Carlota Moreau grew up on an isolated estate in Yucatán, Mexico with her father, Doctor Moreau, and the Doctor’s creation of part-human, part-animal hybrids. The book begins with the arrival of the estate’s new mayordomo, Montgomery. After a time jump, the son of the Doctor’s benefactor arrives at the estate and takes a liking to Carlota. After a series of events occur, Carlota learns her father has kept more from her than she thought.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of this year, as are any of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books. She has been an auto-buy author for me since I read Mexican Gothic. Something to know if you enjoyed Mexican Gothic is that her books are not all the same. That is something I love about her writing; every book I’ve read by her has been in a different genre, different time periods, and different settings. This book was loosely based on HG Wells's novel The Island of Doctor Moreau, which I have never read. Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing is rich and often fairly slow-paced, but it’s the kind of slow-paced I enjoy reading. It will usually take me more time to finish her books, but I always enjoy the process. If you liked her other books, especially The Beautiful Ones, I think you’d like The Daughter of Doctor Moreau.

Read if you like:
- Strong female lead
- Grumpy male counterpart
- (Mostly) lovable side characters
- Immoral father figure
- Science fiction
- Mexican history

CW: mention of suicide, racism, illness, violence, alcoholism, gun & sexual violence

Another beautiful work by this author. If you like highly descriptive and quirky books, this one is for you. The characters are lively and fun but there is a very strong call back to the original work as well.

Consider me a gothic novel stan from here on out.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a well crafted adaptation of the classic short story, set in the Yucataun in 1877. It follow Carlota, the daughter of the doctor and Montgomery, the mayordama of Moreau's estate. The general premise is Moreau is making animal human hybrids so that his patron can get cheap useful laborers. He's been working on his projects for 8 years but none have been quite successful. When the patron's son and nephew come to scope out Moreau the son becomes obsessed with Carlota.

The book tackles racism, the treatment of natives during the peak of colonization, complex father-daughter dynamics, religion,and how men control women.

The book is haunting and tense. With the backdrop of lush beauty contrasting the deeply fear inducing circumstances our characters are living in/have been put into is the perfect reciepe to constantly keep you at the edge of your seat.

I highly recommend this but do brush up on trigger warnings.

TW'S I noticed (i might have missed some, these are also ranging from mild to major): cruelty to animals,toxic parent, sexism, racism,violence, abuse

Thank you to Netgalley, Del Rey, and Ms. Moreno-Garcia for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This was... interesting. I think when I saw "reinterpretation of The Island of Dr. Moreau" I was sort of expecting ... well, something more like *that*. This was different - it is an Own Voices book, and that shows: the Mexican history, social and racial issues, lingual quirks, customs, etc. are detailed and rich. I definitely felt completely immersed in mid-18th century Mexico. Unfortunately the historical detail was enriched at the slight detriment of the plot. Parts 1 and 2 were rather meandering, like a long, hot, fever dream in the jungle. Part 3 moved swiftly and decisively but it was a little too late for the plot's momentum. I never really thought that Carlota "started asking questions" the way she was described in the blurb: she asked once or twice, and was shut down promptly by her father, until the entire truth came out at the end due to its inevitable surfacing. I also thought that the two "house-hybrids", Lupe and Cachito (💜) could have featured more prominently in the story, especially in the beginning.

Overall I liked the book but I don't know that I would ever seek it out for a re-read. It was an interesting experience, though, and I did really enjoy the historical details aspect.

Thank you Del Rey and Netgalley for the #gifted eARC of THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has been on my auto-buy/auto-read list since I picked up GODS OF JADE AND SHADOW a few years ago. She continues to blow me away with the range of the types of stories she tells. She’s written a Mayan mythology retelling, a gothic horror novel, an atmospheric noir mystery set in 1970s Mexico City, and now a retelling of THE ISLAND OF DOCTOR MOREAU.

One of things that I most love about her books is that she is able to weave in pieces of Mexico’s history and its struggles into the stories. I learn so much from her books about the different issues that various people face with a common theme of classicism, racism, and colonialism in all of them. Her author’s notes at the end of the books are wonderful and not to be missed!

In THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU, we have the dual perspectives of Carlota Moreau, the titular character, who has grown up at a remote ranch on the Yucatan peninsula with her father and his hybrids. The other perspective we get is Montgomery Laughton who is an alcoholic and hired by Dr. Moreau to work as the ranch’s mayordomo. Slowly we begin to learn the extent of Dr. Moreau’s “work” and what is really happening at the ranch.

