I had high hopes for this retelling, but unfortunately I didn't enjoy the writing style. While the premise was good, with Henry going from boyfriend to stranger, the writing was flat. None of the characters or action was really developed. It seemed like the author was trying to imply things, but left out enough that you couldn't really tell what was being implied. I felt like I was reading a chapter synopsis rather than an actual novel.

Thank you for an eARC! This was a haunting and gorgeous read. Gabriel was a lovable and earnest protagonist, and the love he shared with Henry felt so real and genuine. Although this was hard to read at times due to how heavy the content matter was, I loved it.

Representation: Black, gay

Spice level: none

TW: conversion therapy, homophobia, racism

London, 1885. Gabriel Utterson, a 17-year-old law clerk, has returned to London for the first time since his life— and that of his dearest friend, Henry Jekyll—was derailed by a scandal that led to his and Henry's expulsion from the London Medical School. Whispers about the true nature of Gabriel and Henry's relationship have followed the boys for two years, and now Gabriel has a chance to start again.

But Gabriel doesn't want to move on, not without Henry. His friend has become distant and cold since the disastrous events of the prior spring, and now his letters have stopped altogether. Desperate to discover what's become of him, Gabriel takes to watching the Jekyll house.

In doing so, Gabriel meets Hyde, a a strangely familiar young man with white hair and a magnetic charisma. He claims to be friends with Henry, and Gabriel can't help but begin to grow jealous at their apparent closeness, especially as Henry continues to act like Gabriel means nothing to him.

But the secret behind Henry's apathy is only the first part of a deeper mystery that has begun to coalesce. Monsters of all kinds prowl within the London fog—and not all of them are out for blood...

Kalynn Bayron excels yet again. And how happy I was to have of her new books to read at once. This retelling of Jekyll and Hyde was engaging and so timely. I highly recommend for all, especially those who love a classic. Very happy to see this version out in the world. Can’t wait to see what Bayron does next. And if you haven’t read You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight, do it!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book early! Each time I pick up a book in the Classic Remix collection, I become more grateful for their existence. These books take the original stories and bring them into modernity, allowing for us to relate more to the characters because their experiences more closely resemble ours. While the original Jekyll and Hyde has no doubt been looked at through a queer lens, arguing that the story is a metaphor for identity and queerness, this Remix puts that idea plainly front and center. In doing so, it allows us, the readers, to more readily see the implications of hiding your true self and the bravery it takes to face the fear of the unknown and the recriminations of others. I loved this new twist on the classic story and I know many others will as well.

Kalynn Bayron has done it again. My Dear Henry is beautifully written.

This is the first physical novel I’ve read since July. I’ve been in the deepest reading slump and only Kalynn Bayron could pull me out of it. Perfectly gothic and bleak, My Dear Henry was unlike any book I’ve ever read. Baryon is brilliant at taking an old tale or piece of mythology and giving it a fresh spin. You probably know the story of Jekyll and Hyde, but you don’t know the story of Henry and Gabriel.

The Victorian Era has always enticed me (largely due to the fact that I spent the majority of my teen years being obsessed with the Bronte sisters). Bayron’s Victorian London was everything I desired. The atmosphere was gorgeous. Bayron weaves darkness masterfully. Everything was so thrilling. Bayron made me want to immediately step into Victorian London… and also not. I enjoyed the first part of the story because I got to follow Gabriel through his everyday life as he navigated a very bleak world. It is incredibly evident that Bayron thoroughly researched the period and I found no faults with the accuracy of the world-building. The atmosphere complimented Gabriel’s journey and was a brilliant vessel for exploring the intense themes of the novel.

The aspect that stood out to me the most was the yearning. Bayron’s portrayal of queer longing is effortless. I felt every inch of Gabriel’s yearning for Henry. There were passages that literally made my heart clench in sympathy. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to live as a queer person in the Victorian era. Apparently Bayron can, because her portrayal of queerness felt so fitting. Both Henry and Gabriel struggled within a very homophobic and racist society. I appreciated the nuanced portrayal of class, and how merely existing as Black and queer people in this period made their lives so dangerous. Bayron’s exploration of shame was masterful. Though this was set in Victorian England, shame is a feeling that a lot of queer readers will understand. It’s something I completely resonate with. It was wonderful to see pockets of bravery expressed by Gabriel as he fought to be with Henry whilst grappling with his own identity. Shame is so difficult to overcome and Gabriel’s struggle was so palpable.

