The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

by Mitsu Yamamoto (Adapter), Robert Louis Stevenson

The young Robert Louis Stevenson suffered from repeated nightmares of living a double life, in which by day he worked as a respectable doctor and by night he roamed the back alleys of old-town Edinburgh. In three days of furious writing, he produced a story about his dream existence. His wife found it too gruesome, so he promptly burned the manuscript. In another three days, he wrote it again. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was published as a "shilling shocker" in 1886, and became an instant classic. In the first six months, 40,000 copies were sold. Queen Victoria read it. Sermons and editorials were written about it. When Stevenson and his family visited America a year later, they were mobbed by reporters at the dock in New York City. Compulsively readable from its opening pages, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is still one of the best tales ever written about the divided self.

This University of Nebraska Press edition is a small, exquisitely produced paperback. The book design, based on the original first edition of 1886, includes wide margins, decorative capitals on the title page and first page of each chapter, and a clean, readable font that is 19th-century in style. Joyce Carol Oates contributes a foreword in which she calls Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde a "mythopoetic figure" like Frankenstein, Dracula, and Alice in Wonderland, and compares Stevenson's creation to doubled selves in the works of Plato, Poe, Wilde, and Dickens.

This edition also features 12 full-page wood engravings by renowned illustrator Barry Moser. Moser is a skillful reader and interpreter as well as artist, and his afterword to the book, in which he explains the process by which he chose a self-portrait motif for the suite of engravings, is fascinating. For the image of Edward Hyde, he writes, "I went so far as to have my dentist fit me out with a carefully sculpted prosthetic of evil-looking teeth. But in the final moments I had to abandon the idea as being inappropriate. It was more important to stay in keeping with the text and, like Stevenson, not show Hyde's face." (Also recommended: the edition of Frankenstein illustrated by Barry Moser) --Fiona Webster

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Childrens, Science Fiction, Fantasy

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[L. McCoy · Rating 2 out of 5]

WARNING: THIS IS MY FIRST REVIEW FOR A BOOK THAT ISN'T A COMIC, THAT BEING SAID IF THIS REVIEW SUCKS DONKEY B**LS I AM SORRY!

What's it about?
Uh... s***, this is a bit hard to describe. There's a good chance y'all know so I'll just get to my review.

Pros:
This version has some good illustrations thrown in there.
The story is interesting.
This is not a predictable tale.

Cons:
I didn't care about any of the characters.
This is extremely slow paced. This story could have been much shorter but for the sake of making it longer it also becomes boring (and I hear this version is abridged so... no way I'm touching the original).
The dialogue is boring.
The twist is f***ing stupid. I won't fully give it away but imagine somebody getting infected with the Crossed virus on purpose only the results aren't nearly as NSFW or bats*** crazy. Sounds pretty awful, right? That thought should give you a good idea of what happened.

Overall:
This book is very boring and I got no idea why it's considered such a masterpiece. In all fairness, being a huge fan of the horror genre my hopes may have been too high. It's not awful, I'm sure it probably helped inspire some of the horror stories I like and I know it inspired one of my favorite songs but I am not a fan of this book.

2/5

Edit: I just remembered, it inspired 2 of my favorite songs, this is the other one and I should warn both songs are good but NSFW.

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read this book several times - both as an original and as a condensed version. For all out straight effect the reader is best able to get the gist and the whole scope of this book in its original form.

As for my reading this particular edition it was around and within my simple stretch while my husband has never heard of it. Yes I am floored by the fact that with a teacher as his mother and having watched "Page Master" he has never really heard of Jekyll & Hyde.

As for this edition it wasn't bad but it did keep its stuffy and quite dry tone from the original. As a result it did lean towards kind of boring, which is the reason I suggest to read the original, which in its original format wasn't quite as big anyway.

Like other illustrated classics there are some pages that have clear sketch drawings thus it can work as a coloring book for the reader as well.

