The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

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Summary: Special features of this edition of "Jekyll and Hyde"
Review: This edition contains not only the full text of the story of "Jekyll and Hyde" with explanatory notes, but also material on Robert Louis Stevenson and London in the 1880s. Included are Stevenson's letters, reviews of the book on its publication, other stories by Stevenson that have "doubles" in them, photos and descriptions of Stevenson's London, and a portfolio of materials on the "Jack the Ripper" serial murders. Stevenson published "Jekyll and Hyde" in 1886, two years before the "Jack the Ripper" murders. A stage version of "Jekyll and Hyde" was playing in London in the Fall of 1888 when the murders began, and had to be shut down when its leading man was accused of being "Jack the Ripper" because of his spine-chilling portryal of Mr. Hyde! The edition includes a photo of this actor, Richard Mansfield, playing Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.

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Summary: Mans dual nature
Review: I read this book once as a junior high school kid and it had mere connotations of a spooky tale. At that age, it paled in comparison to the horror flicks of the day. All the psychological factors did not register at that time. I did decide to re-read the book more recently. I also re-read it right on the heels of reading The Double by Fyodor Dostoevsky and Edgar Allan Poes short story William Wilson. I would have to rank it lower than the story by Old Fyodor but it still had a stronger impact than it did as a pubescent punk kid. It is also a bit more developed than the Poe tale. My interest in the dual nature of man has been piqued by reading these two books. The motifs of the story were more apparent. It is a great work that gets overlooked by the literati but will surely outlive many of the preferred classics that the Academy recommends. I would say that anyone interested in psychology in literature or in the dual nature of man should give this a try. Rediscovering these old literary classics has proven to be a great joy and a very rewarding experience. Recommended.

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Summary: Suspense-Thriller
Review: This was a good book. I know this because of all the action in it. The kind, gentle Dr. Jekyl is studying the evil in all men. The consequences for him are none. He can do anything he pleases as the sinister Mr. Hyde. First assault, then murder. The tension adds on every page you read. This book should be in every home.

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Summary: A story of the struggle between good and evil.
Review: I loved this book, it was very well written and is a thought provoking story. Most people seem to think that Dr. Jekyll was a good person and that the horrible Mr. Hyde a whole different person. But you should consider how the doctor handles all of this.

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Summary: Short - and an absolute classic
Review: This book is less of a gripping story and more of a thought-provoking read. Stevenson could have written a much longer story following Jekyll and Hyde, a story that was more interesting and with more action. But what he did, was left it short, but gave the reader plenty to think about. What happens if we get rid of all inhibitions? Is there a monster inside of each of us trying to get out for a while?

Stevenson created a short story that everyone should read. He creates a mystery and waits until the end to explain exactly what has been happening. Even if you know the main idea behind Jekyll and Hyde from TV or movies, read the book. The story is unique, dark, and mysterious.

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Summary: Good Story, Fast Read
Review: Quite short story, but one of the best Ive read of RLS. Last book he wrote before he died I think....
Great story, great fast read..
Please check it you for yourself. Youll be happy that you did !!

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Summary: A "Horror" story?
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Maybe at Robert Louis Stevenson's time, this was a horrific, evil story that gave people nightmares, but if you are look for a good horror story, look elsewhere.

Mr. Utterson is a lawyer who has a client and friend named Dr. Jekyl. Through a string of events involving a murder, a trampled child and Utterson's encounter with an 'evil' man named Hyde, Mr. Utterson becomes involved very much in his client and friend, Dr. Jekyl's, life. In the end you find out that Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde (the 'evil' man who turns out to be the murderer) are really one person. Mr. Hyde is part of Dr. Jekyl and Dr. Jekyl has only to drink a concoction of chemicals to become Hyde, in shape and mind, until the drink is drunk again to reverse the change again. Jekyl comes to despise Hyde and he knows that the only way to be rid of Hyde is to kill himself. Jekyl kills himself in the end and both Hyde and Jekyl are no more.

The way this book is written in somewhat confusing and bland at times. Slightly interesting, but I don't see how this book is a classic.

~Atalanta

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Summary: Victorian sight of Good and Evil struggle.
Review: Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894) was a remarkable author from the Victorian Era. He has left us at least two masterpieces: "The Treasure Island" (1883) and "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1886) and some other good novels such as "The Black Arrow" (1888).

It is amazing how writers and poets are able, thru intuition, to anticipate events or discoveries. When this book was first published, Sigmund Freud was studying with Charcot and not so many years later will produce his theoretic corpus of the human psyche. At some points the present story touches Freud's conceptualizations.

Dr. Jekyll suspect evil burdens every human soul, being an obstacle in its way to goodness. So he investigates and produces a drug that "liberates" the evil spirit and doing so he intend to be relived of it.
But Evil starts to grow each time more powerful and Mr. Hyde end cornering Dr. Jekyll into impotence and fear.

This story has captivated the public's imagination for more than a hundred years. Movies, comics and theater pieces had evolved from it. His tortured dual character is now a well known icon as Stoker's Dracula or Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
Even if you know more or less the story and its ending, reading this very short book is a powerful adventure.
A Classic you shouldn't let pass by unheeded!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.


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Summary: Short - and an absolute classic
Review: This book is short but extremely thought-provoking. The story and characters are much different than they are portrayed in modern versions. What happens if we get rid of all inhibitions? Is there a vile, little monster inside of each of us? What would be the result if we could take a potion and allow only that part of us to control our actions? Once you indluge that part of you, either with a potion or otherwise, will you ever be able to control it again? Was Stevenson just talking about our ability to control evil thoughts - or could it be about acoholism or other addictions?

Stevenson created a short story that will leave you thinking for a long time. The story is unique, dark, and mysterious. And it is about much more than a potion. It is about life, and whether you can control the bad parts of you after you have induldged them - or are you forever after a slave to them?

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Summary: Defenitly a classic
Review: This book is defenitly a classic. It probably could have been of longer. If it was at least the length of franenstein I am sure I would have given it 5 stars. The book does a great job of exploring man's dual nature. It is good for a quick read on a rainy day. Anyone who wants to say they've read the classics should read this book. Of course that is just my opnion, I could be wrong.