Told mostly from Hyde's point of view, Levine adds to and reimagines the original tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In this tale, Hyde explains his feelings and experiences growing up along with this odd sensation of being trapped. While he breaks out and controls the body, he doesn't always know what is going on. There is death around him though and he must find out who the culprit is, even if it may be himself.
My thoughts:
While there were definite parts that pulled me out of the story, this was a very well done remake. The original tale is included in the back, so even if you are not completely familiar with it, you have a basis of comparison. Hyde is cast not particularly as the villain. We definitely get to see the compassion and human side of him. We see the whole lifespan of his character and Dr. Jekyll for the most part. There is a bit of a mystery, but if you are reading along, then the end will not be much of a surprise. The highlight of the novel really is Levine's descriptions.
Levine brings Victorian England to life. He focuses a lot on the poor conditions of the commoner. The description is rich with all five senses as he builds the gritty city walls. It's almost as if you are transported back to that time period without all of the fanciful ideals of the rich. I was just sucked into each setting as the tale unraveled, caring less about character insights than the beautiful word choice of the author.
My thoughts:
While there were definite parts that pulled me out of the story, this was a very well done remake. The original tale is included in the back, so even if you are not completely familiar with it, you have a basis of comparison. Hyde is cast not particularly as the villain. We definitely get to see the compassion and human side of him. We see the whole lifespan of his character and Dr. Jekyll for the most part. There is a bit of a mystery, but if you are reading along, then the end will not be much of a surprise. The highlight of the novel really is Levine's descriptions.
Levine brings Victorian England to life. He focuses a lot on the poor conditions of the commoner. The description is rich with all five senses as he builds the gritty city walls. It's almost as if you are transported back to that time period without all of the fanciful ideals of the rich. I was just sucked into each setting as the tale unraveled, caring less about character insights than the beautiful word choice of the author.