by Clare MacGregorMary Reilly by Valerie Martin is a unique retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Mary Reilly was placed into service when she was a little girl as a means of keeping her out of the clutches of her abusive father. As a result of a vicious punishment at the hand of her father for breaking a tea cup, Mary’s physical scars are a constant reminder of her unhappy childhood. She finally thinks she has found a place that she can call home and be truly happy: working as a housemaid in the home of Dr. Henry Jekyll. Mary’s employer takes a sincere interest in her childhood and her father’s treatment of her. Gradually, Mary and Dr. Jekyll’s lives become more and more intertwined as Mary becomes his confidante and in some instances his personal messenger, much to the chagrin of Dr. Jekyll’s valet, Mr. Poole. The presence of Dr. Jekyll’s mysterious assistant, Edward Hyde, disturbs Mary further as Mr. Hyde’s personality and mannerisms resemble those of Mary’s father. Mary’s diary entries chronicle the bizarre and frightening course that Dr. Jekyll’s life takes as well as her own nightmares of the past and her concern for her employer’s well being. Mary is drawn into circumstances that she does not quite understand, but her loyalty to Dr. Jekyll will not let her abandon him as they are “both in this strange dream together”.
Though written 104 years after Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, Mary Reilly is a perfect companion to the original story; filling in plot points that happened “off screen” in Stevenson’s novel. Mary Reilly would appeal to fans of historical fiction, mystery, and those who like reading alternative versions of classic literature.
