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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
fast-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
I was quite surprised by the tone of this novel. The cultural treatment of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as on par with Frankenstein and Dracula had set me up to expect a spooky and mysterious story. Instead I would argue this is much more a narrative form of philosophy. At a time when the industrial revolution was in full swing, this story unpacks the influence of scientific and human curiosity on humanity. It deals with the corrupting forces of ambition, curiosity and evil. I think it becomes more engaging once the perspective changes to Lanyon's or Jekyll's but I think that is due to the fact that everyone knows that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person. I did however find Jekyll's perspective very interesting and the shift in pronouns especially helps to demonstrate the growing self hatred he feels. However I don't pity Jekyll, he allows curiosity and freedom to do as he pleases diminish any good he ever did. His separation of Hyde from himself towards the end feels to me like a form of self pity and self comfort to make the end of his life easier at the end.
★x4 | (A-) 90% | AGES 14+ | Definitely one of my favorite classics to this date.
| Characters - ★x4 | The obvious characters here are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, so I’ll just write about them. The way Stevenson set up the mystery and interviewed each of the characters made me feel so immersed into the story. The characters felt real and at the same time very....unnatural. *shudders* I really appreciated it.
| Storyline - ★x4 | The way this is structured is very unique. Not everything is written in the same POV or person. Like sometimes it’s in 3rd person and the next it’s in 1st, but it’s necessary. It’s very much written like an actual “case” (*gasp* surprise!) and it’s actually cool that it’s not written in the same uniform. A certain chapter about the attorney and lawyer, a certain chapter interviewing the Doctor or the troubled Henry Hyde. It’s just *chef’s kiss*
| Writing - ★x5 | This is incredibly written. Stevenson has this amazing way of describing things whether it’s the way certain people passed their time, or the fleeting moment of seeing a shadow race across in the corner of your vision, sending a chill down your spine. There is a certain class and traditional feel to this that made me feel like I was sitting in a big red chair next to a nice fireplace and the sound of the wind howling outside my window were the sounds of me transporting into a different world. I absolutely love his writing in this. Definitely hit a peak.
Should you read this? Uh, did you not read the review? Obviously! This book was fantastic to read.
-luna
| Characters - ★x4 | The obvious characters here are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, so I’ll just write about them. The way Stevenson set up the mystery and interviewed each of the characters made me feel so immersed into the story. The characters felt real and at the same time very....unnatural. *shudders* I really appreciated it.
| Storyline - ★x4 | The way this is structured is very unique. Not everything is written in the same POV or person. Like sometimes it’s in 3rd person and the next it’s in 1st, but it’s necessary. It’s very much written like an actual “case” (*gasp* surprise!) and it’s actually cool that it’s not written in the same uniform. A certain chapter about the attorney and lawyer, a certain chapter interviewing the Doctor or the troubled Henry Hyde. It’s just *chef’s kiss*
| Writing - ★x5 | This is incredibly written. Stevenson has this amazing way of describing things whether it’s the way certain people passed their time, or the fleeting moment of seeing a shadow race across in the corner of your vision, sending a chill down your spine. There is a certain class and traditional feel to this that made me feel like I was sitting in a big red chair next to a nice fireplace and the sound of the wind howling outside my window were the sounds of me transporting into a different world. I absolutely love his writing in this. Definitely hit a peak.
Should you read this? Uh, did you not read the review? Obviously! This book was fantastic to read.
-luna
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is an interesting one. I know that in Victorian England the twist of this book was super shocking and horrifying but most of us know the twist since Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is so ingrained in society and media. But still, it's interesting to see how it happened in the book itself.
The writing itself reminded me of Wuthering Heights - you have the eery atmosphere, the third party observer who is not really part of the narrative but still tells us everything. I definitely liked Wuthering Heights better but I didn't hate this one either.
The writing itself reminded me of Wuthering Heights - you have the eery atmosphere, the third party observer who is not really part of the narrative but still tells us everything. I definitely liked Wuthering Heights better but I didn't hate this one either.
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this originally because I loved the musical, and honestly I really loved the novella despite how different they feel. I talk about this book with friends often and I thoroughly enjoyed this read. There was no point I wanted to put the book down out of boredom, and I think that this was a great way to get me back into reading for hobby. It's short, interesting, but still poses a challenge to understand because of the vocabulary. I would definitely recommend reading this :)
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
err, it was short enough.
Also, I think, that I have already known too much of a story and it was hardly interesting therefore.
Also, I think, that I have already known too much of a story and it was hardly interesting therefore.
mysterious
medium-paced
Lapsed into difficult articulation here and there but nonetheless astounding.