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Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

175 reviews

dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

". . . all human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil: and Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil."

What a dark little piece of literature! I'm about to start a class where our subject material will be The Picture of Dorian Gray, which I've heard is a companion novel to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I therefore took it upon myself to read the latter in one sitting as a way to prepare myself for my study of the former in class.

I thought I knew the gist of this story going into it having seen The Pagemaster and Arthur, but I was pleased to find that there was so much more to the novel than just a scientist with a creepy alter ego. The story not only covers mankind's darker side, but also shows us how our friends and dear ones become alienated from us as we delve into the darkness. Utterson and Lanyon dearly missed their friend, and
upon learning the truth, Lanyon even took ill and shortly thereafter died
.

I enjoyed Utterson as a character, and I thought it was cool to see the story through the eyes of a friend and bystander rather than through Jekyll's perspective. It's kind of like how the story of Dune revolves around Paul Atreides, but is greatly told from the perspectives of the Lady Jessica and others under Paul's influence. I just wish that at the very end of the story we could have seen
Utterson's reaction to Henry's letter
!

Robert Louis Stevenson described the setting of 19th century London so visually (though it took time to get accustomed to some older-styled prose). I could see the brown fog and the crowded (or deserted) streets. He used a lot of creative description, such as referring to the large streets as arteries, or describing moon being tilted as if the wind had knocked it over, or how he described Jekyll's tincture going from red to purple to green with effervescence. I think the most visual part of the story was when Utterson and Enfield encounter Dr. Jekyll in his window:

"But [Jekyll's] words were hardly uttered, before the smile was struck out of his face and succeeded by an expression of such abject terror and despair, as froze the very blood of the two gentlemen below. They saw it but for a glimpse for the window was instantly thrust down; but that glimpse had been sufficient, and they turned and left the court without a word . . . They were both pale; and there was an answering horror in their eyes."

I loved how the story began in the middle of the events; Enfield describes his dark encounter with Mr. Hyde to Utterson, who then takes it upon himself to investigate. The mystery unfolded slowly and satisfyingly. I found that even though I knew from pop culture that Jekyll and Hyde were one in the same, the story was still gripping and dark. 

That's the other thing, too. It's thought-compelling that Mr. Hyde was not a product of some magical potion, but actually a manifestation of Jekyll's previously repressed darker side. Hyde is smaller in stature because Jekyll's evil was not fully developed as was the kind facade he'd put on himself.

A great read, and one that springs a lot of compelling questions about friendship and human nature. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A perfectly accurate adaption of the original novella. A good read to introduce the source material to younger readers who may be put off by the 'antiquated' language of the original. A fast read, and I enjoyed the art of Daniel Ferren. A bit simple and perhaps too fast for a tense mystery, but still fun.

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adventurous dark mysterious sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Read for class. Interesting book, dealing with the thought that there are two sides to all of us and the desire to be one. We fight against are destructive side, but in the end it seems to be what prevails, as suggested by the book. What I liked most was how it highlights the destructive effect of expectations and how that plays into reputation, which is essential for being set in the Victorian period.

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

i feel like
ending the book on that final sentence of Jekyll's letter and not pulling back out to Utterson's POV to see his reaction or what people said of the case after is a really effective choice. it makes the darkness of Jekyll ending his life after that whole ordeal land really well.

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