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Henrietta & Eleanor: A Retelling of Jekyll and Hyde
First published to critical acclaim in 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson’s mesmerising thriller is a terrifying study of the duality of man's nature, and it is the book which established Stevenson's reputation as a writer.
In this Audible Original drama Stevenson’s story is transported to modern-day London, and instead we meet Henrietta Jekyll and Eleanor Hyde.
Dr Jekyll, a charming doctor, explores the possibility of dividing the dark and light side of her personality, but in doing this she creates a monster, Eleanor Hyde. For many years she manages to live under the radar, keeping her dark secret unknown to those around her. However, gradually her evil side gains strength until Dr Jekyll is overwhelmed by Eleanor Hyde, to disastrous consequences. An exploration of human duality and forces of good and evil, this modern retelling is compelling and eerie and retains the disturbing nature of the original text.
Starring Holliday Grainger (Cinderella, My Cousin Rachel, Strike) and Carla Mendonça (My Parents Are Aliens, So Awkward).
Also starring Tim Bentinck, Bill Fellows, Hugh Fraser, Holliday Grainger, Clive Mantle, Carla Mendonca, Katarina Olsson, Miranda Raison and Hugh Ross.
In this Audible Original drama Stevenson’s story is transported to modern-day London, and instead we meet Henrietta Jekyll and Eleanor Hyde.
Dr Jekyll, a charming doctor, explores the possibility of dividing the dark and light side of her personality, but in doing this she creates a monster, Eleanor Hyde. For many years she manages to live under the radar, keeping her dark secret unknown to those around her. However, gradually her evil side gains strength until Dr Jekyll is overwhelmed by Eleanor Hyde, to disastrous consequences. An exploration of human duality and forces of good and evil, this modern retelling is compelling and eerie and retains the disturbing nature of the original text.
Starring Holliday Grainger (Cinderella, My Cousin Rachel, Strike) and Carla Mendonça (My Parents Are Aliens, So Awkward).
Also starring Tim Bentinck, Bill Fellows, Hugh Fraser, Holliday Grainger, Clive Mantle, Carla Mendonca, Katarina Olsson, Miranda Raison and Hugh Ross.
3 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 20, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
July 9, 2020
• What fun! I listened to the Audible original “Henrietta & Eleanor: A retelling of Jekyll and Hyde” narrated by Holliday Grainger , Clive Mantle , Carla Mendonça , Miranda Raison and written by: Robert Louis Stevenson , Libby Spurrier - dramatist.
This is a “modern” retelling of the original Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. In this rendition Dr. Jekyll is a woman who explores the duality of man’s nature. This is just short of three hours of fun listening. The sound effects are interesting as well as the narration and music. It’s akin to listening to the old-time radio shows. I highly recommend this one.
This is a “modern” retelling of the original Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. In this rendition Dr. Jekyll is a woman who explores the duality of man’s nature. This is just short of three hours of fun listening. The sound effects are interesting as well as the narration and music. It’s akin to listening to the old-time radio shows. I highly recommend this one.
February 6, 2021
Brilliantly preformed!
Henrietta & Eleanor: A Retelling of Jekyll and Hyde
An Audible Original Drama
By: Robert Louis Stevenson, Libby Spurrier - dramatist
Narrated by: Holliday Grainge, Clive Mantle, Carla Mendonça, Miranda Raison
This was a Jekyll and Hyde book made for today's audiences! It has a full cast of characters that were marvelous in their performance! The story itself was different than the original but referred to the "men". The story still has a potion but there are differences. There is a twist I didn't see coming too! Great job all the way around!
Henrietta & Eleanor: A Retelling of Jekyll and Hyde
An Audible Original Drama
By: Robert Louis Stevenson, Libby Spurrier - dramatist
Narrated by: Holliday Grainge, Clive Mantle, Carla Mendonça, Miranda Raison
This was a Jekyll and Hyde book made for today's audiences! It has a full cast of characters that were marvelous in their performance! The story itself was different than the original but referred to the "men". The story still has a potion but there are differences. There is a twist I didn't see coming too! Great job all the way around!
July 16, 2020
I've become a bit of a fan of modern audio drama lately, and this one featured some excellent actors, so I had high hopes. Alas, while it's a well-performed rendition of Jekyll and Hyde, it never quite went beyond the basic material.
