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BOOK
ILLUMINATIONS
From Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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Jekel Loves Hyde
by
Beth Fantaskey
Jill
Jekel’s whole world is in shambles after the murder of her father.
Senior year is going to be tough enough as it is but now she’s faced
with the knowledge that her entire college future is at stake too. Can
a chemistry contest be her only chance? Is Jill willing to break the
rules and see what secrets are hidden in the forbidden box in her
father’s office? Meanwhile, Tristan Hyde has a secret of his own- but
his may be a deadly one. What will happen with the teaming of Jekel and
Hyde in this modern day twist on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic?
Beth Fantaskey could have made this yet another story where the good
girl falls for the bad boy and finds her happily-ever-after. Instead,
she takes both characters on a sometimes twisted journey into the dark
psyches of their souls. Just how far will a person go to achieve a
goal? Is there a wicked glimmer of evil lurking in all of us? Jill and
Tristan will have to face demons both of their own and of their
families’ shadowy pasts.
Beth Fantaskey creates a brooding atmosphere in JEKEL LOVES HYDE that
defies the conventions of the traditional romance. Some readers may
find Tristan’s darker side a bit worrisome, even as Jill draws closer
and more enmeshed with him. However, the parallels to the classic
JEKYLL AND HYDE tale are what make it work. We expect that danger will
lurk underneath even the mildest of exteriors and that good and evil
will find themselves at war with one another. Beth Fantaskey does a
marvelous job at creating these scenarios without simply spoofing the
original or just retelling it in a modern time period. Instead, she
puts her own twist on the tale to craft an enjoyable and thought
provoking read. Bravo!
Publisher: Harcourt Children’s Books (May
2010)
Author
website
Reviewed
by Debbie, Debbie Wiley Book Reviews
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