Thank you to netgalley for the advanced listening copy of my dear Henry a jekyll and Hyde remix. By kalynn bayron. For a retelling this was just not it. I listened to this over audiobook. I thought the narrator was just putting me to sleep. It made it hard to get into the book and when I could concentrate on it the story itself just seemed to dry and characters flat

I received a free Advanced Reading Copy via NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

One of the best books I've read in a long while.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Having never read the classic, I thought this reimagining was amazing. It was written well and had a clear story line. The characters were developed well.

<Incoherent Sputters> Whaaaaaaaa? I have to say that I didn’t know that I needed a Historical QUEER Retelling of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde until I picked up My Dear Henry. It was beautiful and sad and filled with love and fear… it was perfect!

Everytime I say that I’m not a huge fan of Historical Fiction, then I read something that changes my views COMPLETELY!

The beginning of the book finds us in the before of Gabriel & Henry’s time at school. Before the scandal and their peers finding out that these two black men are in love. Before Gabriel is forced to become a law clerk for a horrible man. Before Henry changes completely.

In 1885 London, Gabriel is all alone… well he has his cousin and friends, but Henry has distanced himself completely. He sees him from time to time, but Henry works in his father, Dr Jekyll’s lab. He does see a boy coming from the back door with the shock white hair that he doesn’t know… and it sends him in a spiral. But Mr Hyde isn’t who he thinks he is and the more he gets to know him, the more he comes to realize he knows those kind eyes.

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! I can’t with my love for these boys! This was just SOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!

An interesting spin on the Jekyll and Hyde story. While I didn't much care for the romance brewing, I did enjoy the mysterious atmosphere and intriguing happenings. It has strong, luring elements that really pull you into the Jekyll and Hyde story.

Audiobook listeners: The quality of the audio production is top-notch, great choice for narrator, etc.

These remixes are saving my views on the classics. I read Dr. Jekyll when I was in middle school. I was interested in sci-fi back then and my mom gave me it. I ended up liking it, but it wasn’t something I would read again unless I had to. But this time I wanted to give it a try because it’s a remix. And sure enough, it gave me a whole new respect for the story.

So for what worked for me. I LOVED the setting. Bayron has a way of making the setting feel so legit. I felt the fog like I was on London or something. She mentioned the way the cobblestones felt under their feet and the way they sounded when the person was running on them. It made me feel as if I was right there. And as someone who travels from the books she reads (remember why my blog is named this?) this was right up my alley. It made the book a little more mysterious too.

I did think this story was going to be a slog for me to get through tho. I am not a huge fan of the original because it was kinda confusing. When I read it in Middle school it was in one of those Illustrated Classics. (Am I the only one who read those?) And I remember reading it and watching a documentary and it scared the bee-jebs out of me. But Bayron made this story her own and I actually really enjoyed it.

SPOILER ALERT FOR THIS PARAGRAPH. I also liked the twist, although it made me cry. TW/CW Not gonna lie, the way his dad forced the serum on him and what it did, it really felt like the dad’s version of conv/ersion ther/apy. Like that would be the way he was trying to do it back then. And it made me sad and mad so the tears fell. It didn’t make me stop liking it, but it did make me waffle on my rating. In the end, I settled on not changing anything because I felt like anything that made me cry was something that really pulled at my emotions.

The narrator was weird tho. I liked him, but his voice was too calming? I don’t know how else to say it. I had to speed him up, but then I saw that wouldn’t work for me. So I slowed it down and then he put me to sleep. (I think that was my ADHD tho. Anything under 1.5 won’t do it for me lol) But everything else, like his tone and the inflections and stuff were fine.

This book was so good it made me break my book buying ban. (Don’t tell my husband I admitted to that lol) All of these classics are so good! I really hope there’s a lot more of these to come. I love seeing all the different ways they’ve been changed.

My Dear Henry is a perfect example of why a contemporary re-mix of a classic is such a powerful genre. This book hits all the beats of the original story with fresh and relevant perspective. Gabriel is a young and ambitious Black man who is sent to medical school in victorian London. He falls for a classmate, Henry, whose father, Dr Jekyll disapproves of the boys' relationship. Henry begins to act strange and disappears around the same time the mysterious Mr Hyde appears. With spooky atmosphere, supportive friendships, respectability politics, queer romance, institutional racism, and much more, this story never feels bloated or bogged down. It's an exciting, propulsive read in a relatable and likable voice.

