Thursday, October 10, 2019

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Seek by Anthony O'Neill

"If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek."



As Henry Jekyll's lawyer, Gabriel Utterson was one of the only people who knew that Dr. Jekyll was also Mr. Hyde. So when Edward Hyde was found dead almost seven years ago, Utterson knew his friend, Henry, was dead, too. But he couldn't tell anyone how he knew without revealing his friend's darkest secret. So, when a man suddenly appears in London claiming to be Henry Jekyll, Utterson is the only one who knows he's an imposter. Everyone else thinks that Jekyll has finally come home. And Utterson can't convince them of the truth. In fact, the more he argues the point, the more they start to question his own motives....and his sanity. To make matters worse, as Utterson obsessively seeks to prove that Jekyll is an imposter, he discovers that several people who once knew and could identify the real Henry Jekyll have recently died. Is it just a coincidence?  Or...is Utterson himself imagining things that just aren't real?

I found Utterson's search for answers in this book quietly compelling. I also empathized with his frustration at not being able to convince anyone else of the truth. And the suspense really mounts when he begins to question his own sanity. Could Jekyll really be alive? Is Utterson going mad?

I love Robert Louis Stevenson's original tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and while this sequel doesn't equal that one, it's still a fun mystery. It's short, only 216 pages. And Anthony O'Neill does a good job of capturing the unsettling atmosphere of the original novel. The ending, though, is a bit abrupt and not nearly as satisfying as I wanted it to be. For me, it left a few too many questions unanswered--questions that the author himself raised. So, I didn't love this one, but I did like it. Best of all, it counts as my second R.I.P. read

Happy Reading! 

28 comments:

  1. This does sound pretty compelling and "unsettling". It would be frustrating to have no one believe you! I don't like a bunch of unanswered questions, but I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the story despite that. :)

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    1. Yeah, I prefer my story endings to wrap up in a neat package with all the questions answered. But that's must me. :)

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  2. I loved Jekyll and Hyde and am always interested when I see a new book with a twist on the classic. I'm definitely intrigued by this one.

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    1. Jekyll and Hyde is one of my favorite classic stories. I love the Broadway musical of it, too. :)

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  3. I love the cover! And, like Ashley, I usually enjoy a new twist on a classic. :)

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    1. It's fun to see other author's take on such classic characters. :)

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  4. Hi Lark, the original novel by Stevenson a great book and I like the idea of writers taking a classic or any book and changing it a bit. One example Gregory Maguire's Wicked which recreated the world of Oz in such a remarkable way.

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    1. Hi Kathy! I like different retellings of classic stories, too. Wicked is a book I still need to read.

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  5. I like the premise of this one, and being that short makes it worth the gamble. It's going on my TBR list today. Thanks.

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    1. Short is good sometimes! I doubt this one would take you very long to read. :)

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  6. I think this sounds great. I was a little disappointed with the original because of course, at this point, who doesn't know the twist already? So it would be worth my while just to check this modern continuation out and be SURPRISED!

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    1. This one does have a bit of a twist on the original story. If you do read it, I'd love to know what you think of it! :)

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  7. I always like the idea of re-creating/retelling of those beloved books we read and this one sounds like a fun one despite the ending. :)

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    1. It was fun to see the Jekyll/Hyde story from a different viewpoint.

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  8. I'm curious about this one. I think I may have to make a point to grab it. Great review!

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  9. It's certainly an intriguing premise! A pity that the book doesn't answer the questions it raises.

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  10. I don't think I ever read the original though I know the basic story of it. I never was one for the classics!

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    1. I read and like a lot of the classics...and the Jekyll and Hyde story is one of my favorites. :)

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  11. I like this premise -- I feel like it brings something (a little) new to the story.

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    1. O'Neill does have a different take on this classic story.

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  12. I like the premise, and while I didn’t love the original (would’ve worked better as short story imo), it does provide an excellent jumping off point for potential sequels.

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  13. I read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde several years ago and enjoyed it. It would be fun to check out this one! I need to hurry up because I'm falling a bit behind on my R.I.P. reading.

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    1. And the month of October is quickly ending! Much too quickly.

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  14. This is perfect for this time of year. I still need to read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I think I would like this one too!

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    1. Jekyll and Hyde has always been a favorite of mine. :)

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