“Trust in me, my dearest Henry. They think they know our story, but I can assure you, they do not.”

I’d been looking forward to this queer retelling of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde since the moment it was announced so I was beyond excited for the chance to read this early for Hear Our Voices!

It’s been a while since I’ve read Jekyll & Hyde, but it was great to see remnants of the original story through both a Black and queer lens while also learning a bit of actual history along the way - which is something I love about this Remixed Classics series. I felt at home with the gothic atmosphere and overall spookiness, and loved how much they added to the mystery at hand. The handling of the characters was also done beautifully, with a heartbreaking change to the original that I could actually see happening given the time period and makeup of those involved.

If retellings and historical fiction are your type of vibe, be sure to check this out when it hits stores tomorrow!

Thanks again to NetGalley & Fierce Reads for the advanced copy 😊

Gabriel Utterson wants nothing more than to study law. His father, however, wishes his son to follow in his own footsteps and practice medicine. Gabriel’s father counsels his son on the importance of being polite, respectful, to be a shining example of deference and humility. Though even the liberal application of those virtues will not get Gabriel ahead in the world. It hasn’t worked for his father. Gabriel is a young Black man. That will always be used against him by a bigoted society.

Racism plays a role in Kalynn Bayron’s My Dear Henry, as does homophobia. Gabriel meets a fellow student at the London School of Medicine, Henry Jekyll, where Henry’s father, Dr Jekyll, teaches science. Forming a fast friendship, they find themselves falling in love with each other and are not at all good at hiding their feelings. Not that they were necessarily trying. It’s the consequences of their relationship that drive this adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to its pivotal ending. The fallout from Dr Jekyll’s actions makes it all the more sinister and compelling.

This book is lovely, dire and heartrending. It begins with the challenges Gabriel and Henry face as Black, gay young men in Victorian England, and continues with their dismissal from school and the use of the fog-shrouded streets of London to hide what lurks as Gabriel searches for answers. He wants to know why Henry has disappeared. He wants to know who the mysterious Hyde is and, more importantly, why he has unfettered access to Gabriel’s dear Henry.

What transpires is an ominous case of Hyde and seek. Not to mention a deadly one.

The chilling turn to this story is Dr Jekyll’s belief that he can “cure” his son of his affection for Gabriel, which mirrors Stevenson’s theme that we all possess a dual nature—what Jekyll sees simply as the pure versus the impure rather than that which makes people complex and unique. Conceiving of a way to separate one from the other will surely result in a son Dr Jekyll can love and be proud of. Except he doesn’t reckon on the forces of love and the heart as an influencing factor in his theories and equations.

The complex nature of Henry’s relationship with himself, let alone with his father, plays out as Gabriel labors through heartache and fends off his own monster. Kalynn Bayron does a great honor to the source material, working in characters who fit into this story, some in new ways, and giving it new twists while keeping with the aesthetic of a menacing presence shrouded in the dark and foggy alleyways of London.

I have not read anything by Kalynn Bayron yet but I’ve had them on my TBR. After reading this book, they have been brought to the top of my list!

Jekyll and Hyde is one of my favorite books, so I was so excited about this one! It did not disappoint at all!

If you want a retelling that is black, queer, and a little bit dark…this is for you!!! I didn’t know I need this is my life and it was better than the classic!

This is a must read!!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

The latest installment in Macmillan's Remixed Classics lineup, My Dear Henry remixes Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by following teen Gabriel Utterson as he works to uncover the reason behind his best friend's mysterious disappearance, and the subsequent appearance of a mysterious stranger who has ties to his friend's family.

I'm not as familiar with Jekyll and Hyde as I am with some of the other classics in this series, so I'm not sure how true to the spirit of the original text this book is, but I do know that it was a fantastic read. The gothic Victorian London setting was so easy to sink into, and I definitely got way too emotionally attached to Gabriel. My one qualm is that the book felt unbalanced and a little short; we start the book off well before the "London, 1885" moment mentioned in the summary. While this initial context is important, I almost wish it had been delivered to us less linearly, as I spent most of the time thinking. "When are we going to get to the plot I was expecting?" We did get there eventually, though, and what a fun rollercoaster that was! I definitely wouldn't have minded spending a little extra time with Henry and Gabriel, but overall I'm incredibly happy with the experience of reading their story.

