What a letdown!
With such great build-up: the mystery, the murder, the mayhem...
Yet Hyde/Jekyll kills himself before the lawyer can break down the door. No confrontation, no epic battle. Nothing.
After Hyde/Jekyll's death, the lawyer finds himself with a full confession from the mad scientist which reveals (surprise, surprise!) Hyde/Jekyll to be the same person. This confession was the longest chapter in the book, go figure!
What I found most interesting about DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (that the pop culture stereotype doesn't portray) is that Jekyll liked being Hyde. Not only that, but he had some amount of cognizance as Hyde. He was aware of his actions, even if his temperament meant he couldn't control them.
Of course, once he started changing to Hyde without the aid of the potion... Well, Jekyll didn't like that too much.
Overall, this book was a disappointment for me. I was expecting a bigger reveal and a show down between Jekyll's dual selves. Alas, that was not what I got at all. Boo.
Why do the books we read as kids still hold a magic sway over us today?
Maybe it's the familiarity they provide, or maybe they're a physical reminder of simpler days and sweeter times. Either way, there are stacks of books that hold a special place in my heart. Today I'm going to share five of them with you, and a bit about why they're so special.
Ready? Here we go...
"Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" by Bill Martin, Jr.
I don't know what kid (at least who grew up in the 90's) that didn't read this book and love it. If I ever have kids, this will be a staple on our bookshelf!
"Caps for Sale" by Esphyr Slobodkina
No idea how this book was introduced to me (probably by my wonderful parents). But I loved it as a kid, and I love it now. Such a creative, fun idea for a children's story!
"The Three Robbers" by Tomi Ungerer
This book wasn't originally introduced to me as a book. I actually first watched an animated short of "The Three Robbers," which can be found here. To be honest, I've never read the book, but the animated version is straight from these pages... So I think it counts. Warning. It's kind of a weird story.
"Dealing with Dragons" by Patricia C. Wrede
My dad found this book for me when I was just breaking into chapter books. It's an amazing series for young girls, and I loved it (and still love it) desperately. I dutifully introduced it to my younger sisters.
"Green Rider" by Kristen Britain
The library in my middle school was a magical place. There were so many books packed into the enormous space. I could've spent all of homeroom there. It was among these shelves that I discovered two of my pre-teenage-hood favorites, "Green Rider" being one of them (and the book below being the other). Ms. Britain is stilling writing "Green Rider" books today. There's about a 3-6 year gap between them. So, in a way, I've grown up with these books. Which is so cool. I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment!
"Lirael" by Garth Nix
This book terrified and exhilarated me at the same time! Walking dead controled by bells? A dangerous library with monsters sealed inside rooms? An outcast girl becoming friends with a talking "disreputable" dog? Yes, please! I still love this book to this day. Though I don't get scared quite so easily.
Do you have any childhood favorites that are near and dear to your heart? Give them a shoutout in the comments!
