Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Classics Without All the Class

Jul 24, 2014 Kristi Krumnow rated it really liked it

Shelves: classic-lit, audiobook

Short. The work has the interesting narrative aspects of confession, letter-writing, suspense, and time shaping. For example, when Hyde showed up at friend's door demanding more medicine, was Hyde/Jekyll already dead? Was the person Hyde/Jekyll the one writhing on the table in the apothecary? Was he dying or dead? Where was the lawyer when he read the letter? The writer twists the narrative so as to force imagining of complex renderings of time and place that are not stated out right. ...more

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Oct 12, 2017 Zara Arshad rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, owned-hardcopy, thriller-mystery

It's funny: over time I had collected 3 different copies of this book in hopes of reading it someday.
I finally got round to reading it. Almost every next reviewer remarked that it would have been better if we had not known the answer to the mystery of Jekyll and Hyde. I agree; knowing the end didn't let me enjoy the book as much as I could have.

The book is essentially a mystery where a lawyer named Mr. Utterson is faced with a potential plight of his good friend Dr. Jekyll. A shady character has ...more

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May 30, 2015 Ebster Davis rated it it was amazing

This book was probably the first classic story I read outside of "the great illustrated classics" series as a kid (of course, I read the illustrated version first ;))

I as a kid I was a bit intimidated by the style of writing. A lot of it is told through letters, or the POV of Dr-Jekyll's-really-clueless-friend-who's-name-I-can't-remember. And that guy was so dumb he couldn't pick up on what was going on until Jekyll freakin spells it out for him at the end!

I remember thinking Jekyll could have r This book was probably the first classic story I read outside of "the great illustrated classics" series as a kid (of course, I read the illustrated version first ;))

I as a kid I was a bit intimidated by the style of writing. A lot of it is told through letters, or the POV of Dr-Jekyll's-really-clueless-friend-who's-name-I-can't-remember. And that guy was so dumb he couldn't pick up on what was going on until Jekyll freakin spells it out for him at the end!

I remember thinking Jekyll could have really handled the situation better by, like, asking for help. Today I can't help but see it as a reflection of the stigma of mental illness in that day (Dr Jekyll and Bertha Rochester would probably have a lot to talk about...not that they were alive at the same time anyway, but they're both fake so anything could happen!). It makes me wonder if Jekyll would have faired better had he been a man of the current era. (I'd like to think so, if Bruce Banner is any indication...)

I also really liked how he's this really respectable doctor and genuinely decient person as an adult, but back in the day (as a teenager) he had to deal with some stuff. And it turns out all of it is still inside him and (*spoiler alert*) his brain uses it to make an alternate personality (*end spoiler*) Weirdly enough, it makes me think of young adult missionaries.

Note: I noticed this book wasn't on my goodreads shelf after watching this video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GShoezs...

It makes me a bit sad that NOWHERE in the book do Jekyll and Hyde converse in a gloriously, dark duet! :'(

EDIT: 7-17-15: OK I've changed my mind, this book is absolutely perfect exactly as it is. I've lost count of how many times I've listened to this book, but there is so much in here that's symbolic, and each time I notice something new. As an allegory, its an expertly crafted story. Utterson, Enfeild, Jekyll and Lanyon are joining Harry, Bilbo, Sherlock, Katniss and Alf of Fae on my list of all-time-favorite-fake people. Old rating 3/5. New rating 5/5. ...more

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Oct 30, 2010 Mike Davis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

One of the classics I've intended to read for years, this was strangely parallel to the evils of methamphetamine in use today which alters minds and intentions. A good, classic short story. ...more

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Aug 15, 2014 Julie added it · review of another edition

Truly terrifying!!

it's been a long time since I read this and was pleasantly surprised how much I learned from reading it again. loved it!!
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Feb 01, 2016 Carol rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Review: I read this book with my son during the holiday season. The story has a view of the relationship between body and mind, which are intricately linked. Hyde must have his own distinct body; he does not merely "take over" Jekyll’s body. Before the experiment, Hyde and Jekyll both live in one body. Are they two minds? Or two aspects of one mind?! Excellent. ...more

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