ARC Review: My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron
Genre: YA Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rep: POC, Gay
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is not one of my favorite books, but Kalynn Bayron is one of my favorite authors, so when I heard she was writing a retelling, called My Dear Henry, I was excited! Not only did she write an amazing retelling, she highlighted queer, Black voices in her reimagining! I definitely enjoyed My Dear Henry more than I did the original story of Jekyll and Hyde, and it is certainly a retelling that will stay with me for a long time to come!
Gabriel wants to be a lawyer, but being Black in 1885 London, that is not an option for him. Instead, his father urges him to study medicine, where he meets Henry. The two quickly become close friends, and while they can’t openly share it, they develop deeper feelings for one another. After Henry’s father, who is a professor at the medical school, is fired, Gabriel is left lost and confused when Henry suddenly starts giving him the cold shoulder.
I adored so many aspects of this book! As usual, Bayron focused her story around the main character’s Blackness and queerness, which added so much depth to the book! In a painfully real way, Bayron confronted the obstacles relating to intersectionality. She told Gabriel’s story in such an authentic way. I felt my heart break with his at certain points throughout the book.
Furthermore, I think Bayron did a fantastic job of incorporating aspects of the original story while adding her own spin to the retelling. I love that My Dear Henry is not so much about the duality of human nature, but about accepting every part of who you are. Including some of the more nefarious traits of Jekyll in Henry’s father was absolute genius!
The one thing I didn’t enjoy was the relationship between Gabriel and Henry. While it developed a little more as the story progressed, I would have like to read more about them falling in love.
As a whole, My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron is one of the best retellings I’ve ever read! Whether you’re a fan of the original story or not, I highly recommend this book!
