I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really like when authors take a classic story and put their own spin on it, or try to add onto it. The problem is this is not always successful. Sometimes, it can be amazing but other times, the attempt fails miserably. It’s a hit-or-miss situation… but I’m always game to try it out! I was super happy to have received this ARC, and here is my review:
It has been 7 years since Edward Hyde died, when one day a stylish gentleman arrives claiming to be Dr. Henry Jekyll. Only Mr. Utterson, Jekyll’s faithful laywer and confidant knows that this man is an imposter – because only Utterson knows that Jekyll was Hyde. But as the imposter goes around charming all of Jekyll’s friends and reclaiming his estate, Utterson finds himself the only challenger. And as the bodies of others who really knew Jekyll start piling up, Utterson is left fearing for his life … and questioning his own sanity.
So I liked the concept here. But this one leans more towards a miss than a hit for me. The author jumps right into the story, and I really liked that because it immediately sets up the stage. For those who have never read the original class, fear not! The author gives enough hints that the reader can piece the whole thing together. The reason that this novel didn’t work for me was because it felt very rushed. Utterson’s panic and conviction are realistically portrayed but the madness of his behaviour and the flurry of events that occurred were sometimes hard to follow. It didn’t allow the story to develop deeply enough. I wish that the author had slowed down, had made Utterson talk to the imposter a few more times, so that we could have also believed that the imposter might not be Jekyll. I didn’t really have any impression whatsoever of the fake Jekyll because there were so few scenes that involved him! There was also other characters that were introduced but then they faded away, and it just made it a very confusing read. I also didn’t really like the ending, as it made the novel a moot point. At the end of the day, this novel showed that the original never really needed a sequel. While I appreciate the author’s efforts, it just didn’t work for me.
Happy reading ~