This is (obviously) a Jekyll & Hyde retelling, but this version centers around two queer Black men in the Victorian age. The setting and beginning of this book were promising, and I enjoyed getting to see a different side of Victorian London than I usually read about. The story centers around Gabriel, who’s studying to become a doctor and appease his father, and his relationship with Henry Jekyll, the son of the eccentric Dr. Jekyll, a professor at their school.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting through this book, and an even harder time explaining exactly why that is. The premise is interesting, the twists on the classic are good, and the writing is decent and easy to read. It's possible that I was just in a reading slump when I picked this up, but I didn't find the characters as compelling as I'd have liked. I wish there had been more character-building, and that what was included was less overtly stated by the narrator and more felt by the reader. I wanted to feel more of the angst the narrator was telling me about. 

This was a fairly short book, but the first 2/3 felt long to me, and then the ending when things actually start to be revealed was very fast and I'd have liked it to have been expanded on a bit more. If you're looking for a short read that has good representation and a twist on a classic, you might really enjoy this, but it wasn't my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, & the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review of “My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix”.

I really enjoyed this book! Although I’m not well versed in the original Jekyll and Hyde story, I liked that I felt like the plot was mysterious and captivating at every page. I was drawn in from the beginning and I continued to be until the very end. Reading it from Gabriel’s POV, I felt all the emotions and did enjoy that this book taught me something while tackling on the themes of prejudice and racism.

I LOVED THIS. I also love Kalynn Bayron so I should not be surprised but this was so good I don't even want to try and read the original source material. The atmosphere was spooky and there was a constant state of "wait...what is actually going on" and the 'plot twist' was so good (can we call it a plot twist if this is a retelling where my osmosis of popular culture, we at least have an idea about the original story's trajectory???? Please advise). Our main character Gabriel was so sweet and his loyalty to Henry Jekyll was cute. Bayron was so smart to use the classic demonization of homosexuality as the crux of why Jekyll&Hyde exists in the first place - the desperation of a father to control his son.
This is so good. I love this Remix series so much!

I just love this book so much. I made a joke at one point about being biased towards Jekyll & Hyde adaptations by my Wildhorn musical-saturated youth, but honestly I’m obsessed with this book on it’s own gorgeous, made-me-cry, rage-inducing merit. It’s such a gorgeous, gothic homage to Stevenson’s original story while, like all good adaptations, having so much to say on its own about, in this case, racism and homophobia in Victorian England. The entire Remixed Classics series is so good, but this has to be my favorite entry thus far. Full on heart eyes for this one.

Rating 4.5 stars
My dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron is a remix of Jekyll and Hyde with queer, Black characters. Gabriel Utterson, a 17-year-old law clerk, has returned to London for the first time since his life— and that of his dearest friend, Henry Jekyll—was derailed by a scandal that led to his and Henry's expulsion from the London Medical School. People have been gossiping about their relationship, but Gabriel wants to start anew with Henry. However, Henry has become distant and stopped writing to Gabriel. To find out what happened, Gabriel watches the Jekyll house and meets Hyde, an enigmatic young man who claims to be Henry's friend. As Henry continues to ignore Gabriel, Gabriel becomes jealous of Hyde's closeness to him. But there is more to the story, with monsters lurking in London. Kalynn has a talent for writing compelling characters, and this book is just as brilliant as her previous works. I love retellings, and this was such a great take on the original story with a lot of angst and mystery. It was heartbreaking to see Henry hurting and the injustices he faces daily for being a Black and queer person. I was very intrigued by Hyde and was left guessing about his true nature. This was a solid read that I would definitely recommend to readers who love retellings with a gothic twist.

tw // sexual assault, homophobia, racism

Thank you to @hearourvoicestours and @macmillanusa for providing me with the finished copy.