There were some nasty, despicable characters in this story. It’s incredibly disappointing that men like that still thrive in our society. I cringed whenever that wretched man (who does not deserve to be named) went near Gabriel.

I loved everything Bayron had to say in her acknowledgements about why she retold the story in this way. Everything she wanted to achieve she certainly did, and I cannot recommend this enough!

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Fiewel and Friend, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

TW: attempted rape, sexual assault, homophobia, queerphobia and racism.

Gabriel Utterson is a 17 years old law clerk and he came back to London after a scandal that led his and his best friend, Henry Jekyll, expulsion from the London Medical School. Whispers around the nature of their relationships followed them, but now Gabriel has a chance to start over and to reconnect with his best friend and not only through the letters they exchanged. Only that now Henry seems to be completely different from the boy he knew. Distant, cold, cruel. While trying to understand what changed between them, he encounters a mysterious boy, with a fascinating charisma, who claims to know everything about them. Jealous and afraid, Gabriel starts to investigate, to understand why Henry is now so indifferent and apatic. But when someone gets murdered and the mysterious stranger is accused, everything changes.

Set in a misty Victorian London, My Dear Henry: A Jekull & Hyde Remix is part of the Remixed Classics series and written by the brilliant Kalynn Bayron. The story is told from Gabriel's POV, introducing the reader to his and Henry's lives at London Medical School, their growing relationship and how everything fell apart. Now set years after the scandal that ruined them, Gabriel is determined not to lose Henry again, or, at least, to understand what happening to him and why he's changed so much.
With care and sensitivity, My Dear Henry tackles on racism, queerphobia, sexual assault, attempted rape and power imbalance. Told by a queer Black young man, the story is a remix of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, it's the story of two queer Black people struggling to survive, learn and thrive in a society that reject them, first for their skin color and then for their sexuality. In a Victorian London where Black people where kept at the margins, struggling with works and surviving, Gabriel and Henry fight to be more than society wants them to be. First by learning and studying, then by allowing themselves to be themselves and free.
Dealing also with parental abuse and expectations, this book is brilliantly written and intriguing and, even knowing the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, it was really incredible seeing the spin in it and what Hyde represents.

I really loved reading this book. It's a quick read, very engaging and I couldn't stop until the end. Very beautiful and intriguing.

This gripping tale was thoroughly enjoyable. The author has a way of making the reader feel like they're sitting in front of the unfolding action. I foresee big things in her future.

An LGBTQIAP+ twist on my favorite horror classic, Jekyll and Hyde!!

We follow Gabriel and Henry in London, 1885, with many more characters to like. The teen boys have to face many obstacles.

It was amazing how all characters were intertwined with each other. I enjoyed the original, but I love the twist of this one.

There should be more of these books for young adults.

(I received this ARC for an honest review.)

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!

I have always been interested in the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story and theme. It always came across as quite brutal to me for many of the reasons the author mentions in the author's note at the end (which, as always, I recommend reading).

This was different, though, like any retelling should be. It is the late 1800s, and Gabriel is among his fellow black classmates struggling to be taken seriously in a medical school. When he meets Henry, he realizes that there is much more to life than trying to belong. Henry's father, Dr. Jekyll works to separate Henry from his love for Gabriel. However, should anyone ever be forced to turn away from their true self?

This was beautiful and emotional. An absolute treasure that I will never be able to forget. Definitely recommend this!

Out March 7, 2023!

Content warnings for homophobia, racism, violence, and sexual assault.

"A teen boy tries to discover the reason behind his best friend's disappearance - and the arrival of a mysterious and magnetic stranger - in misty Victorian London, in Kalynn Bayron's My Dear Henry, a Gothic YA remix of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, sixth in the Remixed Classics series.

London, 1885. Gabriel Utterson, a 17-year-old law clerk, has returned to London for the first time since his life - and that of his dearest friend, Henry Jekyll - was derailed by a scandal that led to his and Henry's expulsion from the London Medical School. Whispers about the true nature of Gabriel and Henry's relationship have followed the boys for two years, and now Gabriel has a chance to start again.

