The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
In September of 1884, Robert Louis Stevenson, then in his mid-thirties, moved with his family to Bournemouth, a resort on the southern coast of England, where in the brief span of 23 months he revised A Child's Garden of Verses and wrote the novels Kidnapped and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
An intriguing combination of fantast thriller and moral allegory, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde depicts the gripping struggle of two opposing personalities -- one essentially good, the other evil -- for the soul of one man. Its tingling suspense and intelligent and sensitive portrayal of man's dual nature reveals Stevenson as a writer of great skill and originality, whose power to terrify and move us remains, over a century later, undiminished.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
Mr. Hyde's role and symbolism are clearly explained by the end of the novella. While this clarity may be helpful for some readers, it also lessens the impact of the story's central mystery. Because so much is spelled out, there's not a great deal left to linger in the reader’s mind afterward.
That said, the narrative is fairly engaging and holds the reader’s attention. Still, I found myself grateful that it was as short as it was, as by the final pages, it was beginning to drag.
I knew a lot about it before I picked it up, so I wonder if that was part of my disappointment.
The book was very well written and I did enjoy it. I think the fact that it had been written so many years ago gave it time to have all its spoilers leaked to the general public.
It did stand the test of time, though. There wasn't anything that was glaringly outdated or out of place in the book. It was definitely worth reading.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.