Thank you to @hearourvoicestours for giving me the opportunity to be on this tour…


Rating 💚💚💚💚.75 (4.75)
ARC


Listen… I’m not sure what I was expecting going into this read but it exceeded everything I was thinking. I’ve never read Jekyll & Hyde but I’m so happy this was my first take on it. As I read through the book I was literally anticipating what was going to happen next. I didn’t know if I was going to get scared or if I was gonna be like damnnnnnnn but listen I was ready 😂😂… Gabriel was by far my favorite character because he legit went to bat for what he wanted and he didn’t let up… most people would’ve went with the rejection and I commend him from not stopping until he found out about Henry. Langton had me so sad because his death was unexpected.. This was my first read by the author but I’m already anticipating the next book I pick up. If you don’t have this preordered then you need to get it IMMEDIATELY..

“If he was Hyde, then I would be Seek” is such a bad, tonally dissonant line I rly struggled to give this any stars at all after reading it. I’m sorry! Otherwise it would’ve probably been 4 because the setting and representation is great! The pace is crazy fast tho and again. That one line rly rly rly took me out of it. Def would be good for high schoolers who want some spooky period books that also have good representation tho!

I really enjoyed this book so much. I was pulled in right away by the pleasant writing style, which fits the time period without feeling dense. The whole book was very engaging, but especially the build-up towards the ending and then the actual ending were done exceedingly well.

This was a really touching, heartfelt take on the original story. And it stands so well on its own that I don't think anyone would need any prior knowledge of the original story to appreciate this, which is, I think, necessary for YA retellings, but isn't always accomplished.

Miss Kalynn Bayron's pen does it again!

This was unputdownable from the very first page. Even though I am familiar with the original Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story (and therefore kinda knew where this story was gonna go) I really appreciated how the author put her own spin on things. This is definitely a remix, focusing on two Queer Black boys in the 1800s Victorian age.

Bayron took the original story and expanded upon it, focusing on what life was like for two Black boys having to deal with racism, microagressions, and homophobia.

She did this seamlessly, with foggy and eerie London as her setting. I truly was on the edge of my seat reading this and I never wanted to stop reading. Fast paced, mysterious and creepy, and superbly well written.

The ending was a bit too quickly wrapped up for me, but other than that, another stellar Kalynn Bayron read!

This was just an ok read. I loved the atmosphere and the setting. The author nailed the Victorian/gothic vibe. Overall though, I just wasn't blown away by this. Pacing was on the slow side and I didn't really connect with Henry or Gabriel. I did like that issues such as queerphobia, racism and the nonexistence of Black people in the Victorian age were highlighted.

Dear Henry is a YA retelling of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I reread the original novel just before reading this because I want to appreciate the changes. Although it’s a retelling, I like how the author makes changes and makes her own story.

Gabriel Utterson and Henry Jekyll are two young black medical students who live in a racist and homophobic society, they do not have the same opportunities as their white classmates, no matter how bright they are and they cannot express their feelings freely.

It’s very atmospheric, London is a dark and kind of depressing city, in tune with the story and the events that take place. Society is harsh and unfair, the author realistically describes how black and queer people live in Victorian times, although I also think it could have been harder, the way it’s described helps to empathize with the characters.

After two years of absence, Gabriel has returned to London, yearning to see Henry, but now Henry is cold and distant, different from the Henry who wrote him letters, and now there's a new resident with the Jekyll family, Hyde.

Appreciate the differences between Bayron's Hyde with the original Hyde, At the end, the author explains why the change, and I think it’s a great chance for the story she wanted to tell, and kind of more sad and realistic (even with the sci-fi touch)

I love this collection of retellings, they are a good option to introduce classics to teen readers but above all, I like that the authors revisit the originals and create something new with diverse characters who were silenced or mistreated in the past.

What I like:
🕯️The Setting: Misty Victorian London
🕯️The Rep: Queer Black Main Characters
🕯️ The Unique Twist of tales

Thanks to Hear Our Voices for the early copy, this review is part of the Book Tour, and the review is all my thoughts

Another incredible read by Kalynn Bayron! The way she writes her characters and sets scenes is stunning. I can’t help but fall in love with them every time. In this case, we are in London in 1885 and you can see the gas lamps and the fog. You can hear the horses trotting down the cobblestone and the noisy port. She truly is masterful at this!

