Review of "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson

The idea of a man ingesting a chemical solution which unleashes the vice-ridden half of his soul was a novel idea more than 100 years ago.  A testament to the novella’s durability, the idea remains as pertinent to discussions on science and humanity as it ever has, the titular names becoming idiomatic in the process.  And so while the works of Jules Verne and other early science fiction/fantasy writers of the late 19th century may now seem slightly dated, Stevenson’s 1887 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde reads as fresh as ever thanks to the moral core on which the novella is built.

Set in a murky, Conan Doyle-esque London, the story is told from the point of view of the lawyer Mr. Utterson and his professional and personal dealings with the enigmatic Dr. Jekyll.  Written in precise prose that has a knack for the perfect turn of phrase and descriptive element, the strange, unexplainable events which happen around Utterson as he tries to figure out the mystery of his friend and his curiously worded will all live on the page under Stevenson’s pen.  His capability as a writer in this short work is unparalleled.  Not only style, the manner in which the plot structure majestically reveals what every modern reader already knows - that Jekyll is in fact Hyde  - can not disappoint.  Thus, even in the knowledge of this important tidbit, the story remains enjoyable for its telling alone.  Jekyll/Hyde’s internecine fight with the vice he despises yet cannot resist is a vividly related literary image and is precisely the reason the names have become idiomatic.  It's a real treat for lovers of quality prose.

Operating loosely on the idea of Gyges Ring (that a person acts differently if they know their deeds will be anonymous), with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Stevenson adds his thoughts to the pot of moral stew humanity is continually boiling.  Is man ultimately evil?  Is evil a more powerful force than good?  These important questions as well as others arise as the quandary in which the eponymous character finds himself is colored, the shades of humanity growing ever deeper.   Simultaneously entertaining, thought provoking, as well as pleasing to the eye stylistically, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde may well be the perfect novella.

Review of "The Power & the Glory" by Graham Greene

What if you knew before going into a book that it would try but fail to change your opinion?  Would you still be interested in reading, knowing it would add nothing to a topic you’ve mulled to the point of boredom?  Such is the mindset I went about reading Graham Greene’s The Power & the Glory and its dialectic on Catholicism.  Surprisingly, while my beliefs remain agnostic, I finished the book having an increased respect for not only Greene’s qualities as a writer, but for being able to realistically express the human side of a religion that is ordinarily so wrapped up in symbolism and ritual.  In our current age's mirage of post-deconstructive relativity theory-ism, having readers gain respect for a perspective they oppose is more difficult than exposing them to a new viewpoint on life. 

Set in the Mexican state of Tabasco in the 1930’s during a purge of clerics, The Power & the Glory tells the story of a “whiskey priest,” - a Father on the run from authorities.  As morally conflicted as any character in literature could be, the whiskey priest fights to stay one step ahead of the law, bestowing hope and faith on the population, all the while attempting to deal with a deep-rooted addiction to alcohol and the internal discord of failing the church for personal interest.   Throughout his attempts to escape Tabasco into more tolerant lands, the whiskey priest encounters a variety of souls who serve to cast his own plight into a brighter light.  There is the fallen priest who chose to give up his vocation rather than face the death penalty; the homeless man who the whiskey-priest thinks is Judas; and the stoic lieutenant who tracks our hero the length of the novel.  All these viewpoints provide a more than adequate sounding board for Greene’s Catholic agenda.  As such, the guilt and suffering of a pious man have perhaps never been portrayed so well. 

Despite strong characterization and the willingness to openly challenge not only the secular world but also the world of Catholicism, the point at which Green shows his true strengths as a writer is in the novel’s structure.  The opening chapters devoted to describing the everyday lives of a handful of seemingly random characters, one loses track of them as the narrative is taken over by the story of the whiskey priest and his flight from the authorities.  However, at the end of the novel these characters return, acting as a literary foil to the situation the priest ultimately finds himself in.  The contrast evoked takes the novel’s denouement to the heights of literary achievement.  Catholic or not, the reader cannot help but be reminded about the wider context of life so easily forgotten in a day-to-day routine.  For accomplishing the difficult task of including yet transcending religion, Greene deserves full praise. 

Though not many writers could pull this off, the novel is nonetheless not without its flaws.  Despite that Greene uses the real world political situation of Tabasco as a backdrop, there is a notable lack of Mexician culture; the story could have occurred in any Western country.  To be fair, Greene obviously intended dialogue and characterization to take center stage, but what little interaction does occur with the local people and environment lacks detail in convincing enough fashion to make the reader believe the story is being told in Mexico.  Likewise, the actions of the priest are not ideologically consistent.  There is a minor scene where the priest could have invoked doctrine and prevented a person from getting hurt.  This, however, contradicts the priest’s choice at the end of the novel when facing a similar situation.  But I suppose such paradoxes are the hallmark of any organized religion.