In the end it would be a great and much cleaner introductory story to this dark Classic. But like most of the other Illustrated Classics this is one to enjoy in its original telling if you don't mind going for a challenging read.

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do any of you all have any strong opinions about the abridged ILLUSTRATED CLASSIC EDITIONS? Some of my fifth graders are caught reading them very occasionally, and I own a few in my classroom library, but personally, I'm not a big fan. They seem more like Cliffs Notes or something like that. I suppose the drawings (which are hysterical, and the captions underneath them...even more so) help a child to feel like they've read a big, important book and it wasn't so much drudgery. I'm just wondering if these things help bridge a child's reading until they mature enough to just read whatever--do they have a place in the process? Thoughts?

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well weirdly the back cover gives away the conclusion of this book. So yeah, that's not cool. Either way, I thought it was okay. Also, it does not age particularly well when describing parts of London and the 'evil Mr. Hyde.'

[ஐ Katya (Book Queen)ஐ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Classic story but creepy. I read the Children's Illustrated Classics version but quite frankly, I wouldn't recommend this to young children.

[Brent Ecenbarger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got through this one pretty quickly with the boys, which was nice after the lame-ass Robin Hood book. We didn't tell them anything about it going in, which was good because this is much more of a mystery than I remember it. The main character is a lawyer named Utterson, trying to figure out the strange relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Our boys learned about fun concepts like wills, butlers, and the British parliament. (OK, none of those are super fun but the kids seemed to grasp all three concepts by the end (ages 6 and 8). My youngest thought that the Butler character Poole was going to be the bad guy most of the way to the end of the book, and neither one of them had any idea about the real twist as to the relationship. My oldest asked if we can watch the movie (we have the 1920 version with John Barrymore) right after we finished it. Maybe tomorrow kiddo.

[Janessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am loving these abridged classics! Purely plot driven, these illustrated classics capture the essence of these loved universal stories while maintaining the writing style of the original author. Written at a 6th grade level, I can read these in 1 to 2 sittings.

These provide an opportunity to read classic stories that I most likely would have never ventured to read.

[Tyrell ⚔️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm. ”

I haven't read this since middle school so gave it another whirl. I'm not a huge fan of the story despite it being a classic. It has a silly twist and hardly any setting nor plot development.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend the book and (quite honestly) can't believe that this is deemed as a classic.

[Joshua · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is about one man with two personalities. It all started when Gabriel John Utterson, the attorney for Dr. Jekyll, saw a man hurt a little girl on the street. After capturing the man, Mr. Utterson learned that the man’s name was Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde apologizes and gives her family money just in case the little girl is hurt and needs to go to the hospital but he does not seem sincere. Mr. Utterson becomes suspicious when he finds out that both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde live in the same place. Dr. Jekyll also made some strange requests in his will and the beneficiary was Mr. Hyde. Mr. Utterson is determined to find out what kind of relationship Dr. Jekyll has with Mr. Hyde. A year later a man is murdered with a stick and it is then linked back to Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll tells Mr. Utterson that Mr. Hyde has left and promises not to cause him any more trouble. After Mr. Hyde’s body is found dead, Mr. Utterson finds out that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are the same person. He finally learns the truth about Dr. Jekyll. He had been drinking a potion to try to relieve himself of his self-conscience and turn into Mr. Hyde to do bad things.

My likes and don`t likes about this book is that, I have to say why use science for the wrong reason when you know it’s wrong. I do like that it’s a book full of suspense and a lot of mystery, like Sherlock Holmes books. I give this book 2 out of 5 because Dr. Jekyll clearly made the mistake that no scientist would like to make in their entire scientific life. He used his knowledge for bad reasons which resulted in hurting people.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as a teenager and enjoyed it, but I knew in advance who Dr. Hyde was. I can imagine, though, that Victorian readers, not being subjected to cultural references and media interpretations, would be truly startled by the story. While I read it, I could see the influence of Darwin (Hyde is several times referred to as "ape-man") and Freud, as well as Mary Shelley's earlier Frankenstein. I also wondered how different the story might have been if Jekyll had been married (note: none of the men in the story are married!). Barry Moser's illustrations didn't add anything to the story, though I liked them. I don't think I enjoyed this as much as I did when I first read it, but I did notice a lot more and appreciate Stevenson's writing style, which is plain and unadorned compared to the flowery verbosity of Victorian writing generally. Recommended as an interesting read illuminating some of the scientific and philosophical thought of the period.

