Review by Annabel
Welsh author Emma Glass’s fourth novel, Mrs Jekyll, gained her a second longlisting for the Dylan Thomas Award in 2025. Her debut, Peach, was also longlisted, and although neither won the prize, they are remarkable novellas.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novel has the good man Dr Jekyll gradually more possessed by Mr Hyde, his evil side, after drinking a potion that lets him out. But, in Glass’s contemporary story inspired by the original, our first question is what avenue she’ll take. Is it Mrs Jekyll telling the wife’s side of the tale? Or, is she a gender-swapped version of Stevenson’s protagonists?
Before discussing the book further, it was only when the late Deborah Orr was dying that she had this idea for her next book. Sadly, it wasn’t to be, but small indie publisher Cheerio commissioned Emma Glass to write it, and she has done Orr proud. This is a fine novella indeed, in turns shocking and moving.
Rosy Winter is a primary school teacher, nearly was a primary school teacher. She’s dying: she has cancer, but she wants to live the life she has left, if she can. Her loving husband Charlie does everything he can for her; he’s wonderful, verging on claustrophobic at times. Her sister, meanwhile…
Near the beginning of the book, there is a passage that will resonate with every primary teacher or teaching assistant taking a class of little ones to the city. Rosy is meeting her sister-in-law Sally for a girls’ day out, and Sally is worrying about how to meet up at the huge station.
You’ve never known true responsibility until you’ve taken twenty-four five-year-olds on the Underground to the Science Museum, watched them go two by two in their tiny pink hi-vis vests, counted them, little hands holding little hands, still pudgy, haven’t lost the baby fat yet.
You’ve never known true fear until you only count twenty-three.
But try not to panic, don’t let it take hold, it’ll close your throat. Relief chokes you when little fingers reach for yours, when you hear the sweet high excited voice that say, miss, look what I found! And the shiny penny clasped between thumb and forefinger held up for you to see, a treasure. So cross, you want to snatch it from them, so happy, you want to shower them with a thousand shiny pennies. Count them, count them twice. Your eyeballs go dry in their sockets because you’ll never blink again in case you lose one. Keep your eyes peeled, become good at picking out faces in crowds. But Sally is right. Helps if they are wearing hi-vis vests. Or hats.
When the two women have successfully met, Sally has arranged something different for them to do: she’s booked a tarot reading. Sally finds it rather banal, but when it’s Rosy’s turn, something happens – the catalyst for the rest of the story. The reader, Jacqui, turns over The Priestess, ‘A symbol of intuition and the sub-conscious. She wants you to look inwards and trust your own power.’ However, it is paired with The Devil. Jacqui explains he symbolises temptation and the darkness within everyone. Sally leaves the room, giving Jacqui the chance to tell Rosy that she has someone ‘with’ her, and that she can help her harness her power. Rosy is justifiably spooked.
However, soon she can feel there’s something different about her, and what emerges is her dark side taking over; a visceral, sexual, hungry being. Glass’s writing style changes into short, snappy, hard-hitting, sentences, set out as a prose poem.
Birth is wet.
Brand-new fingers
Peeling back mucosa
Pressing down on muscle
Emerging from the wetness of mouthSpit me out.
Without telling you any more about the specific story, events will happen that will resonate with those familiar with Stevenson’s original, and the inevitable will happen. As a metaphor for the cancer that is devouring her, Rosy’s alter-ego is a powerful all-consuming creation, truly scary.
Glass’s writing is lyrical and detailed with each word in its place, no unnecessary ones. Mrs Jekyll is a quick read, but you’ll have to read everything twice if you rush it – better to pace yourself and savour the exquisite text and the suspense she creates.
Annabel is a co-founder and editor of Shiny New Books.
Emma Glass, Mrs Jekyll, (Cheerio, 2024). 978-1917283106, 192pp., paperback.
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