Flashforward several years and the ranch owner’s son makes an unexpected appearance at Yaxaktun leading to a series of events that threatens to ruin the paradise that Carlota has known her whole life.

Once again, SMG’s atmospheric writing drops you into the lush and remote setting of this book. You can feel both Carlota and Montgomery’s melancholy. She makes the science fiction aspects of this book super approachable and easy to follow.

This one will be sticking with me for a while!

THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU is available July 19!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4509502411
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“The hybrids suffered for the sake of humanity. Yet pain was a gift, that was her father’s refrain. Pain must be endured, for without it there’d be no sweetness.”

Carlota Moreau and her father (Doctor Moreau) live in Yaxaktun, a secluded part of Mexico. Montgomery Laughton was hired to help Doctor Moreau with his experiments. Financed by the Lizaldes, the Doctor is able to work on his experiments- the hybrids. A combination of part animal and part human. All them live in a stable balance until Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and carless son of the Lizaldes shows up. Thrown through a loop, their peaceful life quickly becomes hectic. In the middle of the jungle will Doctor Moreau’s secrets be unveiled and will Carlota discover the truth of love and herself?

This is my favorite book that Silvia Moreno-Garcia has written. I couldn’t stop thinking about this book even when I wasn’t reading it. The book is filled with action, romance, gothic themes, and questionable morals. Not to mention, elements of real life affecting the story. The Caste War of Yucatan happens in the background of this novel, which leads to sparks of conflict for the characters. I loved this twist on historical fiction mixed with science fiction. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an amazing author and I can’t wait to recommend this book to everyone.

Silvia Morena-Garcia’s work has been lauded and honored through Garcia’s contribution to the genre of Mexican gothic horror/sci-if/historical fiction. While I haven’t read her other novels yet as they came out the last two years when I was immersed in my dissertation, I am so happy and excited that I got access to this novel of hers as my introduction to her books. This novel begins innocently enough and is a retelling of English author HG Wells’s The Island of Dr Moreau. As readers, we meet Carlota Moreau and learn from her father (who is described as either “genius” or “‘madman”) that like his other experiments, Carlota is also a hybrid. What is a “hybrid” you ask - partly human, partly animal monstrosities. As the story unfolds, the novel keeps you hooked as Morena-Garcia’s wild imagination takes us into gothic reimagining of nineteenth century Mexico. It is amazing to see contemporary writers exploring and retelling stories through feminist perspectives. I also couldn’t help but think of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which is one of my favorite novels in this genre. The characterization of “hybrids” is not a new one - think of Werewolves, and even Hindi films like Junoon - when a man is bit by a Tiger and he transforms into one every night at midnight. As a young kid, it was scary. Morena-Garcia’s writing is flawless and intense - This is the sort of horror/thriller/sci-if/historical fiction genre I love, when you are drawn to the horror! You want to stop looking, but you can’t help it, and of course, the cover is gorgeous! If you have never read Garcia-Morena before, begin with this one and you won’t be disappointed!

I’ve never read the original book this is recreated from but I am obsessed with this author. She does an amazing job of putting the reader in the jungle and feeling all the emotions. This book was full of intrigue and action.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is the newest novel by Mexican-Canadian author Silvia Moreno-Garcia, who is a big favorite of mine (Gods of Jade and Shadow, Mexican Gothic, The Beautiful Ones, etc. etc.). This time around, the story is a take on the classic The Island of Doctor Moreau, with the story moved to the Yucatán Peninsula in 1870s Mexico - a time of colonial unrest between the colonial powers (The Mexican territory and the British colony in Belize known as British Honduras) and Indigenous Mayas. Moreno-Garcia's works are usually excellent at taking typical plots and taking them to different directions, especially with her use of Mexican settings, so I was really eager to see where she went here.

And while The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a solid story, it also doesn't really go in any particularly interesting directions so as to stand out. The story's Mexican setting works well as foreground but is mainly background until the book's final act, and really doesn't change much, and the story's biggest plot twist is one that pretty much every reader will guess from page 1. Again though, it's all solidly done, and the main two protagonists have interactions and plot arcs that don't quite go as you might expect, with the book nicely averting the easy choice of how to develop their relationship, which I appreciated. But Moreno-Garcia has just set such a high standard that this book just can't quite live up to my expectations.