[Jens Gärtner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite fun yet not quite a good book. I don't remember the original, since I read it many years ago in a rather mediocre Spanish edition, so I don't have a reference to really compare.

The adaptation was –beyond the obvious reasons– unsurprising and anything but mysterious, illustrations were fun even though their footnotes were dumbly scandalous and unnecessary.

[Kindra · Rating 5 out of 5]

In reading aloud to my kids, this book brought up ample discussions of our own inner combat with good and evil. For years to come, we'll likely use these characters as a reference for pointing out that one does not come to greatness without struggle as Dr. Jekyll would have preferred... and to be without care or conscience as in Mr. Hyde leads to abysmal agony. A well deserved classic.

[Caspar Vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series as a kid.

[Caitlin Christiana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am dumfounded by the iconic status this trash book somehow managed to achieve.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The original would, as you'd imagine, give a better read. But not bad for a 4th grade level maybe.

[Zac · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who suffer from a strange addiction, need a classic science-fiction mystery or want to follow a tale over a hundred years old.

I didn’t realize until after I finished that the ‘Great Illustrated Classics’ edition meant that it was an “easy-to-read adaptation,” according to the Wikipedia article. Nonetheless, or maybe because of this, I had a blast reading it. There are multiple ways of determining if a book is successful; longevity, popularity, impact on society, etc… This one hits all the marks, and rightfully so.

Jekyll and Hyde wrestles with the theme of good versus evil in a compelling and straightforward story. It takes the reader alongside Gabriel John Utterson to investigate his long-time friend, Jekyll, and his newly strange behavior. The bizarre circumstances that Jekyll works under, the oddities of his discomforting hier, Edward Hyde and the concerns from his servants and other friends keep Utterson fueled to uncover the facts.

For those who find themselves struggling internally, have an admiration for the intersection between philosophy and sci-fi or want to fantasize about someone who can cheat one of life’s many relentless truths.

[Katelyn Barilski · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is obvious through this book that man should never try to change the way that God Himself created us. Dr. Jekyll should never have tried to create any Mr. Hyde in the first place, whether he could control the transformation or not. It is a dangerous thing to play with experiments like that, and it never leads in a good direction.

An experiment gone wrong,
Jekyll's control was not strong.
His opposite twin he created,
A version that everyone hated.

One minute he was nice Dr. Jekyll,
Kind, handsome, and respectable.
The next he transformed
To something ugly, deformed.
It became hard to tame;
Mr. Hyde was his name.

And once he changed without consent,
Dr. Jekyll regretted the time he spent
On the drug he himself invented.
He became disoriented,
Unhappy, and tormented.
Never knowing when he'd change,
He never knew what to expect.
He found the science behind it strange,
The formula was certainly incorrect.
Understandably, he resented
His alter ego so demented.
In the end, he lost many a friend.
His deranged mentality resulted in fatality,
A split personality resulting in brutality.