In the end, Greene’s account of Catholicism in the modern world is something that anyone who enjoys a well written book could read.  Me - the agnostic - was moved by novel, thus it must be the characterization and individual nature of the whiskey-priest’s plight which the believer and non-believer alike can relate to.  No matter whether you are religious or not, The Power & the Glory challenges the individual and society, making for good reading.

Review of "The Teutonic Knights" by Henryk Sienkiewicz

Anyone who is familiar with Polish reading habits will be aware that their appetite for speculative fiction is insatiable.  Heading into the local bookstore, the number of fantasy and science fiction books lining the shelves far outweigh the other genres, even popular fiction.  While spec. fic. is certainly enjoying popularity at the moment in the US, it does not compare to what one finds in Poland, seemingly everyone taking a shot at a Pratchett or a Martin.  This begs the question, in what part of Polish culture did this love come from?  After reading The Teutonic Knights, I think I may have found a potential source.

Henryk Sienkiewicz won the Nobel Prize for his novel Quo Vidas, a meticulously researched novel about Roman life at the time of Christianity’s onset.  Awarded for the historical spirit in which he wrote the novel, the same devotion can be found in all other of Sienkiewicz’s books, including The Teutonic Knights (also known as The Knights of the Cross).  Forgivably biased to his fatherland, The Teutonic Knights tells the the story of Poland’s fight to retain its independence under threat of  its Templar neighbors in the 13th century.   The Teutons to be kept at bay, Sienkiewicz portrays the crusaders as the blackest of villains, despite that they were knights templar and played a marginal role in the Catholic church.  The Teutons wanton disregard for Polish honor an affront that could not go unanswered, the tale is told from the point of view of two Polish knights, the older Maczko and the younger Zbiszko, each symbolically representing facets of Polish history, the honor of the past and the hope for the future.  There are several memorable secondary characters who complete the story, but it is the individual duels and wars for honor and virtue these two wage against the Teutons which take center stage.  Sienkiewicz could not have chosen a better climactic moment to resolve tension than the Battle of Grunwald, which finishes the novel and sets Poland back on its feet toward regaining independence. 

 

Good and evil the only forces at play - character motivation beyond obvious - the style of The Teutonic Knights seems a bit simplistic by today’s standards.  But one must remember to place the book in the context of Sienkiewicz’s time, particularly the beginning of the 20th century when Poland was lacking independence.  This and other novelizations of proud moments in Polish history served to bolster patriotism and national pride, fostering the hope one day they could regain their nation from the occupiers.  In fact, it’s possible the current day independence of Poland owes some small debt of gratitude to Sienkiewicz and other Polish writers of the time for writing of national pride with such spirit.  And so while characterization and morals are expressed in all too clear terms - baddies vs. goodies - it must be remembered that the lifelike representation of individuals was not Sienkiewicz’s goal.  Rather, he intended to show the larger social and political forces at work and the direction they were headed.  As such, Sienkiewicz’s masterful interweaving of historical background with plot elements involving the struggle for power remains the strong point of The Teutonic Knights.  Sound anything like modern epic fantasy?

(Side note: with heroic knights, damsels in distress, and risks of honor aplenty, this is a book Don Quixote would have loved!! Strange that Don Quixote was written 300 years prior…)

Review of "The Pastures of Heaven" by John Steinbeck

The Pastures of Heaven is a loosely connected vignette of stories that pays homage to Steinbeck's native Salinas Valley in California.  Interwoven but not necessarily interconnected, in classic Steinbeck style the stories tell of ordinary people and their ambitions: to tend their own farm, to start families, and to get away from city life, not to mention how they settle in to the Valley - or not.  Rendering the work relevant no matter what era it was written, Steinbeck smoothly delimits the moral quandaries these working men and women face through poignant dialogue and sublime narrative.  Even at his own mediocre, Steinbeck's style is still better than the majority of writers today.  As it is only a vignette, this book perhaps lacks the fullness of character and overarching profundity found in most of his better known works.  But for the true Steinbeck fan -- particularly those wanting to read more of his stories set in California -- this book is not to be missed.  Though the words do not exist in bulk, they are nonetheless tempered by humility.

Review of "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes

The “Knight of Woeful Figure” known whether one has read the book or not, Don Quixote truly is literature for the ages.  More than a picaresque tale of tilting at windmills, it is above all the story of a disillusioned man chasing his dreams, the simple squire who accompanies him, and the adventures they have riding the width and breadth of Spain.  

Human in telling and human in scope, this simple premise allows for profound heights of artistic expression; everyone at some level can relate to the tragic duo and their failures and successes.  Metaphor and allusion suffuse the deceivingly reflective series of stories that comprise the novel.  At one stroke Cervantes parodies both nationalism and orthodoxy while critiquing the self and subjective perception.   

Those seeking to boil it all down to “truth is relative,” however, would be missing out on the humorous dialogue and adventurous spirit of the story—not to mention the cultural importance the novel has to the Latin world.  While many classics collect dust on the shelf, this one is certainly worth the read.  Why not have a tilt yourself…