The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (R. L. Stevenson)

Book Synopsis
**SPOILER ALERT - if you don't know what this book is about do not read further!**
Everyone has a dark side. Dr Jekyll, a respected scientist and well-regarded doctor, has discovered the ultimate drug. A chemical that can turn him into someone (or something) else. Suddenly, he can unleash his deepest depravities and cruelties in the guise of the sinister and evil Mr Hyde. Transforming himself at will, he roams the streets of fog-bound Victorian London as his monstrous alter-ego, looking for prey. It seems Dr Jekyll is master of his fate. It seems he is in complete control. But soon he will discover that his double life comes at a hideous price and he becomes the victim of his success...

Ups
I could have sworn I had read this book, as I already know so much about its main concept. However during a recent browse through my library I noticed that I don't actually have a copy, so rushed to rectify the situation. The book was much shorter than I thought it would be, at 88 pages it's more of a novella. When first published in the 1800s, it was a truly shocking tale, especially because the readers at the time would not have known the fact that Jekyll and Hyde were one man with a dual personality until the last pages, and would have been trying to figure out the mystery throughout the book only to be faced with the shocking revelation at the conclusion. Despite the fact that it is almost impossible for a modern reader to innocently experience the story as it was meant to (as we all know what happens at the end), it is still a bone-chilling piece of writing. I loved the Edgar Allan Poe-esque atmosphere that oozes from the story, even the foggy, murky streets of London is an apt setting for the sinister tale that unfolds.

This isn't just a gothic horror story - it is one of the first of its kind. Also its not just about the old chestnut of good versus evil - its insights into human psychology were decades ahead of its time. Stevenson wrote this book several decades before Sigmund Freud revolutionized human psychology yet a lot of the tenets that Freud would write about are here in this book. Fascinating.

It is said there is a sentence in every book that captures the essence of the book, and I always look out for this. In this book there was one line that really struck me: "My devil had been long caged, so he came out roaring". Notice the use of 'He' and not 'It' - showing that Dr Jekyll considered Mr Hyde a person just as real as himself, and not a chemically induced monstrous beast.

Downs
I can think of very few downs. Whilst I was reading this book I desperately wanted to find out exactly what Mr Hyde did during his evening excursions to satisfy his cruel nature, and wished the book had been longer to answer all these unanswered questions. I was going to put this as a 'Down'. However, now that I have finished the book, I actually quite like the way Stevenson was 'economical' with his writing, as half the story is in what was left unsaid. The exact nature of the depravities and cruelties enjoyed and inflicted by Mr Hyde is never spelt out, but left to the imagination of the reader. Therefore whatever the reader imagines these to be, that probably reflects the deepest and darkest thoughts of the reader's own Mr Hyde... Worrying thought!!

Rating
Language & Style - 9 / 10
Memorability - 10 / 10
Re-readability - 8 / 10
Pageturner factor - 8 / 10

Overall - 9 / 10

Remarkable Creatures (Tracy Chevalier)

Book Synopsis
In the early 1800s, a windswept beach along the English coast brims with fossils.  From the moment she's struck by lightning as a baby, it is clear Mary Anning is marked for greatness. When she uncovers unknown dinosaur fossils in the cliffs near her home, she sets the scientific world alight, challenging ideas about the world's creation and stimulating debate over our origins. In an arena dominated by men, however, Mary is soon facing prejudice from the academic community, vicious gossip from neighbours, and the heartbreak of forbidden love. Then - in prickly Elizabeth Philpot, a fossil-obsessed middleclass spinster - she finds a champion and a rival.



Ups
I have been a big fan of Chevalier ever since reading her debut book, the Girl with a Pearl Earring. Alas her last book, Burning Bright, received a savaging from reviewers, and rightly so. But  now she has shown her mettle by bouncing back with what may well be one of her best novels.

Mary and Elizabeth were real people, and it is said the tongue twister 'She sells seashells by the sea shore' is attributable to Mary. However this is not just their story, or even a story about dinosaur fossils and evolution theory in the early 19th century. Sure, these are the obvious themes in the book, and very well told they are, in Chevalier's beautifully flowing, simple style. To me the undercurrents in this book were even more unforgettable - two self-taught women challenging the position of women in society; the struggle between the religious and scientific communities about the origins of our existence; and how a shared passion can transcend class and gender - all of which scandalous concepts in those days.