On the surface, My Dear Henry is very different from Bayron's This Poison Heart series. It's historical, it's a retelling, it's horror. It's also, however, a story about queer Black teens with a strong mystery and coming-of-age arc. My Dear Henry is a retelling of Jekyll & Hyde and I loved what Bayron did with the story. The idea of splitting oneself in two, one version socially acceptable and one not, is unfortunately reminiscent of the queer experience and the way the author ties this to Black respectability politics and Black exceptionalism is nuanced and powerful.

Bayron brings the creep, the dread, the varied horrors and balances it with yearning and friendship. The secondary characters in the novel, Gabriel's cousin and friend, bring some much needed light to Gabriel's life. People who accept and love him through it all.

As a mystery, this is successful. The reader is a step ahead of the narrator, but Gabriel is never made to seem foolish. He has his own story, motivations, family pressures, even if many of his actions are driven by his love and loss of Henry Jekyll. Even when we learn what happened to Henry, there are more, smaller pieces that keep the mystery going. There's a murder--who did it? There's a letter--who wrote it? Did Henry choose this for himself? Can these two young men find their way to a happily ever after in a world made of obstacles?

The answer, dear reader, is yes.

Audio notes - the narrator, Clifford Samuel, was new to me but I'd gladly pick up a book read by him again. I was confused early on because there are letters exchanged between the main characters and I couldn't tell if the book was in dual POV (it is not), but I'm pretty sure that's not going to be an issue for most people.

***

Content Warnings: homophobia, abusive parent, sexual harassment, racism, references to slavery, respectability politics, death, terminal illness

I read an advance copy of this audiobook via NetGalley.

3 words. Queer black voices. This is what made this story magical. I love a good retelling but making it unique and from a marginalized perspective was def a spin that everyone could enjoy

I must admit that I have never read the original but I know the gist of the original story. I really loved this remix. It’s queer, it’s Black, and it’s YA. I loved how the author explored being Black and queer during Victorian England and the stress and pressure that created for both Gabriel and Henry, both professionally and personally. We also get a complex and beautiful love story, sometimes reciprocated, sometimes unrequited, but love nonetheless. Let me not forget the audiobook narrator—he was top-notch. A perfect fit for this story.

Such a fantastic book! Historical fantasy is very hit or miss for me but this was without a doubt a hit. the retelling aspect was really well done and i look forward to the author’s next project. Loved the narrator for the audiobook as well.

I really enjoyed this take of Jekyll and Hyde! The author did a fantastic job of setting the scene, with Gabriel and Henry going to “medical school” together, and having each other to lean on when one or the other needed some uplifting. The secondary characters were great, if they were meant to be great. The ones that weren’t? We were absolutely meant to despise them, and boy did I! Racist, sexist, homophobic, classist, you name it, the gross characters were it. Now, the love, that was perfect. Sweet and honest. The twist? What a fabulous metaphor! You can’t change or remove a part of yourself without losing what makes you who you are. Absolutely worth a read. Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars (rounded up to 4).

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My Dear Henry was beautifully written. You could feel the time period and setting through the book! Gorgeously gothic and filled with beautiful themes, I was immediately hooked by this book. I loved the way Gabriel confessed his feelings and discovered his own life compass.

The book had lovely pacing in the beginning, giving us enough information to form the world but not too much to ruin the mystery. The plot did feel super rushed at the end and didn't give the characters enough room to grow and push against the tension the author worked so hard to lay out.

Still, since this book captured my attention so intently and the writing was so gorgeous, I have to give it a higher rating! I hope the author writes more gothic/time period pieces.

My Dear Henry is a retelling of R.L. Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as a young adult gothic romance through a queer, Black lens. 

The narrator, Gabriel Utterson, is a Black teen training at a medical school, where he meets Henry, the son of one of the professors there, Dr. Jekyll.  Gabriel and Henry quickly fall in love, facing prejudice from their late 19th century London society.

Things change suddenly when Henry becomes cold and distant, and a new mysterious figure named Hyde is seen around his family.

I loved the concept of the retelling and thought the story worked especially well thematically.  Without getting into spoilers, I’ll say Kalynn Bayron really tied in Henry and Gabriel’s queerness and Blackness with the original story in a way that made sense and made it even more heartbreaking.

I enjoyed a lot about this book, but I did feel the pacing was a bit off.  Gabriel and Henry fell for each other so quickly, and the characters didn’t feel as real as I would have liked.  Later, the pacing slowed a bit too much, especially because the reader knows what’s happening when Gabriel doesn’t.  I also struggled with Gabriel’s actions, which without the reader knowing about the medical/supernatural aspect of Henry’s change, could really be seen as stalking a boy who broke up with him.  

Fortunately, the narrator Clifford Samuel did such a wonderful job of drawing me into the story that I kept listening, and I did wind up enjoying the book overall.  I think this one works particularly well as an audiobook.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for my review copy of this audiobook.

