Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde: Level 4

Written by Robert Louis Stevenson

Narrated by Iman

Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are the same person. The townspeople do not know this, but inside Dr. Jekyll's laboratory, a serum has been concocted that enables the doctor to transform into a much darker person.

The doctor struggles with this transformation and is torn between continuing to drink the serum and trying to recover into normality.

This audio classic novel has been carefully abridged and adapted into 10 short easy to understand chapters. This format enables listeners of all ages and English language abilities to understand and enjoy the story. Composition includes original custom back ground music.

• Language: English
• Publisher: EDCON Publishing
• Release date: Jul 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9780848113315

Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson was born on 13 November 1850, changing his second name to ‘Louis’ at the age of eighteen. He has always been loved and admired by countless readers and critics for ‘the excitement, the fierce joy, the delight in strangeness, the pleasure in deep and dark adventures’ found in his classic stories and, without doubt, he created some of the most horribly unforgettable characters in literature and, above all, Mr. Edward Hyde.

Reviews for Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

[kinsey_m · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I do like to read classic gothic terror and I was sadly disapointed on this one, for two reasons:1.- The fact that Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde are the same person is meant to be a surprise and the main attraction of the book. This surprise (through no fault of the author) has been absolutely lost. Still, you could get over that if it wasn't for fault number 2.2.- It just hasn't aged well. Evil = Ugliness, does anyone believe that anymore? You could argue the same thing for the portrait of Dorian Gray, but there, it is clear that it is the ugliness of the soul, not physical ugliness, that is being pointed out. It just seems like a childish concept.

[cillasi_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book about the baser side of human nature and how easy it is for it to overpower your life if you allow it.

[greymowser · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I remember reading this in school, vaguely. I found the book to be a little annoying trying to figure out the writer's meanings to old English words. Were the first time I read it, it was just a horror story, this time I realize there were psychological and possible homosexual connotations. A lot of hidden meanings in the writing. Way different read from my first dip into the pages.

[jwhenderson_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those favorites of which it seems everyone knows the story even though they may only have seen one of the film adaptations of the original book. It is their loss for the book is a minor masterpiece and the best offerings of Hollywood (my favorite is the 1941 version with Spencer Tracy but Frederic March, 1931, is a close second) wander far from the text of the book, particularly with the addition of a love interest for the good Dr. Jekyll that just is not there. That aside, the book is high Victorian speculation about the nature of evil and man's ability to create life or at least modify it. It reminds me of Well's The Island of Dr. Moreau, published a decade later, except Stevenson is a bit more of a romantic. It also provides an example for the theories of Dr. Freud, who was not on the scene when Stevenson was creating his short novel. There are many explanations for the dual personalities presented by Stevenson. I like to think of it as a variation of the doppelganger literature of which Poe's William Wilson and Dostoevsky's The Double are classic examples. Stevenson's story and character has entered our literary mind and vocabulary and was popular from the beginning with good reason. It is a great read.

[joe73-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story. Should have been a bit longer. But all things considered I can really respect the writer for keeping it short. In many cases writers from this period tend to go on and on. If Stoker would have penned this it would have never ended and rolled over into the realm of politics. The story was very effective in showing the division between the personalities. This was a relief from Prince Otto which I read in the same day.

[la2bkk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As with many classics, this book is far more subtle and nuanced than the modern reader might expect based upon subsequent movie adaptations. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book as it is a wonderful combination of horror, suspense, humor and commentary on each of us.

[laphenix · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Curious, but quite unexceptional in all but concept. Much of the first half is merely discussion and speculation, and the second, all told through a document, and thus, there seems only a mere instant of action.

[bbec_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

read it! it won't take you long. well worth it.

[librarylou · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Classic gothic horror story.

[csayban · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Written in a dark, minimalist style, Stevenson classic murder mystery novella of good versus evil is still capable of making your skin crawl even when you already know how it ends. Ultimately it is a tale of what happens when a person allows their evil impulses into the open air and how it is impossible to ever return unscathed.

[jaygheiser · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story. I was very surprised that the chronology was reversed. It starts at the end and works its way forward, a device that none of the knock-off versions of this tale use. A master story teller.

[leslie398 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I thought that I would give this classic another try via audiobook but my overall impression remains that this is one case where the movie is better (specifically the 1941 version with Spencer Tracy).

[sometimeunderwater · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Bet this was a blitz before everyone and their kid knew the secret twist. A fine gothic novella, proceeding on railroad towards the ending you already knew was coming.

[collinmaessen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A story that almost everyone in the western world knows of, and subsequently you do know a lot about what happens in this little book.This does detract somewhat from the enjoyment of reading this book. However it is a fun book to read and to see the origins of the story that's so ingrained in our culture. And it is an interesting look at how darkness is a part of everyone and what could go wrong if we try to rid ourselves of that part of our personality.

