character. When he finally meets Hyde in order to prepare Jekyll's will he is horrified by his actual appearance, pale, short, extraordinarily quick with a savage laugh and not deformed but "giving an impression of deformity." Utterson worries that his friend Jekyll might be in danger since Hyde is so frightening a character he might actually kill Jekyll to secure his fortune.

There is deeper meaning in this story, of course, and we're all familiar so it isn't a spoiler to say here that Jekyll and Hyde are actually the same person, with duality being the central theme. One person's internal conflict between good and evil, man vs nature, civility vs barbarity, the saved Christian's struggle against his own sinful nature, and freedom from consequence being the greatest lure of the devil.

Verdict: A short and fun horror classic. Stevenson's prose is quite great (intro above an example) and scary to read, even today. "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1886) fits right there with the gothic horror classics of the late 1800's.

Jeff's Rating: 4 / 5 (Very Good)
movie rating if made into a movie: PG

[Megan Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lawyer Gabriel John Utterson is distressed that his friend’s newest will which bequeaths his fortune to Mr. Edward Hyde if he disappears or dies. This man appeared just recently has a horrible reputation around town. Utterson confronts Dr. Henry Jekyll questioning blackmail or other persuasions, but it is rebuffed. However, after Hyde beats parliamentarian Sir Danvers Carew to death in the street and is pursued by police, Jekyll agrees new terms. Only the doctors own behavior becomes increasingly erratic, scaring housekeepers who seek help from Utterson for a confrontation. The discover Hyde’s body in Jekyll’s room and a series of disclosures which reveal a nightmarish experiment and the deadly results.
* * * * *----------------* * * * *----------------* * * * *
This is a classic so the reveal is no longer shocking to readers and without that there is not much left. You are removed from the narrative as it’s related through a side character and letters rather than direct action. While the dual nature of man is still worth exploring it is hard to constrain it to the Victorian ideals of yesteryear. Dwarfism, dark skin, and youth aren’t exactly enduring hallmarks of evil. There are some interesting elements like a color-changing tincture, contemporary urban setting, and the downward spiral of addiction—but these have had more explicit and poignant reimaginings. The novella is rather short so I didn’t come to hate it, but it left me rather flat.

[Alaina Eiterman · Rating 3 out of 5]

“no one has ever suffered such torments” says the whiny man who caused all his own problems. Starting out, I knew the story of jekyll and hyde was about a split psyche but I never realized another big part was his drug use. I get why the book consisted mostly of an outside perspective, but I would’ve preferred more of the book been written like the last 20 pages. Kinda hoped it would be more like Frankenstein where you sympathize with the creature, but instead it was the opposite. Still glad I read it though.
Overall: characters were a 2, plot was a 3, and climax was also a 3

[Sarah Julius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful piece of Victorian Horror and my first dip into this type of genre. It took me sometime to get used to the writing style and language, truthfully even the plot structure, but I put that much more to myself not being used to reading older literature. Despite that, the book perfectly gave that eerie feeling, with beautiful prose, and although I knew the premise of the story well, it was great watching the way it unfolds. Great book to start of some spooky reading!

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book a while ago and finally got around to reading it. It was super short but I really wanted to know the story of the characters since I first learned of them when I was a kid and watched Monster High (lol). It was a short but super interesting story and I liked that it followed an outside POV that wasn't Jekyll or Hyde's since we got to see that one at the end. Overall I really enjoyed the story and it was a quick read.

[Amelia Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.5/10 | "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" captivates with its exploration of the human psyche's darker sides, masterfully intertwining timeless themes of societal expectation and moral conflict.

For an in-depth review:
🎀The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Review | The Library of Amelia🎀

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Stephanie Gillis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly don't have much to say and I thought I'd be all over it but I was pretty bored. I think this is another case of audiobook narrator just reading a classic without putting anything behind the words and thus making it drag.

[Emma-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was way better than I thought it would be

[devon · Rating 3 out of 5]

sometimes this book was really really good and sometimes i could not care less about what was going on

[Iker Moller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, no pude apreciar lo bueno que es este libro la primera vez que lo leí hace varios años ya. Una joya

[Daniella · Rating 3 out of 5]

RIP Mary Shelley. You would’ve loved Jekyll and Hyde

[Jo Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly iconic. The terror of the mind!