This book has been described as 'Jane Austen meets Darwin' - which I found very apt. Not only was it set in the Austen era, there were so many little touches in the book that reminded me of Austen's novels, particularly Sense and Sensibility (three unmarried sisters, banished to live in a small cottage on a windswept shore, when their brother and his new wife take over their comfortable mansion. Sound familiar?). It considers all the Austenish concerns of that era (marriage, etiquette, social mobility) and there are even references to Austen in the novel.

An extraordinary story, wonderfully told. Full of period detail. A great gentle read.

Downs
Some readers may find the amount of artistic license in this book frustrating - so this novel is really not for you if you are looking for a strict biography of Mary Anning. I personally am a big fan of the historical fiction genre, so I did not mind the author's imaginative license, or the love story thrown in. 

The book is told in first person, and alternating chapters are told from Mary's and Elizabeth's points of view. I think this was a great idea, however I could not differentiate between the voices of Mary and Elizabeth. I would have expected the differences in their class, age, education and upbringing, language, even accent to be much more recognisable. However, this is a minor criticism in what is otherwise an exceptional book.

Rating
Language & Style - 9 / 10
Memorability - 8 / 10
Re-readability - 6 / 10
Pageturner factor - 7 / 10

Overall - 8 / 10

My all time favourite reads

So that you can get an idea what sort of books make me tick, here's a list of 10 books that I consider to be my all time favourites. This is in no particular order, as asking me to pick a favourite amongst these 10 is like asking a mother to pick their favourite child! They are all unforgettable reads.

       

        

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Whilst working as a lady's companion, the heroine of Rebecca meets Maxim de Winter, a handsome and rich widower whose sudden proposal of marriage takes her by surprise. She accepts, but whisked from glamourous Monte Carlo to the ominous and brooding Manderley, the new Mrs de Winter finds Max a changed man. And the memory of his dead wife Rebecca is forever kept alive in the house. Most interestingly we never find out the name of the heroine, which subliminally reinforces her insignificance compared to Rebecca. Love the atmosphere in this book. 

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett 
An epic historical novel set in 12th century England that tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known; of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect; of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame; and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state, and brother against brother. A large tome, but absolutely unputdownable. Follet recently published a sequel to this book, which is just as good. 

River God by Wilbur Smith
Ancient Egypt lies ravaged by war, as weak men inherit the crown. Taita - a wise eunuch slave, sees the pharaoh only as a symbol of a kingdom's fading glory. Beside Taita stand his proteges, Lostris, daughter of Lord Intef, beautiful beyond her 14 years; and Tanus, proud, young army officer, who has vowed to avenge the death of his father, and seize Lostris as his prize. I enjoy Wilbur Smith books, but I wouldn't rank him as one of my favourite authors. This book however is a real masterpiece.  You will find yourself transported to Ancient Egypt. 

The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George
Ancient Egypt theme continues with the story of Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile. This saga of ambition, power and passion is told in the first person, from the queen's earliest memories of her father's tenuous rule to her own reign over one of the most glittering kingdoms in the world. It is a big book, but meticulously researched and extremely well written, so well worth the time and effort.  I would also strongly recommend The Autobiography of Henry VIII by the same author. 

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
A chilling ghost story. Arthur Kipps, a solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow. It is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black - and her terrible purpose. I am not a huge fan of the supernatural, but I will never forget the chill down my spine when I read this book. 

Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
When Tess Durbeyfield is driven by family poverty to claim kinship with the wealthy D'Urbervilles and seek a portion of their family fortune, meeting her 'cousin' Alec proves to be her downfall. A very different man, Angel Clare, seems to offer her love and salvation, but Tess must choose whether to reveal her past or remain silent. With its sensitive depiction of the wronged Tess and powerful criticism of social convention, this is my favourite Hardy novel and my favourite classic. 

