Challenge 6: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Title: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
96 pages 
First Published in 1886
Book description: It is about a London lawyer named John Gabriel Utterson who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr Henry Jekyll, and the evil Edward Hyde.

So for the sixth challenge we had to pick a book with less than 200 pages, so I had to literally google books under 200 pages and this was one of them. It is a classic read and I have never actually read it before so it helps me get two things done, for starters it meets this challenge's requirements and also it helps me to get another classic this month. With this one it's going to be my third so it gives me a good head strat for this year. 
Funny thing, I don't actually know what this book is about and the description it came with was aweful, it gives me nothing. It might be because it is a very old book and most people could already know the storyline therefore the publishers no longer feel the need to give a big description of the story or something like that. 

Warning: It may contain spoilers. 

So our story begins with the lawyer Utterson who happens to hear a story of days past about a Mr Hyde; in said story the man ran over a child and left her on the ground in pain without a care in the world. This remembrance struck a cord in him because he has an interest in fiding Mr Hyde. The lawyer has Dr. Henry Jekyll's will and in it he names Mr. Hyde as his heir. It is lawyer Utterson's duty to locate the man. And he becomes a bit obssesed with the mystery surrounding Mr. Hye. He spends every waking moment trying to figure out what he looks like or where he is.

If he be Mr. Hyde, I shall be Mr. Seek.’ Is a funny expression Mr Utterson uses in the book. 

Utterson finds more about Hyde and his questions simply grow. Once Mr Utterson finds Hyde, in order to be ready in case he needs to execute the will of course; he finds Mr Hyde unnerving.  Utterson decribes Mr Hyde, even if it's only to himself the following way:
Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile, he had borne himself to the lawyer with a sort of murderous mixture of timidity and boldness, and he spoke with a husky, whispering and somewhat broken voice; all these were points against him, but not all of these together could explain the hitherto unknown disgust, loathing, and fear with which Mr. Utterson regarded him.

After meeting the mysterious  Mr. Hyde, the good lawyer gets it in his head that the man is an aweful sort of person whose sins are reflected on his soul giving him the deformed and unnatural dislike of anyone who may know him. While he's considering the man, Utterson comes into the conclusion that his dear friend Jekyll should not trust the man so much and tries to make him change his mind about the deformed Hyde. Mr Utterson tries to talk to his friend Dr. Jekyll into changing his will because the things people know about Hyde are abominable. But Dr Jekyll refuses to hear it; he insists that hs position is very strange. That is not an affair that can be mended y talking. Even though Dr. Jekyll did not listen to his warnings and almost force the good old Mr Utterson to promise to take care of Hyde once the dr was gone, he did tell his trusted friendd that Hyde could be gone if Dr. Jekyll wished it so. With that speech he hoped to put to rest the Utterson's fear that Hyde was blackmailing the dr.  
The topic was dropped if not all forgotten, but another incident in which Mr Hyde was once again protagonist made a big spot light. A murder had been commited and the guilt was pointed at Hyde. Utterson pointed the police where to find him but he was gone. Dr. Jekyll confided that he no longer trusted Hyde and that he would never be heard of again. But his reason spark doubt in the good lawyer Utterson and he starts to doubt the good dr because how could he lie to protect a murderer?
But after a while the evil Mr Hyde was gone and no one seemed to know where he went or where to find his next of kin the subject was dropped. Utterson began to forget the matter, for his good friend Dr Jekyll was once again an active man of society, often joining in gatherings and hoisting a few of his own. But suddenly he became even more secluded, denying access to even his closest friends to his house. The cause was not explained beyond the poorly written letter Mr Utterson received when he inquired about his sudden withdrawal. The mystery only grew, now Utterson was bestowed with greater questions:
1. What happened to make Jekyll prefer reclusion?
2. What happened between the two closest friends Mr Lanyon and Dr Jekyll? The first will hear nothing of the later and is most conveinced death is in his doorstep.
The mysteries keep growing because Mr Layton does die a week later and the cherry on top is the fact that our good friend Utterson receives a letter addressed by hand and sealed with the seal of his deceased friend. Inside these evelope came another with an even more unnerving instruction. It read:

‘not to be opened till the death or disappearance of Dr. Henry Jekyll.’

This was the second time the word dissapearance was used conserning Dr Henry Jekyll. The unfruitful visits made to his house only added to the uneasiness. 

SIDENOTE: This is interesting I am giving away most of the story so I shall stop, this is indeed a babble but I don't want to give away any more of the story than I already did so I will cut short my self-debate and give the fun little facts only.

Lies I must continue using more details for this is a mystery I had not encountered before and feel the need to continue XD

So one day late at night, Utterson is interrupted and asked to come to dr Jekylls place for his servants fear smething aweful has happened to the man. When Utterson arrives he finds that his friend is locked up as usual but the voice that calls out doens't exactly sound as his dear friend. The good Poole the butler and Utterson break down the door and they barely have time to see Hyde drinking something to end his own life. The pair of worried men fear that the horrible Hyde has killed Jekyll. 
There is a new will in the desk, in this the good dr leaves as his heir Utterson. But in the envelope there are also other enclosures that prove even more cryptic. Following the advice on both of his friends wills, Utterson goes home to read the late Lanyon's note; the one he left for Utterson to read when Jekyll dissapeared, and afterwards if he so wished he could read the last enclosed message Jekyll left for Utterson. In it the secret was revealed, the mystery about Hyde and Jekyll's relation and what a surprise for both the unfortunate Lanyon and the incredulous Utterson. 

This was a very interesting story, it starts off a lot different than I imagined and it gives you a very good explanation for Dr Jekyll and his double life. I mean it was written over a hundred years ago and it still manages to hold mystery and keep you interested when you read it. 
I believe this deserves a 3.5 out of 5 stars. It doesn't have the thrilling sensation that come from reading some of the more recent mysteries but it is still very good.