Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Signet Classics)
by Robert Louis Stevenson
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Book Reviews of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Signet Classics)
Book Review: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Summary: 4 Stars
I love this book! It was very deep and mysterious. It kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the time, forcing me to keep guessing who Mr. Hyde was and why he was so evil. I also like the fact that it was short, and got to the point pretty quickly compared to a lot of other books. The only bad thing about this book is that it is written in 1886 and uses different writing style that most people are not familiar with. At times, it was hard to understand what Robert Louis Stevenson was writing about. I recommend this book for people who like mysteries and can understand and read the writing style. Also, this would be a good book for people planning to go to college. Do not be afraid of this book just because it may be a little difficult to understand at first, try it anyway. You may like it.
Have you ever had suspicions of something, but you really could not prove them? I have. I can relate to Mr. Utterson in many ways. He is a caring friend, who wants to protect Dr. Jekyll from harm, and he is a very smart fellow. He can put two and two together, and he can get the correct answer. I can do that too. I am sure you can relate to at least one of the characters, too. There is a curious fellow, an evil man, a smart and inquisitive fellow, and an easily frightened butler. Here is a short preview of the book.
Mr. Utterson, a lawyer, hears a story about a despicable man who trampled a little girl for no apparent reason. The man who did this was named Mr. Hyde. The next day, Mr. Utterson looked over his friend's, Dr. Jekyll, will. It states that is anything happened to him that all of his belongings should go to a Mr. Hyde. This, coupled with the fact that Dr. Jekyll is acting wierd, rouses Mr. Utterson's suspicions, and he fears for Dr. Jekyll's life. When Dr. Jekyll goes back to his normal sel, Mr. Utterson's suspicions subside, but it will last for only a short time. First, there is the murder of a Sir Danvers Carew by a man who looks like Mr. Hyde. Then, Dr. Jekyll becomes sick, and he refuses to leave his study at his house. Finally, to confirm his suspicions, there is a letter from a friend, Dr. Lanyon, explaining everything. Who is Mr. Hyde? What does he have to do with Dr. Jekyll? Read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson, to find out!
Book Review: Yet Always-Striking Reflections on the Alchemy of the Spirit
Summary: 4 Stars
A quick, enjoyable read, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde provides something of a reflection on the end of the spirit of alchemy which strove to connect the physical and the metaphysical through an almost-mystical mingling of the sciences with spirituality. Without cutting into the deeper considerations of philosophical schools, it is without question that humanity exists as a combination of various good and wicked impulses, although the promptings of such impulses will forever be relegated to the reflections of theologians and philosophers. In any case, the story of Henry Jekyll and his desire to remove from himself the inherent weakness of our somewhat duplicitous, multi-faced nature is the story of each member of humanity. It is our combined quest to always aim higher and to overcome those weakness which chain us to the lower strata of the waking world.
However, Henry Jekyll's story is also that of each fallen man who often attempts to ameliorate his condition by using his own power. It is also the story of a society which believes that it is within its collective power to create the world anew in holiness without the internal rectitude necessary to affect true change. His isolated alchemical processes expose him to the dubious character of Edward Hyde, an apparition of his dark, untamed humanity, which arrives on the scene precisely as Jekyll attempts to create himself anew by his own strength alone. The story of the good doctor's fall into a fancy for this darker side of himself is a fine example of the destruction of spirit which comes when the individual believes himself to be the sole master of his own amelioration. His own individualistic tendencies and their ultimate end are a continuous warning to all of humanity, for the same character flaws which are expressed with such noble intentions in Dr. Jekyll's character are those same well-intentioned hopes of all humanity which often lead to our own power-derived slip into the bowels of hell.
Book Review: Absolutely Captivating
Summary: 5 Stars
A wonderfully crafted masterpiece, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the must-reads of all time. This beautiful piece of literature appeals to many different senses and emotions. It is inspiring to see a plot so innovative and novel in the way the story presents itself. This story is just absolutely amazing.
Written like an investigative report, Robert Louis Stevenson slow guides the reader through the story. The story progresses, not to slow and not to fast, but just enough to get the story moving and not lose the reader's interest. The story tells of how a Dr. Jekyll is able to separate the evil in him into an entirely different form- Mr. Hyde. I love how the reader is always anticipating what happens next as the reader is fed clues throughout the story, but the answer remains dangling and untouched- tempting readers to continue and read. The story is well-constructed in that readers can also see into the view of other characters and not just Mr. Utterson himself.
Stevenson's portrayal of the good and bad side of man is wonderful. I have never seen a book where the author portrays the evil in a person by an entirely different character. The different transformations and continual action scenes in the book kept me on my toes. The mood and atmosphere is set by Stevenson's vivid description of the environment. Because Stevenson's style is not complex for his sentences are really direct and straightforward, it was not burdensome to read the book.
I guarantee if you read this book, you will not be disappointed. It is a light and easy read, which you can probably finish in no time at all because Stevenson's writing makes you glued to the book- always anticipating the next action. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is an absolute must-read.
Book Review: Ignore the movies, and read the book!
Summary: 5 Stars
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-94) was a Scottish novelist and poet who is best remembered for his adventurous fiction - including Treasure Island (perhaps the greatest pirate story ever written), and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (one of the greatest horror stories every written). Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is actually something of a mystery. A lawyer named Gabriel John Utterson becomes aware of the existence of a man who seems to radiate evil, a man called Mr. Edward Hyde. But, to Utterson's consternation, it appears that Hyde is tied up with his good friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll. There seems to be no end to the evil of Mr. Hyde, for even when he dies, it appears that Hyde has one last, and terrible secret to reveal.
This is an excellent story, and it is easy to see why it has been as influential as it has been. It has been turned into more plays, movies, and television shows than can possibly be listed. It has been copied and parodied, and it has influenced many writers.
The story itself is very interesting, and surprisingly different than many movies you have ever seen. Instead of skulking about behind Mr. Hyde, much of the story actually takes place after the death of Mr. Hyde, and we get to watch the story of Jekyll and Hyde unwind before our eyes. Jekyll comes across as a sort of everyman, and we watch with horror as he embraces evil and is slowly destroyed by it.
I found this to be a very interesting story, much more interesting than I thought I would. If you really want to understand this classic of modern Western literature, then ignore the movies, and read the book. You will not be disappointed!
Book Review: You Think You Know
Summary: 5 Stars
Most readers may be surprised at just how coy and evasive this short novel is. We get only fleeting images of the villain and his transgressions. For a work that has become so well knit into our cultural standards and mores, it's perhaps remarkable how little actually goes on.
You think you know the story. But what most people actually know is the 1936 movie starring Frederic March. Who Hyde is, his relationship to Jekyll, even how one becomes the other: all of these have been changed in every movie, TV, stage, and comic book adaptation ever made.
For what's reputedly a horror novel, this book is remarkably unscary. Maybe in 1886, when its ideas were new, it was terrifying. But now, when its core idea has become part of our culture, it's more thought-provoking than frightening. As Stevenson hints at dribs and drabs of Freudian, Darwinian, post-colonial, and other ideas that have become common coin, remember that he wrote before any of these were popular notions.
Start right in on the novel. Vladimir Nabokov's introductory essay states a lot that is obvious, and should be read only after the novel itself. On balance, Dan Chaon's afterword, about the novel's cultural impact, is probably more revelatory, and more accessible to general audiences.
Remember, this book is probably not what you think you know. It's at once more ambitious, yet far harder to pin down, than the cheapened versions in the mass media. It's smart yet understandable, familiar yet strange. It's the kind of book too few writers create these days.