The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson > Reviews

Advantages: Ahead of its time
Disadvantages: Difficult to read because of old language

...a true classic. One of the most awe-inspiring books possibly ever written. I'm completely astounded at the futuristic views Stevenson had and how he could portray his views in such a cunning way. Stenvenson was extremely frowned upon for writing a book like this. His father, like the rest of Victorian England was a devout Christian, therefore the ideas that the book portrayed went completely against religion. the book subtly refers to Charles Darwins ... Read review

Advantages: a brilliant story
Disadvantages: far too many cheesey versions

The trouble with Jekyll and Hyde is that everyone knows about it - through endless repeats, revisions, parodies and the like it has become part of our consciousness and the book that started it all off has suffered greatly for this. When I first read "The strange case...." I could not help but wonder what it would have been like to encounter that book with no preconceived ideas, no notion of where it might be going. The plot is far too well known ... Read review

Advantages: Characters, especially the evil Edward Hyde
Disadvantages: The middle section is boring and tedious

...Louis Stevenson written in 1886. The book surprised me as it is only 88 pages long! The book has good points and bad points. The good points are the end as it brings the story to a close with an excellent ending. The main bad point is the exceptional boring middle section to the book where nothing much happens. In that respect the book is similar to the main character(s) as there is a good: Henry Jekyll and the evil Edward Hyde. This is the same in ... Read review

Advantages: The story goes right for the throat
Disadvantages: None

Unrestrained evil awaits the reader within this brief novel. “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” is a novel dealing with human duality and theories to that effect. You already know this Victorian-era story: good Dr. Jekyll brews himself some potions in his laboratory, and after drinking them his body deforms and he becomes the evil Mr. Hyde. We see much of the action through the eyes of witnesses to Hyde’s corrupt deeds. Hyde is a brutal ... Read review

Advantages: the original behind a story everyone knows of
Disadvantages: boring; a big let-down of a supposed classic

...of hearing different versions of the Jekyl/Hyde story I finally picked up the book. After seeing the story worked into movies, tv shows and other books my entire life, I assumed it had to be an impressive book. It turns out the only good element is the length of the story; I was able to finish it in well under a day and never had to look at it again. This book is supposed to be a classic, but all I got from it was bored. The characters are weak and ... Read review