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Reviews tagging 'Violence'
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
102 reviews
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
Jekyll and Hyde is one of those stories that everyone KNOWS, but very few that know it have actually READ the original story. The story (and particularly the central character) have become so ubiquitous that Jekyll/Hyde's condition is the name OF said condition or character archetype. More people understand this cultural context rather than the story itself.
Reading this story really felt refreshing for someone who knew enough about it but hadn't known the original story, so the actual text came with a lot of fun surprises:
-Jekyll and Hyde's dual-sided personality is actually a twist ending the original text. This is fairly profound considering that the entire basis of the character in public knowledge is that exact twist--regardless, reading it with this foreknowledge allows you to understand the incredible foreshadowing RLS leaves you with.
-Jekyll/Hyde is not the narrator or the main POV character--that role is held by his lawyer, Mr. Gabriel Utterson. Having been used to the Jekyll/Hyde story being a POV from his perspective, Utterson is a much more even-keeled detective-type who wants to figure out exactly who the mysterious Hyde is. This gives the story much more of a mystery genre feel rather than a pure horror of its common connotation.
-Jekyll/Hyde in contrast to some portrayals is fully aware (though not necessarily in control) of his escapades as Hyde. It is communicated as though it is some sort of subconscious. In this sense and the POV, we don't get any "where was I last night" werewolf-esque scenes that I have seen in other depictions.
-Likely due to some level of Victorian censorship, very little is said specifically about the lifestyle Hyde lives and the bad deeds he does. Outside of the two crimes of murder and harassment that occur in the narrative (thought notably, not even on page) it is all left up to vague allusions of "selfishness" and "liberty," which allows the modern reader to fill in the blank as to what morally repugnant behavior Hyde is engaging in. This actually has aged the text well, because some Victorian icks may not have had the same weight over one hundred years later.
Overall, this is a fantastic short read and the philosophical remnants of the original text still hold incredibly true. Jekyll pursuing the Hyde serum as a way to enact his libertine tendencies without losing face as the upstanding and moral doctor in his public life, the hubris is too palpable when the serum begins to take hold and starts to transform him without his consent. It's a remarkably human story and in the age of openness of information it has even gotten MORE relevant. The idea that we could have a second life outside of our own, sheltered by our own anonymity online has become more and more possible. It's clear that the desire to be repugnant as RLS was touching upon is still apparent today.
Reading this story really felt refreshing for someone who knew enough about it but hadn't known the original story, so the actual text came with a lot of fun surprises:
-Jekyll and Hyde's dual-sided personality is actually a twist ending the original text. This is fairly profound considering that the entire basis of the character in public knowledge is that exact twist--regardless, reading it with this foreknowledge allows you to understand the incredible foreshadowing RLS leaves you with.
-Jekyll/Hyde is not the narrator or the main POV character--that role is held by his lawyer, Mr. Gabriel Utterson. Having been used to the Jekyll/Hyde story being a POV from his perspective, Utterson is a much more even-keeled detective-type who wants to figure out exactly who the mysterious Hyde is. This gives the story much more of a mystery genre feel rather than a pure horror of its common connotation.
-Jekyll/Hyde in contrast to some portrayals is fully aware (though not necessarily in control) of his escapades as Hyde. It is communicated as though it is some sort of subconscious. In this sense and the POV, we don't get any "where was I last night" werewolf-esque scenes that I have seen in other depictions.
-Likely due to some level of Victorian censorship, very little is said specifically about the lifestyle Hyde lives and the bad deeds he does. Outside of the two crimes of murder and harassment that occur in the narrative (thought notably, not even on page) it is all left up to vague allusions of "selfishness" and "liberty," which allows the modern reader to fill in the blank as to what morally repugnant behavior Hyde is engaging in. This actually has aged the text well, because some Victorian icks may not have had the same weight over one hundred years later.
