Review - Dr Jekyll & Mr Seek by Anthony O'Neill

In the classic RL Stevenson novel The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the lawyer Gabriel Utterson, investigates the series of strange events occurring between his old friend, Dr Henry Jekyll, and the evil Edward Hyde.

In this story or sequel, seven years have passed, and Utterson, on the verge of realising the inheritance left to him by his good friend Jekyll, finds his world crashing down as an imposter appears to lay claim to Jekyll's estate - an imposter who claims to be Jekyll himself!

Only one man is not taken in - that is the lawyer Utterson, a measured, emotionless bachelor, who alone knows the truth - that this can in no way be Jekyll. In his quest to bring the truth to the fore, Utterson realises that those who knew Jekyll in the past, and upon welcoming him back, are slowly being erased, and yet none can see this but himself.

"... how could he possibly be certain of anything, if he was no longer certain of himself ..."

In a vain attempt to prove his theory correct, Utterson abandons all common sense and seeks to recreate Jekyll's transformation potion. And so begins his slow descent ..... " ... [Utterson] knew he had been dismantled ... he knew that he would forever be regarded as mad ..."

I found this to be a rather compelling homage to Stevenson's original gothic horror story - it could quite easily have had another 100 or so pages added, as Utterson's delusions and decay are further investigated. i especially enjoyed the last chapter as events pertaining to Utterson are closed - although the fate of Jekyll remains tantalisingly unanswered!.

read more here 

@ Britannica - Summary & Notes (Jekyll & Hyde)

@ Sydney Morning Herald - review

Shirley Jackson: the US Queen of Gothic Horror

Shirley Jackson: the US queen of gothic horror claims her literary crown | Books | The Guardian

She has been cited as an inspiration by Stephen King, Donna Tartt, Neil Gaiman and Joanne Harris. Now the American author Shirley Jackson, once memorably described as writing “not with a pen but a broomstick”, is set for a long overdue reappraisal on this side of the Atlantic.

This week sees the release of a new biography, Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life, swiftly followed by a graphic novel version of her most famous short story, The Lottery, illustrated by her grandson, Miles Hyman, and the publication of Dark Tales, a collection of her most chilling short stories. And the revival does not stop there: next year will see a film of her book We Have Always Lived In The Castle, with rising stars Taissa Farmiga and Alexandra Daddario, alongside Sebastian Stan and Crispin Glover.

In an era when domestic noir reigns at the publishing houses and our thirst for dark tales of women under threat rages unabated, Jackson’s ability to unnerve strikes a chord. “There’s a whole new appreciation today of what it means to be a mother and a writer and how to reconcile those two things,” says Franklin. “We’re also more interested in the lives of women and that in turn has led to a revival of interest in Jackson’s work. I honestly feel as though she’s one of those authors who’s been in the background for a long time, yet has a huge influence on American fiction, and it’s only now that we’re beginning to see how important she is.” 

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