The oddest thing about the story for me was that, while ostensibly a female-centric version of Jekyll and Hyde (with Henrietta Jekyll and Eleanor Hyde in a modern London setting where, apparently, nobody's ever heard of the original Robert Louis Stevenson book), the main character in the story is a man who happens to be friends with Henrietta. It struck me as an odd choice, because it provides no particular insight into what such a transformation would mean to a woman rather than a man. Of course, there's no requirement for such a story to have any feminist themes or perspectives, but you do sort of wonder what the point of the gender swap was supposed to be – and it's hard to explore it through the eyes of the audiobook's aging male protagonist. Maybe I just missed something that other listeners would detect more clearly.
My real problem was that almost everything in the story is reported after the fact. Events take place, but you're almost never there when they do; you're getting them second-hand. This is especially noticeable when the entire denouement amounts to the main character reading two letters from those actually involved in the events.
It's not all bad, and I wouldn't dissuade anyone from listening to the audiobook. I'm just not sure it brings anything new and interesting to the classic tale of Jekyll and Hyde.
The oddest thing about the story for me was that, while ostensibly a female-centric version of Jekyll and Hyde (with Henrietta Jekyll and Eleanor Hyde in a modern London setting where, apparently, nobody's ever heard of the original Robert Louis Stevenson book), the main character in the story is a man who happens to be friends with Henrietta. It struck me as an odd choice, because it provides no particular insight into what such a transformation would mean to a woman rather than a man. Of course, there's no requirement for such a story to have any feminist themes or perspectives, but you do sort of wonder what the point of the gender swap was supposed to be – and it's hard to explore it through the eyes of the audiobook's aging male protagonist. Maybe I just missed something that other listeners would detect more clearly.
My real problem was that almost everything in the story is reported after the fact. Events take place, but you're almost never there when they do; you're getting them second-hand. This is especially noticeable when the entire denouement amounts to the main character reading two letters from those actually involved in the events.
It's not all bad, and I wouldn't dissuade anyone from listening to the audiobook. I'm just not sure it brings anything new and interesting to the classic tale of Jekyll and Hyde.
June 8, 2020
I really enjoyed this version of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde.
I don't even remember the last time I read a book that was either a retelling of these two.. or made me think of them - ya know? Henrietta & Eleanor were pretty entertaining. I will admit I was a bit hesitant on how the women would be in this book but I definitely enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.
It has been a while since I read Jekyll and Hyde but from what I can remember.. this book did a pretty good job. I feel like women are constantly underestimated so that's probably why I loved this version so much. Henrietta is a pretty good doctor, well - actually she's the best in her field. Her one downfall: loving alcohol, partying it up, and sex. Sounds like a fun person to be around - just saying.
Then there's Eleanor.. who is pretty dangerous the more times she comes out to play. These two made the book a lot more interesting and definitely a page turner. If I could change one thing - it would be to make this an actual book. I would've loved to have endless pages about these two.
I don't even remember the last time I read a book that was either a retelling of these two.. or made me think of them - ya know? Henrietta & Eleanor were pretty entertaining. I will admit I was a bit hesitant on how the women would be in this book but I definitely enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.
It has been a while since I read Jekyll and Hyde but from what I can remember.. this book did a pretty good job. I feel like women are constantly underestimated so that's probably why I loved this version so much. Henrietta is a pretty good doctor, well - actually she's the best in her field. Her one downfall: loving alcohol, partying it up, and sex. Sounds like a fun person to be around - just saying.
Then there's Eleanor.. who is pretty dangerous the more times she comes out to play. These two made the book a lot more interesting and definitely a page turner. If I could change one thing - it would be to make this an actual book. I would've loved to have endless pages about these two.
June 9, 2020
I enjoyed the gender switch from the original Jekyll and Hyde but was not too keen on the modernization. This story does not work in the current day or perhaps the characters do not work in this particular adaptation. Overall the story was just okay and a couple of the actors were over the top.
June 10, 2020
Very enjoyable, almost like an old-time radio play. The actors who voiced it were excellent. In fact, I recognized one of them, he used to play Captain Hastings in the Poirot series on TV. Soothing, melodious voice.
