Date Released: May 03, 2010
Published by: Harcourt Children's Books
Pages: Hardcover, 282 pages
Young Adult
Overall:
Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship.
To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.
Synopsis via Goodreads
My Thoughts:
In a new generation, after-the-fact, version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jill Jekel, a timid top student and Tristen Hyde, an attractive, brooding guy, both find their lives and fates tragically twisted by the blood that runs within them and its history.
With feelings that could have been viewed as rushed, I truly believe Jill’s and Tristen’s histories and duel-battle set the speed for this tale, intertwining their hearts as much as their ancestors intertwined their blood. Jill evolved from a girl who had no real personality to a young woman who found her strength, the ability to feel, and the answers she needed to takes the steps to move on. Tristen evolved from a depressingly haunted guy, fueled by a dangerous beast within him, to a young man able to trust in himself and the girl who stole his heart. In the end, both Jill and Tristen held on to a small sliver of the darkness that haunted them. The sliver of darkness they both held on to helped give Jill the backbone she needed and Tristen the ability to fuel his passion.
I really enjoyed Jekel Loves Hyde. Jill and Tristen coming together via chemistry class was almost poetic to the ‘Strange Cases of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.’ It would be only fitting that their distant blood to the two crazed characters would fuel their ability to be young chemists, Jill following in her father’s footsteps, and Tristen letting his grandfather’s memory push and infuse him with the ability to understand what he was up against.
In a strangely-almost-dark-way, Beth Fantaskey made this quick story tragic. Yet, this story was slightly romantic in a not-your-typical-romance kind of way. She left no loose ends, answering all silent questions including those stemming from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The plot wasn’t complex, but the story as a whole was. New information surrounding both Jill’s and Tristen’s losses came to the forefront several times tying up all but one loose end and even then the characters accepted that mystery.
Never let down, Beth Fantaskey exceeded the expectations I set within the first chapter of this tale. I think this is a great, quick read to enjoy something based off of lore most everyone knows.
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I'm not peeking too much as this is sitting in my TBR right next to me but it is good to see that you liked it. I really loved Jessica's Guide so I'm hoping this one doesn't disappoint!
ReplyDeleteI have this one on my TBR pile too. I liked Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, but thought it was a little uneven in places. I think it's interesting that this is a romance... if Jekyll and Hyde are the same person, wouldn't that make Jill and Tristen siblings? Or at least cousins? I guess I'll have to read and find out.
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