My Dear Henry is a standalone, part of the Remixed Classics series. I haven't read any of the others yet but this one has me interested in reading more.

A thrilling, heart-pounding reimagining of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! Wonderful narrator--effectively builds the world and action of the book. Loved it!

Kalynn Bayron has done it again! I absolutely loved every single moment of this book! In this book we are following the main character named Gabriel who wants to become a lawyer but his dad has other plans for him and wants him to work in the medical field. Now mind you this book is during the 1800's and Gabriel is black and so he faces a lot of racism. but as he is trying to reach his fathers expectations he meets Henry. Right when they meet each other everything just clicks and Gabriel started to have feeling for him. But Henry told Gabriel to keep a low profile because they could not only get expelled but also would not be accepted in society. Though Gabriel didn't how to do that and so people began to notice their relationship including Henry's father. Then soon enough Henry was expelled and so was Gabriel but he was able to get a job with Sir Carew who was a lawyer. So at this moment this seemed like a good opportunity for Gabriel, but things soon take a turn. Not only for Gabriel, but for Sir Carew as well. But most importantly Gabriel wanted to find out what had happened to Henry and soon things began to reveal itself in ways that Gabriel was not prepared for.

{4.5 stars}

Gabriel is a Black, gay man pursuing a medical degree when he meets Henry Jekyll, a handsome young man whose father is an anatomy professor. The two carry on an affair until they are found out and are expelled from school. Henry writes Gabriel a letter asking him to move on. Meanwhile a white haired, seemingly violent man named Hyde crosses paths with Gabriel. As Henry becomes more and more elusive and others around Gabriel begins to die, he must come to grips with the truth of what is happening.

I loved the creepy, dark atmosphere of this one. It was perfectly balanced with a nuanced retelling of a classic tale that incorporates the more modern understanding of race, sexuality and class on one’s future. I also really appreciated a cast of likeable characters.

I did this one on audio and narrator for this one was fabulous.

Read this one if you like Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper series or Dana Schwartz’s Anatomy series.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

I've been loving the Classics Remixed series and My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron is no exception. This retelling of Jekyll & Hyde explores the ways people try to "fix" those in the LGBTQ+ community and the hurt that causes. Bayron's writing beautifully but painfully addresses the difficulties of being Black and queer in the Victorian Era. While this isn't a light read, it is a good one.

My Dear Henry isn't my favorite in the Classics Remixed series, but it falls solidly in the middle and I'm glad I read it! If you're interested in this series, I'd also highly recommend Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore and A Clash of Steel by CB Lee.

My Dear Henry comes out on March 7th!

3.5 stars

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

How do we hide from the people who judge us?"

A question as potent in 1886 when the original Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde was published by the esteem author Robert Louis Stevenson as it is in today's fractured society. In that story Dr. Jekyll develops a potion separating the good and evil aspects of his personality. However, in the exceptional retelling My Dear Henry by impactful author Kalynn Bayron the separation of good and evil isn't possible in Henry because his perceived evil is actually his father's homophobic beliefs.

Taking place in 1885 London 17 year old Gabriel gets accepted to university despite being black but he can't live at the school. At the boarding house he meets another black student Henry and soon their friendship blossoms into love. Ugly rumors get them expelled and Henry's father, Dr. Jekyll, fired as their scientist.

Separated for two years Gabriel makes his way back to Henry but all he finds is a sullen sickly man who runs from him. Then he sees a familiar charming white hair young man called Hyde coming and going from the Jekyll home. Has Henry found love with someone else? The more Gabriel investigates the more fearful he becomes of the answers.

Listening to actor narrator Clifford Samuel put his heart and soul into this story with heartbreaking lines like, "To be poor and black was akin to being invisible" left me an emotional wreck.

Basically a horror story of conversion therapy Gabriel says it best why this is a form of abuse when he tells Henry, "Your father tried to separate you from yourself."

My Dear Henry should be required reading or listening but I worry that sadly, in some places, it will be banned for it's honesty about hypocritical homophobic racists. In this retelling the monsters are very human.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from MacMillan Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.5✨This was an interesting twist to the tale of Dr. Jerkyl and Mr. Hyde. The story is about a young AA male that is supposed to start medical school but that isn't the career he truly wants. Once Gabriel is away at school, things change, especially when he meets Henry. The author did a good job with the LGBTQ+ representation and detailing the relationship of the characters. I did enjoy the suspense and the way the story came to fruition. I listened to the audiobook and while the narrator wasn't my favorite, he did bring a passion to the story. Overall, the story took a turn that I didn't expect, and I felt the ending was rushed.