Next up on my classic book is Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was written in 1886 by Robert Louis Stevenson about a London lawyer investigating his old friend, Dr Henry Jekyll.
Gabriel John Utterson along with his cousin Richard Enfield are outside taking a walk. While they are talking Enfield tells the story about the time when he saw an odd looking and sinister person by the name of Hyde who was trampling a young girl. Enraged by the event Enfield forced Hyde to write a £100 check to avoid a scandal. Utterson was disturbed by the story but for an entirely different reason. The check was signed by his client A.K.A. Dr. Jekyll and Utterson was worried because Jekyll has recently changed his will to make Hyde the sole beneficiary and he assumed that Hyde was blackmailing him. He went and confronted Jekyll but his only response was to leave Hyde alone. After this a series of events leads Utterson on an investigation as to what exactly is going on.
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This book is Gothic horror in its purest form and it is a work of art. From the structure, content to the masterful exploration into the human nature and it’s duality and it does that in such a small book. The book came out in the perfect timeline. Scientists in that era were convinced that the two different sides of the brain represented two opposite sides and desires of the human being. Jekyll was civilized and calm while Hyde was the side he used to indulge himself in vices and he was much more impulsive and barbaric (A good modern day example would be Dr Banner and his alter ego the Hulk).
It’s a fantastic book and even though I enjoyed Dracula more I still highly recommend it. It has influenced and inspired so many works of fiction even cartoons.
which can actually be a slight issue since almost everyone knows the story itself and it might take away some of the enjoyment of the book. However Stevenson’s world is still insanely entertaining and immersive and his exploration into the duality of man is fantastic that reading the book is still a thrilling and immersive experience.
Final verdict: 8/10
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (US)(UK)(Canada)(Germany)(Spain)