Of course I know the story of Jekyll and Hyde, I almost wished I didn't as some of the suspense wasn't there. Still, the retelling is done very well in a modern setting with modern sensibilities.
All in all, first rate. I received it as an Audible freebie, what a treat!
Of course I know the story of Jekyll and Hyde, I almost wished I didn't as some of the suspense wasn't there. Still, the retelling is done very well in a modern setting with modern sensibilities.
All in all, first rate. I received it as an Audible freebie, what a treat!
June 14, 2020
This was merely Robert Louis Stevenson's writing moderately modernized.
June 13, 2020
I listened to this on Audible and loved the background sounds such as feet walking, doors closing, etc. It was read by a cast of people and was a fun twist on the classic Jeckyl and Hyde story.
June 14, 2020
Enjoyable novella.
June 13, 2020
If you are a fan of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, then you like this book. True to the main book with an updated setting. Pretty fun listen.
July 18, 2020
If a retelling is simply swapping out some male characters for female, and adding in details like watching tellie then I guess this fits the bill. However, for me, this adaptation does not really bring anything new to the complexity of the original themes which would be fascinating if brought into the modern space in a more captivating way. While approaching this from the writer perspective and evaluating what this version “adds to the conversation” I’m also thinking about this from the perspective of “how would my teenage students approach this retelling?” I don’t think it would engage them anymore than the original (as great a piece as it is). The characters are still removed from their reality on status, language, and experience, and even I found it easy to tune out while listening.
What I wanted, what I hunger for, is a true modern adaptation, not just the replacement of pronouns that would continue to let the classic live on (thinking here of Pride by Ibi Zoboi)
That said, because it stays fairly true to the original plot and so would be a good audio companion if you must teach Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, I will give it 3 stars, but it doesn’t push the narrative further and so cannot merit anything higher imo.
What I wanted, what I hunger for, is a true modern adaptation, not just the replacement of pronouns that would continue to let the classic live on (thinking here of Pride by Ibi Zoboi)
That said, because it stays fairly true to the original plot and so would be a good audio companion if you must teach Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, I will give it 3 stars, but it doesn’t push the narrative further and so cannot merit anything higher imo.
June 15, 2020
In general I almost always prefer the original novel and/or movies compared to any remake. I am almost always disappointed by the supposed new & improved version.
This takes on a different approach entirely without attempting to improve what was already a great story yet instead fast forward it into more of today's era. I thought it was rather cleverly integrated throughout how texting and email were used in the heat of the moment and other places I won't give away. One other very big jump from the time the original to the time this was written will become very apparent when you read some of what is on Mr. Hyde's naughty list. Even in today's society it is still a hot topic but back then the book would never have been published if mentioned.
I recommend the book. Short, interesting, a great book to compare & contrast and simply enjoyable.
This takes on a different approach entirely without attempting to improve what was already a great story yet instead fast forward it into more of today's era. I thought it was rather cleverly integrated throughout how texting and email were used in the heat of the moment and other places I won't give away. One other very big jump from the time the original to the time this was written will become very apparent when you read some of what is on Mr. Hyde's naughty list. Even in today's society it is still a hot topic but back then the book would never have been published if mentioned.
I recommend the book. Short, interesting, a great book to compare & contrast and simply enjoyable.
September 30, 2020
This was a satisfying retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale. The performers were entertaining and held my attention from beginning to end.
Goodreads review published 30/09/20
Goodreads review published 30/09/20
June 16, 2024
I do enjoy Audible Original dramas - it's like listening to a Radio 4 play, but you get to choose the tale.
This is a very competent retelling of the classic Robert Stevenson novel, Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde, in which the titular characters are female, hence "Henrietta and Eleanor". But you got that already I suppose 😉
The cast is great, and the distinction between the Jekyll and Hyde characters is well done without the visuals.
This is a very competent retelling of the classic Robert Stevenson novel, Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde, in which the titular characters are female, hence "Henrietta and Eleanor". But you got that already I suppose 😉
The cast is great, and the distinction between the Jekyll and Hyde characters is well done without the visuals.
June 16, 2020
A really interesting adaptation.
