Customer Reviews

Jekel Loves Hyde

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Warning to all ye who love to vote on Amazon reviews, this is going to be the lamest one I've ever written here because I could not finish the book. I received my copy via Amazon Vine, therefore I'm obligated to do a review, which I have no problem with. I haven't been having very good luck with Vine books, though, and this time despite loving Fantaskey's debut novel, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, I was again left feeling listless and bored.

Jekel Loves Hyde has a great premise, being based off the classic the title emulates. I was sold. I love the concept of the original and have enjoyed movies based on it, and I sincerely dug the twist the author uses here. That's really the only expectation I had coming in, that the book might try to emulate that eerie, unrelenting sense of morbid danger the original has. And it does. Jekel Loves Hyde has a great atmosphere, but it soon became apparent to me that a great atmosphere was all it would offer this particular reader. Enough to keep me interested anyway.

I'm a character-driven reader for the most part. I love good worldbuilding, where it feels so effortless, like a cradle for the rest of the book. Once that's firmly established in the back of my mind I want to know the characters. I couldn't get into the ones here. The chapters (most of which are ridiculously short, sometimes not even two full pages hardly) alternate between Jill and Tristan's first point of view tellings. And that's the problem, I think, for me. Each tells the story. There isn't very much showing. Telling gets monotonous and after several chapters (I'm sorry, I forget what page number I stopped at), I just couldn't take it anymore. Also, when we're only ever told how a character feels, it doesn't make for very imaginative or thrilling character development.

Another thing that irked me was the intense foreshadowing - an element that I've seen in other things based on the original. Maybe this just didn't work well in fiction format for me, but in Jekel Loves Hyde, the constant foreshadowing, at the end of almost every chapter, became redundant. When the next chapter turned up yet another point of foreshadowing, I realized I was gritting my teeth a little.

The writing also wasn't up to par with the author's debut work. I'm not sure if this YA novel is targeted at a younger YA set, maybe? But I felt the writing didn't lend itself particularly well to intelligent young readers. I think that goes back to the telling aspect, which you don't need that much of. Give the readers credit, that they will "get" it when the writing shows instead of tells. I felt like I was reading a completely different author.

This was one of my most anticipated books for 2010, and I'm more sorry than I can say to be disappointed to the point of not finishing. As there's plenty more I need to read, the question came down to being miserable reading or taking a chance on the next book in my TBR. You know the answer. Two stars for the fact that I couldn't finish (which I blame myself for in spite of not enjoying), and the concept and atmosphere, which I felt was the only good thing about what I did read.

Plot: A beautiful descendant of Dr. Jekyll falls in love with the evil Mr. Hyde's descendant, who is torn between his love for her and his urge to save her from the monster he fears he is becoming.

Why I picked it up: I enjoyed Fantaskey's JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE as a fun twist on the vampire thing.

Why I read it: The premise of a female Jekyll and a male Hyde seemed very fresh to me, a clever recasting of the always effective romantic archetypes created so many years ago by Ms. Bronte. Here our sensible Jill Jekel/Jane Eyre, a self described nerdy governess-type, falls in love with the lucious Tristen Hyde and all his dark secrets. Tristen is the only male in this school with the intelligence to see Jill's deep inner beauty and wonder what she looks like without her glasses... He finds out too.

Unfortunately, Fantaskey follows a little too closely on the frock coattails of Robert Louis Stevenson's original Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde for success. When romance rears its ugly head in the science fiction genre, it's seldom a pretty sight, and JEKEL LOVES HYDE is no exception. I wish that Fantaskey had stuck a little closer to dangerous young love and teenage angst and left the secret potions, the evil doctors,the missing ingredients and the traitorous assistants to another time and place. This plot wasn't just twisted; it was tortured too.

Who I Would Give This Book To: Someone who loves a page turner with plenty of romance.

I loved this author's first YA novel. I remember thinking at the time that it was so creative and well written that it stood out among all the other paranormal books currently out there. Unfortunately, I didn't feel that way about this one. The plot just didn't make sense to me in places. Even if you have a story that has sci-fi/fantasy elements, they still have to make some sort of sense and this story just didn't. I had to struggle to complete it, and felt that the author was unable to maintain any sense of tension and drama throughout a book that should have been really creepy. The most dramatic moments in the story ended up feeling overwrought and cliched. The overall tone felt inconsistent and choppy.