But Gabriel doesn't want to move on, not without Henry. His friend has become distant and cold since the disastrous events of the prior spring, and now his letters have stopped altogether. Desperate to discover what's become of him, Gabriel takes to watching the Jekyll house.

In doing so, Gabriel meets Hyde, a a strangely familiar young man with white hair and a magnetic charisma. He claims to be friends with Henry, and Gabriel can't help but begin to grow jealous at their apparent closeness, especially as Henry continues to act like Gabriel means nothing to him.

But the secret behind Henry's apathy is only the first part of a deeper mystery that has begun to coalesce. Monsters of all kinds prowl within the London fog - and not all of them are out for blood..."

I'm all about Jekyll and Hyde reinterpretations and this one is an entirely new take!

From my blog post: Alright, so I have been itching to read this book since Kalynn announced it and even more so after the cover reveal (it gives Baron Samedi vibes, look him up). For transparency, I am guilty of not having read the original but knew the premise (so it was fine). I will say that I believe anyone who didn’t read the OG will be fine as this book stood well on its own. The story had so many different layers to it covering being Black in the 1800s, being gay in that era, respectability politics and so much more. While there isn’t necessary magic in this story, there is that fantastical/otherworldly nature of science and determining how far is too far to go with it. There’s mystery, intrigue and twist & turns throughout the entire story that will keep you on your toes a bit. Since I listened to the ALC of this book, I was talking back out loud to the narrator (who did a good job) every once in a while (rather than in my head if I read the physical version) & I’m sure I had a lot of facial contortion going on as well. This was a great addition to the Classics Remix family.

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

This is another excellent addition to Macmillan's Remixed Classics series (all but one of which I have read, and I have so far loved all the ones I have read).

In this excellent retelling of Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, author Kalynn Bayron brings the presumed homoerotic/homophobic subtext of the original to the front. The characters not only have to deal with the period homophobia, but, on account of their race, that period's racism, making thing doubly difficult for them to succeed and get their happy ending. Fortunately, after many twists and turns, it is accomplished, so breathe easy!

The characters and their relationships are well developed, and my only real complaint about this book is that it wasn't longer - I could have used a little more, as some parts had the pacing set a little too quickly (more development of Lanyon's character would have been nice, as he seemed to be just... there.).

All in all, I enjoyed this book, and will continue to read both more works by Bayron, and more works in this Remixed Classics series.

Thank you for Netgalley and Publisher for this advanced copy

Dear Henry was the best book in this series. I enjoyed every little bit of this book. And Henry was so helpless and I wanted to hug him so much. Despite being Phsychological murder, the romance of this book was sweet

Kalynn Bayron is a powerhouse and this story was a beautiful example of her abilities. She was able to subvert a classic with additional romance, issues around race and colorism, and make it incredibly fresh and readable.

I very much enjoyed this book. It was a heartbreaking, yet beautiful story of fighting for your truest self. All while standing tall and proud, even in the face of evil. I loved the fact that the MC was BIPOC and queer and that you really got to see things from a different point of view during that time period. This book is a perfect example of why it’s important to diversify your reading. I am not a classics girly because I find them lack luster and dense but this series of remixes of the classic novels are exceptionally good.

As a lover of horror, I was excited to see this retelling come across my screen. Jekyll & Hyde is a cautionary tale laced with lessons that are still apt to happen today. In Bayron's retelling, she beautifully ties the subtext of the original tale with a modern twist; the focus being on race, sexuality, and class. The plot became more visceral with a younger Gabriel telling the tumultuous love story and watching the madness unfold within the Jekyll household. I very much enjoyed this retelling and the added layers it was given to lend young readers a great introduction to the terrifying tale of Stevenson's 'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.'

This book was an excellent retelling of a classic. I felt for Gabriel every page and his worry for Henry was paramount. His clear affection, despite desecrated and poisoned by Henry's father, shown through with every thought and letter from his perspective. I am happy to have had the chance to read this, especially since the author did such excellent research on Black life in Victorian England and the presence of queer individuals within the same timeframe.

