The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter

Abstract

As a neo-Victorian novel, The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter draws heavily on Victorian literary works and well-known characters of the time, but presenting a feminist perspective and giving representation to marginalised groups in 19th century England, by featuring active women who unite themselves in a secret organisation – the Athena Club – in order to conduct an investigation about a series of mysterious murders in London, as well as the family history of the novel’s protagonist: Mary Jekyll, imagined as the daughter of the well-known character Dr. Jekyll, featured in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson. Mary encounters monstrous daughters of several scientists, including: Diana, daughter of Mr. Hyde; Justine, daughter of Dr. Frankenstein from Mary Shelley’s novel (1818); Beatrice, Dr. Giacomo Rappaccini’s daughter, who is featured, alongside her father, in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Rappaccini’s Daughter” (1844); and Catherine Moreau, daughter of Dr. Moreau from The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896) by H. G. Wells. These are all revealed to have been created by her “fathers” through scientific experiments. Together, they form the aforementioned club, and discuss the repression that they are subjected to by Victorian sociocultural conventions. Furthermore, they empower each other as they liberate themselves from their tenebrous fathers, talk about how their investigations should proceed, and take on an active social role. Eventually, they are able to uncover the existence of The Alchemists Society, a secret organisation of scientists who conduct morally and ethically questionable scientific research and experiments.