-----------------------------------------------Plot Summary-------------------------------------------------------
1870s Mexico - particularly the Yucatán Peninsula - is a dangerous place....with conflict between the Maya people (supported by the British) and the Mexican estates, who would prefer to use them as labor rather than see them as people. But for Carlota Moreau, such concerns seem utterly distant, as she grows up on her father's luxurious estate in Yaxaktun, accompanied only by the estate's housekeeper Ramona....and her father's creations, the Hybrids, beings made up of a combination of animal and human biologies. Carlota wants only to be a dutiful daughter, with no interest in going elsewhere in the world, believing that she can be happy learning about what is out there entirely from books, and happy living alongside the hybrids she considers friends.

But when a few new people come to Yaxaktun, things begin to change. First off, there's Montgomery Laughton, a debt-ridden miserable man - heartbroken by a lost sister and a betrayed lover - who comes on to be Dr. Moreau's new majordomo. And then, just as Carlota is turning into a young woman, there is the arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the hot headed son of Dr. Moreau's patron, who is intrigued by Carlota's beautiful looks...to Montgomery's great displeasure.

The recipe of Mongomery, Eduardo, Carlota, and the hybrids all coming together will soon prove explosive, and will force Carlota and the Hybrids to make choices about the lives they live and the futures they might possibly have....
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The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a take on a classic genre story - one that, even if like me you've never read the original, you'll have some idea about....the mad scientist Doctor who experiments on animals to make them more human-like, which will eventually lead to some sort of conflict between those hybrids and humans. And this story follows through with that framework, shifted to the setting of 1870s Mexico (a setting which Moreno-Garcia nicely explains further in a little author afterward at the end of the book) - so the Hybrids are considered by Moreau's patron as a possible answer to the problems of importing cheap labor (with slavery banned, and various immigrant groups being difficult to bring over and Maya peoples being less willing to cooperate with the colonizing Mexicans).

However, there is one new crucial essential character: Carlota, the daughter of the Doctor, who is bright and capable, even if as you'd expect is quite naive about it all. And this is the story of Carlota and Montgomery (who per wikipedia is a take on an actual classic character from the original novel) as much as the Hybrids. Carlota is a bit of a subversion of the usual version of this character: who usually feels kept and constricted in an estate, wanting to go away somewhere else and is desperate to escape into an outside she knows nothing about. By contrast, Carlota is a dutiful girl who has little interest in the outside - instead she would rather get her knowledge of the world through books, and would rather stay with the Hybrids she kind of loves as extended family. She's still a young woman for most of the book - with desires towards the first hot young man she sees - but she's not deliberately adventurous, wanting more to try to help those she loves in the place she loves than to go elsewhere.

Which means that the plot here is jumpstarted not by her being rebellious and wanting to go out as much as the plot featuring others who want to take her out, and having Montgomery (a sad grizzled alcoholic and depressed man due to the wife who didn't love him and regrets regarding the sister he abandoned) screw things up by trying to do what's best for her, despite his lust. And this works really well, as the characters act out familiar-ish plot beats that turn out in slightly different ways than you might expect (so we don't get an actual romance between the lead characters, as you'd usually expect from two POV character novels). The story is thus excellently constructed from beginning to end for the most part.

That said, while everything is well crafted, and works well together, it never really does so in a way that utterly stands out, even if the book does not go quite the way you'd expect with some character development. It isn't helped by the book featuring one twist so obvious you'll expect it from page 1, to the point where it'll be distracting a bit as you wait for that twist to be revealed. And while the setting is interesting, the book doesn't really do anything with it until the final act (and even then, not a ton), which makes the transfer of the plot to the Yucatán feel kind of wasted.

The result is certainly a solid novel that's a decent take on a classic of the genre, but just one that can't live up to Moreno-Garcia's other works. Which is fine - again there's a solid book here, even if not one that I think will be among the best of the year, unlike some of her prior works.

I fell in love with Moreno-Garcia's storytelling ability after reading Mexican Gothic (as so many others have), and will happily give whatever topic she turns her hand to a read, even if it isn't of particular interest to me in usual circumstances. Such is the case with this newest story.

I'm not one for science fiction and definitely not for horror, and while I've seen this book described as both, I'd say that it only glances at those descriptors and truly inhabits its own space. I've heard of the original Doctor Moreau of course, but it never was something I was eager to read, so I went into this story with only the sketchiest understanding of the inspiration she came to this novel with. That said, it's clear that Moreno-Garcia has created a very original story and made it her own. It held my interest and kept me coming back to a story that was engrossing and almost seemed possible if only we just had the right circumstances and knowledge. Well done indeed.