Overall, this is a fantastic short read and the philosophical remnants of the original text still hold incredibly true. Jekyll pursuing the Hyde serum as a way to enact his libertine tendencies without losing face as the upstanding and moral doctor in his public life, the hubris is too palpable when the serum begins to take hold and starts to transform him without his consent. It's a remarkably human story and in the age of openness of information it has even gotten MORE relevant. The idea that we could have a second life outside of our own, sheltered by our own anonymity online has become more and more possible. It's clear that the desire to be repugnant as RLS was touching upon is still apparent today.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Violence, Medical content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Alcohol
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Violence, Medical content
Minor: Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Alcohol, Classism
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
this was such an interesting book to read! to give you a brief idea, i'd describe stevenson's the strange case of dr. jekyll and mr. hyde as a gothic-vibe novel that explores the themes of the duality of human nature, identity, and morality.
while it feels a bit slow-paced at first, once the story gets going, it's really hard to put down! the mystery of trying to figure out how jekyll and hyde are connected keeps you hooked - even if you already know the twist (for example, from the musical, like me). be advised that it does contain mentions / descriptions of addiction, body horror, drug usage, mental illness, murder, suicide, and violence - they might not be as extreme or graphic as they are in modern literature, but i felt like pointing it out regardless. :)
in terms of language, it's obviously a bit old-fashioned, but you can definitely understand everything / the most from the context. it also switches perspectives towards the end, but it's quite clear who's sharing their side of the story.
overall, it's definitely a classic worth reading if you enjoy victorian literature, psychological horror, and the topic of moral decay. this is not a tale of good vs. evil, as some reviews might suggest, but rather the story of a hypocrite of a man attempting to justify his darker impulses and desires, while refusing to acknowledge they're a part of him - ultimately leaving him to spiral towards his inevitable destruction.
while it feels a bit slow-paced at first, once the story gets going, it's really hard to put down! the mystery of trying to figure out how jekyll and hyde are connected keeps you hooked - even if you already know the twist (for example, from the musical, like me). be advised that it does contain mentions / descriptions of addiction, body horror, drug usage, mental illness, murder, suicide, and violence - they might not be as extreme or graphic as they are in modern literature, but i felt like pointing it out regardless. :)
in terms of language, it's obviously a bit old-fashioned, but you can definitely understand everything / the most from the context. it also switches perspectives towards the end, but it's quite clear who's sharing their side of the story.
overall, it's definitely a classic worth reading if you enjoy victorian literature, psychological horror, and the topic of moral decay. this is not a tale of good vs. evil, as some reviews might suggest, but rather the story of a hypocrite of a man attempting to justify his darker impulses and desires, while refusing to acknowledge they're a part of him - ultimately leaving him to spiral towards his inevitable destruction.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Murder
Minor: Emotional abuse, Gore, Classism
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had picked this book up years ago and dropped it halfway through the first chapter because the archaic style was simply too hard for me to understand. Shoutout to the random Redditors who encouraged me to keep going because I eventually picked it up again, albeit four years later, and thoroughly enjoyed it, and ironically enough, for the same reason I dropped it in the first place.
"Confident as I am that you will not trifle with this appeal, my heart sinks and my hand trembles at the bare thought of such a possibility. Think of me at this hour, in a strange place, laboring under a blackness of distress that no fancy can exaggerate, and yet well aware that, if you will but punctually serve me, my troubles will roll away like a story that is told."
As someone who tends to be quite wordy myself, certain passages like the one above left me yearning for the ability to word my thoughts in a similar fashion.
Until halfway through, I found myself a tad disappointed, as my expectations, shaped by the book being classified as a horror novella, weren't fully met. It felt more befitting to label it as a mystery novel. But after researching the defining characteristics of Gothic horror, everything began to make sense: the looming threat of something sinister and supernatural, the gradual build-up of imminent danger, the brutal depictions of violence, and the subtle elements of dread and suspense, all of which justified its classification as Gothic horror.
I liked the story and the way it panned out. It sticks to the plot with no unnecessary filler nonsense. I believe the author attempted to shed light on the duality of man, his desires, the ability to control them, and how closely your conscience and society's perception of you are related. I wished I hadn't accidentally spoilt it for myself before even starting the book but it turned out just fine as there were other interesting aspects as well.
Overall, a(n unexpected) great read; 3.75/5 stars
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
mysterious
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Violence