[NMS · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS LITERALLY THE BEST BOOK EVER, NOT!
IT WAS PRETTY USEFUL FOR USING AS TOILET PAPER AND IT WAS SO HIGH QUALITY!
IT ALSO PROVED TO BE USEFUL WHEN THERE WAS A POWER CUT I WAS ABLE TO USE IT AS A FAN!
IT WAS SO HIGH QUALITY THAT WHEN I WIPED MY NOSE WITH IT, IT DIDN'T EVEN TEAR! WHATTTT! I COULD STILL READ THE WORDS COVERED IN SLIMY SNOT, THAT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE THE GOOSEBUMPS COVER PAGE! VERY PRETTY!
IT HAD SUCH GOOD GRAMMER (DIGUSTING INSTEAD OF DISGUSTING)
I WAS ABLE TO USE SOME OF THE PAPER FOR MY ART PROJECT THAT WAS TO MAKE NICE GREEN FLOWERS AND I USED THE SNOT COVERED PAPER CAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE GREEN PAINT.
NOT GONNA LIE BUT THE STORY LINE WAS CHEF'S KISS, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE HOW MR. WHOEVER DRANK POTASSIUM CHLORIDE WITH IMPURITIES.
MY SISTER WANTED A PET BUT MY PARENTS WEREN'T ALLOWING HER TO HAVE ONE. BUT! I DID END UP FINDING A DEAD FLAT COCKROACH IN BETWEEN OF PAGE 60 AND 61 AND THAT MADE A GOOD PET! WOHOOOO! NOW MY HOUSE IS INFESTED WITH DEAD COCKROACHES!!!
HOPE YA'LL ENJOY
LOVED IT! VERY MUCH RECOMMENDED.....

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parker enjoyed the story but thought it was sad how Hyde trampled the little kid in the beginning and killed people, eventually overtaking Jekyll’s body. So he gave it a lower rating because of that, plus he didn’t like how he ended without finishing Jekyll’s last thoughts in the letter he wrote with the word “good….” A story telling device he’ll need to learn about.

Lincoln said it was a good book though he couldn’t give any examples of why he thought it was good.

I enjoyed the classic tale of a scientist dealing with dual personalities inside him that have inspired much that has come after.

[SaraKat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really simplified version of the original with large print and illustrations on every other page. It is much easier for young readers to read than the original. I thought it was okay, but for a horror book, there is surprisingly little action. It is told from the POV of a person who is figuring out what happened and only hears second-hand accounts of two violent episodes. One where a little girl is trampled and one where an elderly man is struck with a cane and and trampled. I think a young reader might find this a little boring.

[Cognatious Thunk · Rating 3 out of 5]

While abridged and adapted versions of stories do a workmanlike job of demonstrating whether you would be interested in the reading the complete novel, they unfortunately also rip out all the beautiful prose and replace it with instruction manual level text. All the horror and mystery of Jekyll and Hyde is contained within the language. Without it, the story is rather silly. However, it helped me better place the novel in its grade level for my children, so this edition got an extra star. I would rate the original four or five stars, depending upon my mood.

[Sandra Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up off a discard pile at the local library. Although I think I read the full story before, back in HS maybe, this condensed version was a quick read to remind me of the plot.
Aimed at younger readers it is very condensed, lots of white space and an illustration on every other page.
It is the old story of good and evil, just like many of the classics students are tasked in reading.

[Helena · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little disappointed. I was in the musical and adored it but the book, even the children version, is very slow. The only exciting part was the last 25 pages because Jekyll explains the experiment finally.

[Julie Bergley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at the two wolves theory of a person's inner-self. I'd argue that Dr. Jekyll was not a good person though with his desire to indulge in Hyde. I found it an interesting look at humanity though.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great adaption Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for children, very accessible to kids. My nine year old son enjoyed the story and we had a good discussion on the duality of man after we finished the book. All the illustrations keep the action moving.

[Mikayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Lorri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benjamin and I read this aloud together. We both enjoyed the story and the abridgment is a great level for him.

[Gabingy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gustó mucho, es intrigante y te atrapa durante toda la lectura. Incluso el Plot twist del final me imagino que para la época fue muy sorprendente. Disfruto mucho de las ilustraciones que pueden sacar de este cuento (づ ᴗ _ᴗ)づ♡

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this mini book as a child!

[natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an exciting read, but I had to read it fast for an exam, so I did not take any time to actually enjoy it. Now I only remember half of it, so might have to read it again one day...