[cyderry · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Each year I try to read a few CLASSICS just so that I can mark them off my list. I usually don't care for the stories or writing and have a hard time making it through the book, however, this one surprised me. The story was different than what I had imagined.Dr. Jekyll is the good guy and he has worked on a formula which will separate his baser nature from his kind and good attributes. Unfortunately, he loses control of Mr. Hyde (the bad guy) and must surrender his life to protect others.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A classic, and quite interesting in spite of its function as a cliché-mill. The story, once laid out, has been reused with varying skill again and again. The real novel has a great deal more depths than is usually supposed by readers bent on a quick thrill. This edition is an attractive book and is a pleasure to handle, as well as wide-margined and easy to read.

[ohernaes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The classic story of the good, but boring Dr Jekyll who transforms himself into the vital and evil Mr Hyde. Jekyll comes to loath him, but has become addicted.

[aliceanna-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This story had to be ground-breaking in its day, but it seems a bit dated now. I enjoyed it though. It had the feel of a Sherlock Holmes mystery.

[lindaliu-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting. I thought I had read this before but perhaps the memory is from the various takes on this in film or other stories. A very short novel, which I could have finished in a day if I had not been looking at booking holidays instead. It is ultimately about the duality of personality and I think about evil that lurks in us all. Dr Jekyll stumbled on a way of separating his identities from his normal benevelent self from his undernourished evil self in the evil form of Mr Hyde. The mystery of the events from his lawyer friend's point of view drew me in quite quickly. The confession at the end by Dr Jekyll was intriguing in the way he explained what was happening, and it seems like the good doctor was not entirely separate from that evil self throughout his life. So ultimately a struggle of good against evil and the perils of what happens if you indulge that evil.

[something_-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I fantom I would have liked this book a lot more if I didn't already know from the start who was Hyde. Nevertheless, it was actually very interesting once the "action" picked up. Although I found Utterson somewhat boring at times, the ending of the book made it worth it to see it through. The most interesting part was definitely the explanation of Dr Jekyll himself at the end, which I read eagerly. Overall, it was a nice book.

[mzzkitee · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The idea I had in my head about this story was better than the actual book. I was a little disappointed.

[gregorio_roth · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A short Novella that digs into the Psychology of the angelic man, made before the fall; and the dirty creatures, that lies in all humans. The psychology developed and explained here is great. If you are looking for a long read, this will not suffice.

[bnielsen_30 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Glimrende koncept. Henry Jekyll eksperimenterer med et medikament som skal hjælpe ham til at skille sin gode fra sin onde side. Det lykkes kun alt for godt. Han bliver til en ond person, Mr. Hyde, og finder for sent ud af at de kemikalier han bruger i starten indeholder et eller andet stof, som ikke findes i senere leverancer. Til sidst kan han ikke længere blive til Dr. Jekyll.En klassiker

[pennsylady · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very good audio Oct reread ...."split personality"....."dissociative identity disorder" ...psychological thriller

[shahnareads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

One of those 'classics' on everyones to be read lists.
It's alright.

[bryndahlquis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I wish people still wrote this way. Or at least, still wrote this way WELL.Just the first sentence is great. Stevenson really has a great way of describing people, both physically and characteristically.One of the most interesting things about this story is all the possibilities and underlying meanings you can get from it. The way Jekyll refers to both of his personalities in third person, his underlying thirst for and pleasure in evil, his addiction to Hyde, etc. It's actually pretty dark, and I'm sure we can all agree that Jekyll is a bit on the crazy side.But there's definitely a reason that Jekyll and Hyde have become household names and inspiration to countless stories and characters.

[cyafer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Short and sweet and pretty interesting. Not a bad read.

[icemaiden786 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A very creepy story. I didn't know what to expect with this book when I first read it. Everyone knows the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde concept but reading it was different. It wasn't what I expected and I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing. Either way I thought it was an interesting, eerie novel and worth reading at least once. Give it a go.

[librarycin · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

People have been wondering where Dr. Jekyll has been disappearing to and why the horrible Mr. Hyde seems to be such a good “friend” to Jekyll. This was ok. It might have been better if I didn't know what was going on, just for having heard what the story's about. But then, maybe not. It just wasn't really holding my interest. At least it was short and quick to read.

[clurb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Stevenson paints a very dark and bleak picture of London. His language makes the story very claustrophobic and although I came at this book already knowing the plot, I found that the understated writing style made it all just a touch more scary than I'd expected. Best read alone on a rainy night, under a blanket.