Title: A Lodging for the Night: A Story of Francis Villon
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
In: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde & Other Stories (Robert Louis Stevenson)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Crime
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Word Cloud Classics
Year: 1877
5th sentence, 74th page: What right has a man to have red hair when he is dead?

It was late in November 1456. The snow fell over Paris with rigorous, relentless persistence; sometimes the wind made a sally and scattered it in flying vortices; sometimes there was a lull, and flake after flake descended out of the black night air, silent, circuitous, interminable. To poor people, looking up under moist eyebrows, it seemed a wonder where it all came from. Master Francis Villon had propounded an alternative that afternoon, at a tavern window: was it only Pagan Jupiter plucking geese upon Olympus, or were the holy angels moulting? He was only a poor Master of Arts, he went on; and as the question somewhat touched upon divinity, he durst not venture to conclude. A silly old priest from Montargis, who was among the company, treated the young rascal to a bottle of wine in honor of the jest and the grimaces with which it was accompanied, and swore on his own white beard that he had been just such another irreverent dog when he was Villon’s age.

I’m still not entirely sure of the gist of this story. I even read a few passages multiple times. But I still enjoyed it. Even when I didn’t quite get what was going on…

What I loved about this story was the dialogue. I am not the best at writing dialogue at the best of times. And even worse at writing long, heavy conversations. Yet, Stevenson pulls this off amazingly. There are aspects of the prose that are completely constructed of the dialogue between two individuals, and although it is a little long-winded, it is certainly beautifully done and well-written.

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Title: The Rajah’s Diamond
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
In: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde & Other Stories (Robert Louis Stevenson)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Crime
Pace: Slow
Format: Novella
Publisher: Word Cloud Classics
Year: 1878
5th sentence, 74th page: What have you done?

Sir Thomas started his career in India. He did some secret favor for Rajar of Kashgar. In acknowledgement Rajah presented Thomas a valuable thing – his famous diamond. In his homeland this English soldier became one of the most richest and famous people. After returning to England he married to a rich and noble woman. Harry Hartley was a sixteen-year-old orphan and worked as a private secretary for Sir Thomas. This work was no pleasure. His master was a difficult person. He always shouted and was angry with Harry. Unlike Sir Thomas his wife Lady Vandeleur was kind and friendly. The young servant often carried out many different private errands for her. Unfortunately, the next errand led Harry to the bad consequences.

I will admit that I read half of this story while I was kind of delirious from a migraine. But I still thoroughly enjoyed it. And somehow being a little loopy with pain made the mystery and darkness surrounding the Rajah’s diamond all the more intriguing.

I love the lyrical waxing and waning of the tale as the diamond falls from one set of hands to another reveals the depths to which people will sink. Greed, lust, and pride all play a part in the four tales of the diamond. I love that Stevenson is so seamlessly incorporate psychological commentary with fantastic storytelling. And, like all of his other stories that I’ve so far had the pleasure of reading, I know that next time I read it, I will find so much more to enjoy and be enthralled by.

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Title: The Suicide Club
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
In: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde & Other Stories (Robert Louis Stevenson)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Crime
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Word Cloud Classics
Year: 1878
5th sentence, 74th page: And they awaited the event in silence, the Doctor shaking with fear, the Colonel in an agony of sweat.

Short story trilogy involving a club for people who wish to end their lives. The “Story of the Young Man with the Cream Tarts,” “Story of the Physician and the Saratoga Trunk,” and “The Adventure of the Hansom Cab” chronicle the exploits of Prince Florizel of Bohemia and Colonel Geraldine through some of 19th-century London’s most dangerous haunts.

I really loved this novella. It was basically three short stories that had the common thread of the villain and the hero. The hero being the Prince and the villain the perpetrator of the Suicide Club. Written in the lyrical fashion that I’m starting to associate with Stevenson, it’s kind of a fun journey through London and Paris. With a heavy dose of mystery and crime thrown in.

There is something soothing about reading Stevenson right before bed (even if it is a tale called The Suicide Club). But, what I really liked about this tale is that it was kind of three different tales, and therefore it was a good way to finish up three days. I didn’t really wonder what was going to happen next, because each time there was a conclusion of sorts. But I also looked forward to picking up my book at the end of a long day and losing myself in Stevenson’s words.

I’m sure that there is a profound commentary on the extravagancies of daily life that I could tweeze out of The Suicide Club. And the idea just sit just outside of my awareness. But it is such an enjoyable story and was so much fun, that quite honestly, I don’t feel like thinking any further about it at all.

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