Saturday, September 08, 2007

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde


Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.

If it wasn't for the R.I.P. II challenge, I wouldn't have picked up Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. (I could even clarify and say that if it wasn't for Nymeth's review, I wouldn't have read the book.) Let's just say that I'm very happy that I did. I not only liked this book, I loved it. It's only been a few weeks at best since I announced this challenge and said it "so-isn't-me" but I was willing to read one book to give it a go. (Debi was so right when she said that she had a feeling I'd finish peril the first.)

The story may be familiar to some. I certainly knew elements of it going into it. But that really didn't influence me too much. Okay, I might have been alternating between thinking of the Arthur version of it and the VeggieTales version of it called The Strange Case Dr. Jiggle and Mr. Sly. I might have eventually gotten around to thinking about the Wishbone episode. But it didn't have catchy music.

The story is simple. Dr. Jekyll's lawyer, Mr. Utterson, begins to worry about his client because he names Mr. Hyde in his will. Mr. Hyde, he has just learned, is a strange man that almost everyone has a bad vibe about. He is described as "pure evil" by some. Utterson worries that Hyde must be blackmailing Jekyll into making those provisions in his will. The more worried and anxious he becomes, the more involved he gets in trying to solve the mystery between the two men. He especially becomes worried when Mr. Hyde commits a murder. Will Dr. Jekyll be next? Is there a way to save his friend and put Mr. Hyde away for good?

Here's a bit of the Arthur song:
I started shaking!
My legs were quaking!
My stomach aching!
My brain was breaking!
Started turning green,
Feeling mean,
It was like in that story.
I was acting strange,
Quite deranged,
It was pure allegory.
(Chorus)
Cause I was:
Jekyll, Jekyll, Hyde
Jekyll Hyde, Hyde Jekyll
Jekyll, Jekyll, Hyde
Jekyll, Hyde!

15 comments:

raidergirl3 said...

ha! I had that song in my head the whole time I read that book. It's my favorite Arthur episode.
And the book was good too.

chrisa511 said...

OK, the Arthur song has now officially convinced me that I have to read it ;) I love your review Becky! I really am learning new things about this book every day..I've gotta read it!

Ana S. said...

I'm so glad to hear you liked it so much!

That's one of the best things about challenges - you think you won't like a genre all that much, and end up discovering a bunch of memorable books!

Becky said...

Raidergirl3, I'm so glad I'm not the only one out there that got this song *stuck* in their heads while reading the book. I didn't know it was so catchy until I picked this one up. But that is one of my FAVORITE Arthur episodes. Sadly, no one has put any of it up on YouTube. :(

Chris, I think you'll enjoy it when you get to it. It's a fast read too.

Nymeth: You're right. That is what I am LOVING about this challenge. I didn't realize I was so judgemental until I started reading these books I thought "weren't" me and discovering that they were in fact...quite me. I guess I had never embraced or ackowledged that side of my personality :)

raidergirl3 said...

PBS has Library Card and the theme song and Crazy Bus, but alas, no Jekyl and Hyde song on the jukebox: http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/musicbox/music.html

Becky said...

Thanks for the link :) I can at least enjoy some of the songs now. And I know there is an actual cd out there--Arthur And Friends: The First Almost Real Not Live CD--but I'm not sure I'm *brave* enough to buy it.

http://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Friends-First-Almost-Real/dp/B00000DAH0/ref=pd_sim_m_1/002-1128982-8527209?ie=UTF8&qid=1189278586&sr=1-2

Petunia said...

lol I will have to keep an eye out for that Veggie Tales now. And I haven't heard the Arthur song. I guess I'm glad. I have enough crazy songs that bounce around my head.

Now I'm going to be singing Oh Where is My Hairbrush for a week.

Melissa said...

Becky, what you need is a couple of kids to give you the excuse to buy the CD. (Yes, we own it. And yes, I do like that song.) Eventually, I'll even get around to reading this book. :)

Becky said...

Petunia:

Dr. Jiggle and Mr. Sly is on THE SNOODLE'S TALE. (Which is a parody/tribute to Dr. Seuss). It is one of my favorites.

Melissa:
You should definitely read it when you've got time. It's short and very powerful.

Booklogged said...

So glad to hear you liked it. I'm going to be reading it for the RIP, too.

Booklogged said...

Pure allegory! That's the word I was searching for when I wrote my review. I'm in full agreement with you - glad I read the book. And I loved it, too.

Anonymous said...

hi i just got switched into this english class and got this book to read and dont have a clue about it and i have till tomorrow to get it done.and i have some questions i would like to throw at some one to answer. PLEASE

Anonymous said...

My 10 year old boy wants to read this. Is it appropriate for children? Thank you.

Becky said...

Anonymous, I'm not sure. It would depend on the child. It's a classic, but its horror/thriller. (Some kids scare much easier than others!) I didn't think there was anything objectionable in it when I read it. But when I read it, I wasn't asking is this appropriate for a 10 year old.

Anonymous said...

OK. Thank you!