In this story, Bayron has reimagined the classic tale of Jekyll & Hyde. Before I begin, I will say that it is very important to check trigger warnings before reading this book. The author has written a note at the beginning talking about the trigger warnings as well. But this could be very trigging for those in the queer community as it has themes of conversion therapy, homophobia, and sexual assault.

Henry Jekyll & Gabriel Utterson meet in medical school where they are both studying to hopefully become doctors. Unfortunately, the professors and heads of the school have other plans because they are both black. Even though both of their father’s are doctors and well regarded as such. Henry’s father is even a professor at the school, but they hide him in the basement and only let him teach chemistry. While studying, Henry & Gabriel become friends and then they become more. Unfortunately, their fellow classmates and professors discover this and they are expelled. At the same time, Henry’s father is fired. This prompts him to tell Henry that he can no longer talk to Gabriel. Of course Gabriel tries everything to get in touch with a Henry but nothing is working when all of a sudden a mysterious man that everyone is calling Hyde shows up. Gabriel can’t figure out why he seems familiar but knows there’s something about him. The action at adventure begins there and the twists and turns will keep you turning the pages. I couldn’t put this one down!

Thanks to the gorgeous cover and it being a queer adaptation of one of “the classics” I really enjoyed, I was incredibly excited for this one. Unfortunately it fell quite flat for me due mainly to the irritatingly obsessive inner dialogue the main character has about his “friend;” I've enjoyed many an obsessive romance, but sadly this ended up repetitious rather than intriguing and addicting. Much of the action was also repetitive and it killed the pacing and tension for me, with a good portion of the novel spent feeling like I was dragging myself through the prose.

Though this didn't hit the right notes for me, the historical setting was well-developed and the mood and prejudice of the time was (inasmuch as I can speak to it) portrayed with chilling realism. The author crafted some lovely, evocative lines I marked in my ARC and am glad to have read. Along with the other classic remixes, I think this might be enjoyed best by a high- school reader as they're introduced to what schools are still insisting is the literary canon; it'll lend much-needed perspective to them, and likely be a writing and narrative style they enjoy.

This "remix" of the Jekyll and Hyde story stars two black, gay young men who are treated with much ridicule. The author captures the vicious way these boys would have been treated at the time of the original novel. The Hyde part is not what you expect. Henry undergoes an experiment done by his father Dr. Jekyll. His father wishes to ease his son's life by eradicating one of the reasons he is ridiculed. Anyone who knows the classic story knows this will not turn out well.
The first third is Gabrielle and Henry meeting at school and getting to know each other. But the book falls mostly into repetition. Henry says go away. Gabrielle spies from the alleyway. Again and again. Luckily the ending has a great impact and the actual scariness of the story is revealed.
I think this could have been sharpened up and made more action-forward with a little less obsession by the main character.

I received an ARc from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

Thank you to MacMillan publishers for allowing me early access.

1885 London where being Black limits your opportunities. Being Black and Gay makes you a monster, even though the real monsters hide behind wealth and privilege.

I'm a sucker for Jekyll and Hyde anyways so reading it remixed in a way that shows in essence what has been hidden or forgotten definitely made me enjoy it.

Kalynn Bayron did an excellent job of telling not only a story but a lesson mixed with history. I will do a mini spoiler because it was heartbreaking. The lengths a parent will go to because they can't accept their child is disgusting. It's similar to modern-day conversion therapy camp. Smh.

Well if you are looking for a book with zero introduction that jumps straight into the story this is it. You found it. I really wish there had been some more context at least a bit of introduction to the main character. It took me forever to even figure out what his names was. That being said. There is beauty in this retelling. Having Henry turn in to Hyde, out of desperation to please his father and to feel like he had to hide who he was, just was heart wrenching. Such a beautifully tragic way to look at how people struggle embracing themselves, and being able to be who they truly are without fear of repercussion. It breaks my heart that people still struggle with embracing who they are and finding beauty, even though others may not see it. In this sense this book truly wove a beautiful tale and it will resonate with many LGBTQIAP+ members.
Thank you so much to Macmillan Children Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.