The Evil Within

Barrington Stoke’s dyslexia-friendly, ‘super-readable’ books continue to delight and to introduce young readers to classic stories. Here, MacPhail takes Stevenson’s memorable The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as its inspiration and recounts Henry Jekyll’s early years and his gradual realisation that he has within him a powerful and evil entity which he cannot always control.

The narrative is infused with drama and tension, balanced well with scenes depicting Jekyll’s stable and happy family life. This juxtaposition very effectively demonstrates the horror of his gradual transformation and his wretchedness as he realises that he is trapped within a dual identity which is at opposite ends of the human-or barely human-spectrum. Mary, one of the Jeykell’s servants, provides a commentary on The Beast and its terrible travails, a neat narrative ploy to keep the reader informed of events and emphasise the terrifying transformation.

Edinburgh, too, is a protagonist in the story. Its dark and mysterious wynds and closes, its gory myths and legends, its two faces-New and Old Towns-provide a dramatic setting for The Beast and a mirror of Jekyll’s split personality.

Barrington Stoke are to be congratulated on continuing to recruit renowned writers who bring well-crafted and accessible literature to young readers.