98. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (1886)
Dates: 3/6/20 (1 day)
Basic Plot: Come on, now. Don’t you know it?
Experience Before Reading: Apparently I’ve read this book before. I was assigned it in high school (which means nothing, by the way – I almost never read my school books). It was filled with red pen markings of my less evolved handwriting. Even with my precarious work, I remembered nothing but the basic plot. I did appreciate my high school literary devices and symbolism notes though, it added some much appreciated context.
Takeaway: For my first day of spring break, this was a good little escape. Nothing too much, but just enough to forget reality. I’ve been trudging through Atlas Shrugged and needed a bit of a break anyway.
The story follows through the perspective of a lawyer who gets curious about Dr. Jekyll’s strange behavior and sets about finding out what’s afoot. This – according to my high school scribbles – juxtaposes the common Victorian theme of silence. It was polite to remain quiet and ambivalent.
However, that’s really the point of this book anyway: duality. Everything foils the next and to be whole, you have to be two. And no, that statement has nothing to do with the entire season of Love is Blind I binged this week. But I guess you could say it shows duality in my daily life though – trashy reality TV mixed with quaint Victorian monster classics.
This was my second Robert Louis Stevenson book and I’ve really taken a liking to his style of writing. He’s constantly progressing the plot but without taking away from the imagery. It’s just that every word has its place. It’s efficiency and I like it.
Would I Recommend It?: On a quiet rainy evening.
