Viola Carr

Firstly...I've never read nor seen Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. About the closest I've gotten is the BBC mini-series starring James Nesbitt (Jekyll) and I don't remember that beyond thinking "gosh this is bloody" (I saw it before I saw Dexter. Or Game of Thrones). So I went into this book with really only a bare hint of knowledge for the original. Given what I enjoyed most about this book was Lizzie, let's all just assume I'll never read the source material and move on.

In my initial thoughts on the book I remember noting how...uneasy I felt. If you look at the cover that's obviously Lizzie portrayed there, its Lizzie the title refers to and its Lizzie who seems to be fun. And she is. Oh how she is. Carr did a bit of a trick and had all of Lizzie's portions told in first person--further illustrating this is Lizzie's story, while Eliza's are in third person. It makes for some confusing moments, especially in the latter half as Lizzie comes out to play more often and Eliza begins to have more stressful problems.

Lizzie is wild, she's reckless and brash and can take care of herself most of the time. She knows low people and is fiercely protective of only one person in this world--Eliza. She notions herself Eliza's big sister, her watchman and vengeful aide. Eliza isn't weak, but she fears doing things that need doing. She fears becoming like her father--a mad man who loses control and goes feral. She garbs herself in dull clothes and prim manners to be taken seriously, but its Lizzie who helps her. Whispering in her ear, taunting her at times or reprimanding her. Warning her and cajoling her.

Carr doesn't spare much in terms of grim realities of murder or of the time period. Yes there's steam powered industry and yes the world developed differently, but its not too far out from what Victorian England was like in terms of social stratification or the dark underbelly. New toys, same tricks. Interestingly for me was that though Eliza dwelt moreso in the darker side of the world and saw its the gruesome ends those in it met with, it was Lizzie who was constantly chiding her to think first. Then again despite all signs otherwise its Lizzie who trusts first and Eliza who's paranoid.

I guessed at the killer (and the reasoning) fairly quickly, though I was quite shocked at how it all came together. It would have been sad had the killer not been so damned creepy. Character had ISSUES as a person.

What made me uneasy was a certain part that's a spoiler so I'll be vague here--Eliza is the dominant personality, she uses a brew to keep Lizzie at bay for the most part. That said Lizzie has her own ideas on life and from what I gathered she lived a rather more...robust social life then Eliza. However, despite the superficial differences that occur from one to the other, they share a body. The scene in question made me uncomfortable since it felt like something Lizzie should have at least consulted Eliza with. The consequences would have affected them both.

Which on that train of thought, if Eliza got pregnant what would happen to the child as she switched from Eliza to Lizzie? Or what if Lizzie got pregnant? While they share a body it appeared as if there was certain superficial differences....though how far does that extend. Different fingerprints? Genetically would they register the same? There's a character with extraordinary sense of smell--does Lizzie smell different from Eliza? The same? Similar but with a hint of something more?

These are the kind of questions that plagued me the further into the book I read and both girls feared being caught out (for different reasons) Eliza has some amazing do-dads, is experimental and always trying new things (she kind of reminds me of Murdoch from "Murdoch Mysteries" actually), though the level of science (or more importantly how its stifled) would get in the way.

Then there's the matter of the ending. I'm not entirely sure how to take Eliza's reaction. The confusing mixture of emotions she exhibits (and Lizzie vaguely mentions) left me kind of cold. I need more, equation does not compute, before I can really understand my jumble of feelings towards the book. However Lizzie is wonderful and Carr has an engaging voice (though it did feel over long) with her characters all feeling different and layered. I cautiously recommend with the caveat your mileage will vary I suspect.… (mere)

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The Diabolical Miss Hyde is a unique steampunk twist on the Dr. Jeckell and Mr. Hyde novel. Dr. Eliza Jeckell works for Bethlem by day, while assisting officer Griffin with crime scene forensics. In the midst of a recent trail of murders, Dr. Jeckell is introduced to Royal Society Captain Lafayette. As Lizzie Hyde (Eliza Jeckell), uncover the mystery of the murders, she also finds out the truth about her benefactor and the head of the Royal Society.

This was a great page turning mystery. I loved the fact that Eliza turned out not to be the only one battling demons. You could feel every bit of her struggling to find her place in the world, as well as fighting for control of her life. I thought it was interesting that although her curiosity was peaked about who her benefactor really was and the mystery that shrouded him, she seemed afraid to know the truth. This was a brilliantly written novel with edge of your seat excitement through and through. A great story to be enjoyed by mystery lovers!… (mere)

THE DASTARDLY MISS LIZZIE is book three in the Electric Empire series. For those of you that are unfamiliar with this series the books are about Dr. Eliza Jekyll/Miss Lizzie Hyde. Yes, they are the same person, but if you are familiar with the classic book DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE by Robert Louis Stevenson the names of the main characters will ring a bell. Eliza is the daughter of Dr. Jekyll. And, like her father Eliza has a wild alter ego, Lizzie. Through the books Eliza tried to control Lizzie, but it's hard to control someone that is part of you. And, sometimes, she needs the wild Lizzie to take control.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!… (mere)