I didn't buy these characters at all. They didn't sound like teenagers, didn't act like teenagers and sometimes their actions and motivations were just totally out of left field. Since I wasn't buying the characters, that meant the romance didn't work for me - I was really frustrated with Jill and very annoyed with Tristan throughout most of the novel. The dialogue is not effective, often coming across as stilted, and the extremely short chapters only served to highlight the choppy writing style.

While this one didn't work for me, I have no doubt it will find it's fan base. I am not in this novel's target group, which I think would be young adults age 15 and up. There is some language and sexual situations. Fans of paranormal romance will find things to like here, but if they also are looking for a well plotted, well written story, they will ulitmately be disappointed. Not a recommend.

I am officially a Beth Fantaskey fan-girl - she is now an automatic-buy for me!
I loved her novel `Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side' and absolutely devoured `Jekel loves Hyde'.

Fantaskey writes smart YA novels, and never talks down to her readers. `Jekel loves Hyde' has its plot roots in the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, `The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'. The story (both this modern retelling and its classic inspiration) provokes analysis of big ideas like humanity's conflict between good and evil, and Man's duel nature.
Basing these concepts around Jekyll & Hyde is a really inspired idea - it makes `Jekel loves Hyde' a standout supernatural romance when the norm is vampires and werewolves. Fantaskey could have gone the (now) humdrum route of using Werewolves for the metaphor of `Beast VS. Man'; but she instead decides to treat her YA readership to a taste of classic gothic literature for the stories' backbone. Fabulous!

I think High School is a wonderful setting to discuss big-picture ideas of duel nature. Where better do we see the full-spectrum of humanity's struggle with Good and Evil than in the war of adolescence, on the High School battlefield?

`Jekel loves Hyde' has two narrators - shy brainiac, Jill Jekel, and popular track-star Tristen Hyde.
Through these two Fantaskey is able to transport the Jekyll and Hyde metaphor of conflicting personalities to the wider-spectrum of High School cliques.
Jill's been best friend's with Becca since kindergarten, but while Becca's social status soars, Jill is left to wonder if Becca clings to their friendship out of genuine affection or convenience? Then there's Darcy Gray - Jill's rival for valedictorian who more successfully straddles the geeky/popular line by also dating quarterback, Todd Flick.
I loved Jill and her struggles with popularity. I always admire an underdog character, and Fantaskey excels at writing them. Jill is shy and awkward, but she's also got real backbone and courage - in the wake of her father's murder she runs the household and becomes her mother's full-time carer. There's a lot to admire and relate to in Jill - and I think she makes for a great YA heroine.

Likewise I adored Tristen Hyde. As I found in `Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side', Fantaskey likes her male leads to be brooding and mysterious with a heavy dose of charming on the side. Throw in a Birtish accent and Tristen Hyde is indeed swoon-worthy. But I especially loved Tristen because he isn't perfect, no matter his chiselled good looks and spine-tingling accent.
The duel nature metaphor delves deeper by way of Tristen's failing mental health, as he experiences `rage blackouts' and a losing control over his inhibitions;

Fantaskey does well to balance Tristen's dark and disturbing struggle with the more common examination of Teen life through Jill's struggles.

Just as in `Jessica's', `Jekel loves Hyde' has a captivating romance at its centre. I especially loved Tristen and Jill's saga because they're combating so much more than just raging hormones - mainly Tristen's `monster'. It makes for melodramatic, addictive reading - very `gothic' indeed.

Another thing I admire about Fantaskey is that she writes quite mature YA books. Her characters swear, talk about sex and reveal some nasty personality flaws. I think it's a misconception that YA books have to adhere to a strict PG-13 rating. Of course there is a line that defines the Young Adult/Adult crossover - but that doesn't mean YA authors have to treat their audience with kid gloves. Fantaskey seems very savvy when it comes to her readership and she writes very believable characters, and gives them very plausible struggles (amongst more outlandish ones).

I loved `Jekel loves Hyde'. Beth Fantaskey has wonderfully combined the metaphors of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale with teen melodrama to make an insightful and compelling read. Fantaskey is now an automatic-buy for me, and definitely a YA author to keep your eye on.

I was *SO* excited about this book when I saw it, as I have read Beth Fantaskey's first book, "Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side" and it instantly became one of my favorites, even though I am not the targeted audience for such a novel. After I received "Jessica's Guide", my daughter read it and BEGGED me to donate it to her high school's library so that other students could enjoy it as well. So I did, and then went out and purchased another copy for myself. Not many authors can get away with such biting sarcasm and Fantaskey pulled it off flawlessly. So when "Jekel Loves Hyde" came out, I had high expectations. But I was seriously disappointed.