September 14, 2020
This gender bent retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was great! It's told in a contemporary setting so the use of drugs was slightly jarring and I think to make it a modern retelling they had to do things and include things that don't really keep the cover of the original story. It retains a lot of the basic horror of the original though and is certainly with a listen. It is produced with a full cast and is akin to old time radio shows. The cast did a great job. A high quality, fast listen.
March 29, 2021
4.25
This book earned it's rating not necessarily because I enjoyed the story - it was okay - but because of the experience created by the audiobook. This is the first time that I've listen to a book that didn't just sound like people recording their voices separately, it was more like listening to a movie and was more immersive than I expected
This book earned it's rating not necessarily because I enjoyed the story - it was okay - but because of the experience created by the audiobook. This is the first time that I've listen to a book that didn't just sound like people recording their voices separately, it was more like listening to a movie and was more immersive than I expected
September 6, 2021
Though this is a well-produced and well-acted modern retelling of Jekyll and Hyde, it didn't add any extra oomph to the story for me and it didn't have the same intensity of mounting horror as the original.
August 19, 2023
Fun & short. Audio story told like an old-time radio show. Complete with footsteps & doors creaking.
March 6, 2022
Not sure the modernization works but we stan a radio play and the themes stay slappin
June 11, 2020
Gender-swapped Retelling
Review of the Audible Audio audiobook edition (Nov. 2018), an adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson original The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)
Although Henrietta Jekyll & Eleanor Hyde is a modern day gender-swapped retelling of the Robert Louis Stevenson novella, it actually does not diverge from the original plot very much. There are a few references to ATMs and cell phones, but very little of the modern world really intrudes. The dialogue could actually be part of a 19th century book as very few modernisms are used. Even some the actions are dated, such as a regular consumption of spirits. Several characters aside from Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde are gender swapped, but there are really no major changes or expansions which would have given this any sort of ground-breaking rating. So it is probably a 2 (It was OK) bumped up to a 3 (Liked It) for the narration performances and the audio production.
Henrietta & Eleanor was originally released in November, 2018 and was also one of ten free Audible Original audiobooks for members in the month of June, 2020. It is available to everyone for a standard price.
Review of the Audible Audio audiobook edition (Nov. 2018), an adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson original The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)
Although Henrietta Jekyll & Eleanor Hyde is a modern day gender-swapped retelling of the Robert Louis Stevenson novella, it actually does not diverge from the original plot very much. There are a few references to ATMs and cell phones, but very little of the modern world really intrudes. The dialogue could actually be part of a 19th century book as very few modernisms are used. Even some the actions are dated, such as a regular consumption of spirits. Several characters aside from Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde are gender swapped, but there are really no major changes or expansions which would have given this any sort of ground-breaking rating. So it is probably a 2 (It was OK) bumped up to a 3 (Liked It) for the narration performances and the audio production.
Henrietta & Eleanor was originally released in November, 2018 and was also one of ten free Audible Original audiobooks for members in the month of June, 2020. It is available to everyone for a standard price.
June 17, 2020
Oh my word but this was dull. And I'm not sure why. Essential the same story as the original, only with genders switched, but so, SO slow. I listened to the Audible dramatization of Jekyll and Hyde narrated by Richard Armitage a couple years back, and that was so Good. I'd say the two versions are like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, only neither of those men were as dull as Henrietta & Eleanor, so the analogy doesn't work. Oh well.
July 17, 2020
I really wanted to like this modern audioplay update of the Jeckyll/Hyde story. Here Stevenson's tale gets updated to the 21st century, which is great, but sadly the story remains bogged down by 19th century narrative techniques -- there is a LOT of letter reading and exposition. A LOT.
September 17, 2020
Interesting - not sure how close to the original this is but the gender twist was unique. Didn't buy into the modern/future aspect because the technology wasn't accurately used (telephones, communication in general, video's, etc...)
October 17, 2022
Clearly written by a Tory.
I couldn’t place the era that this re-imagining was taking place in for the lack of social understanding and misogyny in this play was pretty horrid.