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Ten strangers, with little in common, are lured to an island mansion off the coast of Devon. Over dinner, a record begins to play, and the voice of an unseen host accuses each person of hiding a guilty secret. That evening,one of them is found murdered. The tension escalates as the survivors realise the killer is not only one of them but is preparing to strike again! and again! I have read all of Christie's books, and this one is by far the best.  

The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
The first book in the Earth's Children series set in the Stone Age. When her parents are killed by an earthquake, 5-year-old Ayla wanders through the forest completely alone. She is rescued by a group of Neanderthals that call themselves the Clan of the Cave Bear. Ayla, a cro-magnon, finds herself challenging the beliefs of the clan. Spellbinding. I have recommended this book to many friends, and they all rush out to buy the second book as soon as they finish this one. 

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
My childhood favourite. Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert are in for a big surprise. they are waiting for an orphan boy to help with the work at Green Gables; but a skinny, red-haired girl turns up instead. Feisty and full of spirit, Anne Shirley charms her way into the Cuthberts' affection with her vivid imagination and constant chatter. This book brings back many a fond childhood memory. 

The Foundation by Isaac Asimov
An epic sci-fi saga set so far in the future that Earth is all but forgotten by humans who live throughout the galaxy. Yet the Galactic Empire is on the brink of collapse. Hari Seldon, a psycho-historian and mathematician, can scientifically predict the future, and it doesn't look pretty: a new Dark Age will send humanity into barbarism in 500 years. He concocts a scheme to save the knowledge of the race in an Encyclopedia Galactica. But this project will take generations to complete, and who will take up the torch after him? Not just for the sci-fi fan.

If you also loved any of the books listed above, stay tuned to my blog! :)

The Leopard (Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa)

Book synopsis
The first book I will review in my blog is The Leopard, written by Sicilian nobleman Giuseppe Tomasi, Prince of Lampedusa. The book is a semi-autobiographical novel set at the end of the 19th century and depicts the death throes of the great feudal nobility of Sicily at the time of invasion by Garibaldi. This book has a wide renown as a 20th century classic, and one of my husband's favourites. I decided to finally read it after watching a very favourable review of it on Australian TV.

Ups
I don't normally like books translated into English from another language, as I often find the original meaning and prose gets 'lost in translation', and what may well be a jewel of a book in its native language is all too often ruined by an incompetent translator. Happily, in this case the translator has done a magnificent job and The Leopard does not seem to have lost of any of the charm of its original in the process.

The book is quite small - and yet in 190 pages very vividly depicts a very hot, sleepy, never-changing Sicily and the life of the local landowner aristocracy in late 1800s, at the time of invasion by Garibaldi and Sicily's eventual annexation into a new united Italy. It's a great example of historical writing, recapturing the essence of a bygone period and all the class politics of that day with the aristocracy being replaced by rising middle class 'gentry'. Sadness, melancholy and impending death permeates the whole book from beginning to end.

The language is very sensual, full of ideas and new ways of looking at things that makes you pause and think. In particular I found myself moved by the author's depiction of his life ebbing away in his old age, likening it to 'grains of sand lining up unhurried, unceasing, before the narrow neck of an hourglass'. In earlier chapters he refers to marriage and love as '1 year of fire, 30 years of ashes' and describes two young and naive lovers as 'unknowing actors set to play the parts of Juliet and Romeo by a director who had concealed the fact that tomb and poison were already in the script'. Also watch out for a description of the gorgeous Italian food throughout the book - especially the macaroni pie and the desserts - absolutely mouthwatering and got me heading straight for the fridge. Great writing, to evoke all these senses and emotions in the reader. 

Downs
While some people may not mind, I did not enjoy the overuse of the semicolon - a few too many paragraph-long sentences. I also thought the book was a little untidy in places and would have preferred a little more continuity in the story. Though it does not by any means diminish the overal impact of the book, I found the big jumps between chapters in both subject and time somewhat annoying, as if big chunks were removed from the book by an overzealous editor.

Rating
Language & Style - 8 / 10
Memorability - 7 / 10
Re-readability - 6 / 10
Pageturner factor - 4 / 10

Overall - 7 / 10 (Yes, I know it is harsh but I have high expectations of a book that is a 20th century classic, and this book fails to deliver on a few accounts)