First of all, the book is nothing like her first. There is absolutely no humor in this second novel, only violence, grief, sex, petty crime and nasty language. Jill Jekel, our protagonist "good girl" turns into a shoplifting slut when she accidentally tastes the forbidden formula and Tristen Hyde, self-proclaimed monster and murderer, suddenly turns moral saint towards Jill's sexual advances. In all honesty, this was somewhat of a shock, as I was stunned by the amount of language and sex (or attempted sex) splattered throughout the novel, when "Jessica's Guide" was so much cleaner and more appropriate. I don't know, maybe if I had read "Jekel Loves Hyde" first, perhaps I would have enjoyed this novel more. But I don't think so.

One thing I did like about this book, that many other reviewers didn't, was the alternate telling of the story through Jill's eyes, then Tristen's. I tend to enjoy this type of writing, as I like to get the story from different points of view. In "Jessica's Guide", we hear the story mainly through Jessica's perspective, but also are allowed to catch a glimpse of Lucias's thoughts through the (hilarious!) letters he sends home to his uncle. I like to know what all the characters are thinking, and I think Fantaskey did an okay job of this in "Jekel Loves Hyde" but, in my opinion, this was the only redeeming quality that this book has to offer.

I will not be donating this book to my daughter's school, as I am too embarrassed by the content of this book to allow my daughter and her friends to read it. Instead, it will go to the public library and leave it there, and let them decide what to do with it.

This is one of those books where you just have to go with it, read with an open mind, and give it a chance. In my opinion, it was completely worth the read. But then again, books are like art and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It's all a matter of what kind of book you're looking for. Jekel Loves Hyde was an amazing book for me. I've always loved books written in first person. It helps you connect on a deeper level with the characters. Beth Fantaskey's writing style is captivating. It just draws you into the world of her story. Unlike other books I've read, there's a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter that leaves you wanting to flip the page. Its hard to put down once you get into it.

Over the course of the book, I became very attached to the characters. They felt more real than just fictional creations. There was a connection and I could relate to them in some cases. The plot twists were mostly unpredictable which was great. The story was humorous, romantic, serious (at times) and there was even a little bit of action/fighting. I am very much so in love with this book and plan on re-reading it even though I pretty much just finished it. I've also purchased Beth Fantaskey's "Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side".

I hope this review was helpful. I hope you enjoy the read!

Not having read Fantaskey's first book, Jessica's Guide to Dating On the Dark Side, I didn't know what to think when going into Jekel Loves Hyde. But I was happily surprised by what I found.

Though the pace of the book is pretty darn slow, Jekel Loves Hyde is a tale of dark love that keeps you wanting more. Like I said, it was pretty dark, but there were some parts that made you want to read on and on into the night, if you weren't too scared!

The characters I liked for the most part, but I felt that they were a tad bit dull for what their potential was. I would have liked to see more of their personality and feelings than what I got. I also would have liked to see more of... anyone besides Jill and Tristen. The side characters could have added so much more to the story, but they were pretty nonexistent.

I'm not sure how I feel about the writing style, however. It wasn't hard to read or difficult to understand. But there was just... something that was... off about it. And that bothered me a little bit.

I so wish that the action had started sooner! The first three quarters of the book was just Tristen brooding, Jill being innocent, and both of them on their love roller coaster. The synopsis of the book is pretty misleading, if you know what I am saying. It was more of a love story than anything else, which is fine... if it is advertised that way.

Also, where the hell did that love come from? Jill and Tristen were strangers one second, and all over each other the next. I'm not even exaggerating.

A dark and slow paced love story (with a kick-ass ending), Jekel Loves Hyde is sure to please fans of the young adult romance genre. But if you are looking for paranormal, this is not the book to turn to.

Jekel Loves Hyde had an intriquing premise, but I didn't feel it completely fufilled the expectations I had for it. Fantaskey's debut novel, Jessica's Guide to Dating On the Dark Side became an instant favorite, but Jekel Loves Hyde just didn't wow me to that level.

Beth Fantaskey once again blew me away with her well developed characters. The characters were fantastically written, and I fell in love with them. I adored Tristen, the entire book he had a mysterious air about him. Jill was a really well written character. She was smart and strong, yet shy and timid.