My Dear Henry is a retelling of the story of Jekyll and Hyde in the classics remixed series. I was really looking forward to this story and I had a great time. We follow Gabriel as a young black man trying to navigate a very racist society while also trying to follow the career path his father wants for him. Along the way, he meets a boy named Henry and they fall in love. But society does not want to see two boys in love and they are pulled apart. But the next time Gabriel runs into Henry, something is different about his friend, he doesn't seem like himself. It is fun to watch Gabriel try to piece together the mystery although the reader will likely already know what is happening before the main character just by knowing the bare basics of the story of Jekyll and Hyde. The topics of racism and homophobia are handled really well and I loved those parts of the story because it does not shy away from the horrible treatment that people in minority groups regularly face and how dangerous it makes life.

CONTENT WARNING: racism and queerphobia in the context of the late nineteenth century, instances of sexual harassment, assault, attempted sexual assault, fictional elements reminiscent of conversion therapy, gore

I’m not one for reading classics, but it’s pretty hard not to know the bones of this story. Since I’ve read some of the other remixed classics, I was already going into this knowing that there was going to be a unique spin on this, combining diversity and associated timeless themes with more modern language that make it easier to engage with the story. My hopes were high because I’ve read a few of Bayron’s other books and loved them, and I wasn’t let down at all.

Since I hadn’t read the original story, I didn’t know what the relationship between the original Gabriel and Henry was like, but these two are explicitly queer in a society where that is not only frowned upon, but illegal. There are severe consequences associated with having queer relationships, and when they are too overt about their relationship, the course of both of their lives are derailed. Gabriel is kicked out of medical school and sent back home to the country, but eventually manages to secure a job as a law clerk. However, there are some issues here as well, since the man that he works for is not a good person. His boss is a cruel man, lording his power over people in the courts, as well as using it to manipulate his employees, including Gabriel.

The relationship between Gabriel and Henry was fascinating, both as it develops and the dramatic turn that it takes in the wake of the scandal. While Gabriel’s sexual identity was frowned upon by his own father, it’s complicated by racism. His father is already concerned about how he’s going to be perceived as a Black man in society, and doesn’t want his being gay to be used as a further reason to disparage him. He pushes Gabriel to strive for an illustrious career track in school, reinforcing that if he does well and remains hardworking and polite, he can be successful, ignoring the fact that medical positions such as doctor or surgeon were closed to Black men. Even with medical training, the best that Gabriel could have hoped for was an orderly. And although his father’s motives had Gabriel’s best outcome in mind, it didn’t take into account the fact that having to hide who he really is, a queer Black man, isn’t what is really healthy or best for him.

On the other hand, the dynamic between Henry and his father is dramatically different. Henry constantly strives to gain his father’s acceptance, but his father has unrealistically high standards for his son. And Henry’s queerness isn’t acceptable to him, and rather than being something that needs to be hidden, is something that needs to be changed. Much like the original theme of the novel, that of the dichotomy between good and evil in one individual, Henry’s queerness is seen as a bad trait that his father wants to separate out from the positive qualities. But the experiment doesn’t exactly go as planned, creating two distinct personalities—Jekyll and Hyde, in something reminiscent of a chemical form of conversion therapy, which didn’t work any more effectively than modern forms.

Another thing that stood out to me is as Hyde appears more frequently, Henry’s appearance declines more alarmingly. I couldn’t help but think of an addiction. He starts to become more disheveled, disregarding his appearance, losing significant amounts of weight, and struggling to hold coherent conversations or even recognize people that he socialized with in the past. He was relying on a substance to maintain his functioning, even as that functioning declined, and it was far too reminiscent of addiction for me not to notice.

The overall tone of the story began as atmospherically creepy, and while this isn’t exactly horror, it’s gothic enough to make me want to classify this as horror. The themes of queerphobia and racism add to that feeling of horror, and I loved the twist on this story that Bayron added. It’s especially important to see Black representation in historical settings, since reading only classics would have us believe that there weren’t any Black people in society, despite historical evidence that Black people were present. The author noted that she made every effort to ensure that she incorporated historical accuracy, and I appreciated that greatly in this story, as well as allowing people of color and queer people to see themselves in historical settings. I personally thought that not having read the original made this even more enjoyable, since I never quite knew what was going to happen, and it was all a new story to me.