The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

So, here’s the thing – if you know the secret, there’s not much point reading the book. And everyone knows the secret by now – “Jekyll and Hyde” has become a common idiom.

But back when this was published in Victorian England, no one knew the twist, and it was probably a hell of a surprise in the end. But I did know the plot twist, so there wasn’t much to it.

It’s a small book – a “long short story,” even. You can read it in 45 minutes. The text can be a little ponderous, and if you’re not careful you’ll miss some subtleties.

For instance, the real conflict turns out that Jekyll began turning into Hyde through a bad chemical in a potion. But he started to like embracing the evil inside him, so he did it more and more. And then it started happening involuntarily when he slept. And then while he was awake. And by then it was out of control.

Again, if you didn’t know the plot twist was coming, then the ending would be a doozy. But if you do, well then there’s not a whole lot to look forward to.