I loved the story. It was enticing, and never left me bored and uninterested. I loved all the Tristen and Jill scenes. I loved Fantaskey's use of the old classic to whip a new original story into place!

Overall, Jekel Loves Hyde was a really great book, it just wasn't one that I'd consider a favorite or reread. I'd definately read it when you have time!

After reading Jessica's Guide To Dating On The Dark Side, I was already very fond of Beth Fantaskey. Her witty dialogue, plot twists, and character development left me speechless -- it was just that good! So, I knew that I would definitely like Jekel Loves Hyde, although I was skeptical of how much I would like it considering the storyline. Plus, I tend to lean more toward vampires and paranormal creatures when it comes to YA. I try not to, but I'm unsuccessful most of the time. As a matter of fact, besides getting this book the day it came out like I planned to, I put it off until I could finish a few other YA books that actually did involve vampires, werewolves, etc. What can I say? I have a weakness.

After reading it, what was my first thought? I made a mistake by putting it off. If I want to be completely honest with myself, some times I have a problem with certain things being retold because I hold them to a certain classic standard. I always tell my parents they should crawl out from under their rock and live in the modern age. Maybe I should take my own advice? As a spin-off of a classic, it was marvelous. So marvelous in fact that it makes me want to re-read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. If it makes a 26 year old girl do that, then I am absolutely certain that it may do the same with younger children who may have never read it. I think we should celebrate that ... books inspiring you to read others. I'm not saying this is a re-telling because it most certainly IS NOT. But Fantaskey puts enough information of the original into her story to make you get a taste of something delicious that leaves you wanting more. That is where the celebration should be - an author who writes so well that she inadvertently makes you want to read more. It's INCREDIBLE!

Having said that, I do have a few minor set-backs. I think that Jill and Tristen's relationship is ... lacking. Their turbulent on-again/off-again relationship gave me whiplash and I could barely keep up with it. It definitely wasn't a progression - it started out strong and fumbled its way through the entire novel. Along the same lines, I find it hard to believe that Jill would believe Becca -- who she admits just uses her most of the time -- over Tristen so easily, especially when she is supposed to be in love with him. Also, I found the absence of scenes where Jill takes the formula a little disappointing. You get a few glimpses, but not enough to actually understand why she's so obsessed over keeping some of the formula herself.

Despite this, I found myself intrigued until the very end of the book. Beth Fantaskey has this wonderful way of leading you in one direction to make you believe something, then just completely surprise you in the following pages to prove the exact opposite to be true. Her character development is wonderful. I think the best would obviously be Tristen, though it was endearing to follow Jill's mom in her path to recovery. Other minor characters were developed as well, though like real life, some characters just had the inability to grow. The book was a little slow at the beginning, but picked up the pace once they really started doing research - however, even the slow pace helped a lot with back story and your understanding of characters.

I selected this book because I loved Beth Fantaskey's other book, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side. Once again, she writes about teenage angst but with a paranormal twist. Jill Jekel is a bright student, she is competing for class Valedictorian. However, she is also a descendant of the infamous Jekyll from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The family changed the spelling of their name so, nobody knew that they were so closely tied to the original. The book opens up when Jill Jekel is mourning over the loss of her father when he was murdered. Her mother is a wreck and becomes distanced from Jill. Jill has to be the responsible one and pay the bills, take care of the mother, and take care of herself. It is tragic. The one person that expressed true feelings at the funeral was a boy named, Tristen Hyde. Tristen is trying to run away from his horrible secrets but at the same time help to cure them once and for all even if it means that he has to kill himself. However, Jill has some secrets of her own besides her deep feelings for Tristen.

They are supposed to be working on a science project for a chance to win a huge prize which will help Jill to be able to go to the college of her dreams. She pairs up with Tristen to recreate the experiments of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Jill hopes that it will also help her to discover who murdered her father and why.

Jill and Tristen figure out that they are doing more than recreating the book's experiments and more than trying to win prize money so, Jill can go to college. They are playing for love as well.

I did not think this book was worth purchasing. It seemed so simple a book. By the end, I did not care what happened to the characters. I felt that they were characters without any depth. Besides the plot line of recreating the science experiments, there was the mention of love between Tristen and Jill. Yet this plotline was not fully developed.

It might be a good beach read for a teenager or wait until your library gets it so, you don't have to pay for it. I am an avid reader and I read many teen novels which are fantastic and leave the romance to your imagination. This book regardless of genre or the main theme of the book was not as well written as other books out there.