I understand that Jekyll changes to Hyde for “depravity” but it starts with her using fake tattoos to go to raves… I find this laughable. Is this actual depravity?! Also, Henrietta keeps telling us how upstanding and genteel she is, with her posh Eton voice. Yet she somehow has a deep Yorkshire accent when she is Eleanor Hyde. So you can change body… but somehow the dialect also changes. This seems to show that working class Northerners are more violent, disgusting and depraved?
Not to mention that it was also narrate along side some other toffee mouthed Etonians eschewing the use of drugs… whilst repeatedly knocking back bottle upon bottle of wine.
It’s like a handbook of what posh people think poor, working class people are like. Finding them both disgusting and exotic at the same time.
Gross.
The only thing that was good was the sound design.
I couldn’t place the era that this re-imagining was taking place in for the lack of social understanding and misogyny in this play was pretty horrid.
I understand that Jekyll changes to Hyde for “depravity” but it starts with her using fake tattoos to go to raves… I find this laughable. Is this actual depravity?! Also, Henrietta keeps telling us how upstanding and genteel she is, with her posh Eton voice. Yet she somehow has a deep Yorkshire accent when she is Eleanor Hyde. So you can change body… but somehow the dialect also changes. This seems to show that working class Northerners are more violent, disgusting and depraved?
Not to mention that it was also narrate along side some other toffee mouthed Etonians eschewing the use of drugs… whilst repeatedly knocking back bottle upon bottle of wine.
It’s like a handbook of what posh people think poor, working class people are like. Finding them both disgusting and exotic at the same time.
Gross.
The only thing that was good was the sound design.
January 5, 2021
At the beginning I was sceptical, finding it all a bit too much. But by the end of the book I was thoroughly entertained! It was quite fun, I - here is a very appropriate word for this book - enjoyed it! The cast, the background noises, the Britishness of it all were both comforting and captivating.
However, I do not think the author(s) succeeded in "modernising" this book. Not for a second it felt a 21st century story, its 19th century bunny (monster?) ears were very visible.
However, I do not think the author(s) succeeded in "modernising" this book. Not for a second it felt a 21st century story, its 19th century bunny (monster?) ears were very visible.
July 10, 2020
I didn't dislike this Audible Original, but I didn't love it either. This is a bit disappointing, because I'm always interested in the re-telling/recreation of a classic novel with a different spin. This one, as the title reveals, is a feminine, present-day spin on the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.
The parallels are all very similar. Henrietta is a scientist as was Henry. She is curious about the dual nature of humans, and experiments with separating the 'bad' from the 'good' with less-than-positive results.
In the original, the tortured nature Stevenson develops in Henry Jekyll makes for a sympathetic character. What left me a bit cold throughout this version was that Henrietta's depiction remains 'locked down' emotionally and so the empathetic connection wasn't completely made. This may be intentional. Perhaps Spurrier adapted Henrietta to be more of a detached scientist than her predecessor was. Maybe, like many Audible Originals, this shorter-than-full-length novel didn't have enough time in which to build the same angst as the original.
It was still interesting. Just being re-told in the present made it intriguing. In this adaptation, cell phones, e-mail, raves, and female scientists literally change the face of Jekyll and Hyde.
The parallels are all very similar. Henrietta is a scientist as was Henry. She is curious about the dual nature of humans, and experiments with separating the 'bad' from the 'good' with less-than-positive results.
In the original, the tortured nature Stevenson develops in Henry Jekyll makes for a sympathetic character. What left me a bit cold throughout this version was that Henrietta's depiction remains 'locked down' emotionally and so the empathetic connection wasn't completely made. This may be intentional. Perhaps Spurrier adapted Henrietta to be more of a detached scientist than her predecessor was. Maybe, like many Audible Originals, this shorter-than-full-length novel didn't have enough time in which to build the same angst as the original.
It was still interesting. Just being re-told in the present made it intriguing. In this adaptation, cell phones, e-mail, raves, and female scientists literally change the face of Jekyll and Hyde.
June 14, 2020
3/5 stars!
November 30, 2022
*1.5
I've never consumed a book with less faith in its readers, not a single piece of foreshadowing (no matter how obvious) will not be painstakingly explained to you as if you're a 5 year old.
I've never consumed a book with less faith in its readers, not a single piece of foreshadowing (no matter how obvious) will not be painstakingly explained to you as if you're a 5 year old.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews