The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

“He put the glass to his lips, and drank at one gulp. A cry followed; he reeled, staggered, clutched at the table and held on, staring with injected eyes, gasping with open mouth; and as I looked there came...a change.” This haunting profile of Dr. Jekyll was recorded by his good friend and lawyer Mr. Utterson, the narrator of this horror novel. Placed in London, the central theme of the book is that within each person there are two personalities colliding; one evil and one good. Within Dr. Jekyll these two personalities clash and he derives a way to root the evil personality out of his body, literally becoming a split person. In Dr. Jekyll’s case, the unacceptable side took over and transformed him into a savage monster, Mr. Hyde. Can Mr. Hyde be stopped before it is too late? 

Most people know at least some of the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as it was for me, but it was surprising to read this short book packed with adventure and mystery and discover the whole story. This story has been told and reproduced countless times and Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde are still one of the most well known symbols of horror novels. Packed to the brim with mystery and suspense, this book entertains and is fun to read. Stevenson teaches important principles about individualism, human fallibility, and the psychology of humankind throughout this popular fictional book. For those who have heard of the story and for those that have not, it does not matter, read this book. Not only will you become more familiar with one of the most famous horror stories of all time, but you will want to read it again when you are done.  


-Scott