My thanks to Random House - Ballantine/Del Rey, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Silvia-Moreno Garcia is a master at setting. And The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is no exception. This latest release has atmosphere, hot evenings, and an undercurrent of suspense. Dual POV, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau tells a story which explores sacrifice and self-discovery. When the ones who love us, see us only as objects, resources, commodities, it becomes up to us to define our place. But that journey can be fraught and full of unexpected discoveries.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is multi-dimensional. On one hand there are characters who are complex and flawed. Both Carlota and Montgomery have to navigate tangled emotions as well as high stakes choices. Everyone's motivations seem to be obscured and no one is laying down all the cards. They explore the ways we hurt people, the barbed comments, and pointed remarks. At the same time, they also celebrate friendship and support.

Thanks to Netgalley, for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review of this book.

This book is somewhat vaguely based on The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells, although it might be more accurate to simply say that it was inspired by the Wells book. That book was about an island where Dr. Moreau was tinkering around with vivisection to combine humans and animals into new creatures. I read it years ago, but it is absolutely not necessary to have read it at all to understand or appreciate this book.

As the title would suggest, this book focuses on the doctor's daughter, who lives with her father on a remote part of the Yucatan peninsula, where he is experimenting with making combinations of humans and various animals. In this case, he is working via genetic engineering - combining animal and human genes and then inserting the results into "host mothers" - primarily pigs - to try to develop workers for his patron, so that the plantation owner won't have to deal with the problems caused by various groups who are essentially being used as slaves - remarkably, they don't necessarily appreciate their status and create problems for the boss man!

This book doesn't really focus on the "science" of this genetic engineering, and there is no description of anything particularly gory or gruesome, nor does there appear to be any sort of vivisection or manipulation of any live subjects. The book focuses much more on the practical/ethical importance of what's going on - to what extent are the "hybrids" (as they are referred to in the book) are humans, with rights and agency? To what extent are they simply enhanced animals, who have no rights?

We approach all of this by getting to know some of the hybrids (who are clearly portrayed as humans with unusual physical characteristics), and particularly through the characters of Carlota, the daughter of Doctor Moreau, Montgomery, the majordomo of the estate, and Lupe and Cachito, two of the hybrids, who grow up as Carlota's friends and playmates. I think the inclusion of the hybrids as characters in their own right is a major factor in making this book so compelling - we're not looking at them as animals who exist simply as research subjects. They are clearly characters with thought, motivated actions, language, and opinions.

This approach allows Moreno-Garcia to delve into questions far beyond those posed in the original Wells book, and is a large part of the fascination of this book. I enjoyed the basic plot, as the action was interesting, but even more interesting was the development of the various themes of ethics, subjugation, treatment of women, colonialization. It was thought inspirint, but just as important, a fascinating read!

The twists and turns of this book kept me on my toes. I enjoyed the different point of views. Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books keeps you on your toes the whole time your reading. Thank you to NetGalley for this Arc

I have read Silvia Moreno-Garcia's last couple of titles with great eagerness and was equally excited to get the ARC for this one! However, I think I fell victim to not paying close attention to the description/not doing my research on classic literature because I had no idea what the Island of Doctor Moreau entailed, and sci-fi is just not my jam. I gave it a solid try several times but just was not able to get past my own mind block!

I admittedly went into The Daughter of Doctor Moreau more or less blind. I haven’t read The Island of Doctor Moreau, and I didn’t even reread this novel’s summary before starting it. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has become an auto-buy author for me, and I trust her, no matter the book’s genre or subject matter. Though even this book’s genre is a bit outside of my knowledge and comfort zone. I’ve only read a handful of science fiction books (some classics like Frankenstein and Brave New World; some newer ones like The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson). It’s a genre I’m pickier with, but sometimes a novel will surprise me. This is one of them: I absolutely loved it!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a master of writing atmosphere, and that’s on display here. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is evocative and immersive, situating readers in a landscape that may feel idyllic to Carlota, but can also feel unsettling for the reader. It’s not quite a horror novel, but it offers just enough reflection and mystery to give it a haunting quality in its quieter moments. This is contrasted with a brightness in other scenes: flashes of humor and arrogance, romance and bravery. Together, it makes for a dynamic, fast-paced novel that will hold your attention from start to end.

The hybrids are a highlight here. Moreau has expanded on Darwin to grow creatures that combine features of disparate animals. Sometimes it’s big cats, sometimes it’s reptiles, sometimes humans play a role. The hybrids are richly described, alighting the reader’s imagination. However, I appreciate that they’re depicted in a more “human” way rather than as monstrous or beastly. They’re characters with very real thoughts and feelings; they are intelligent and caring individuals, and they’re part of the family. While some characters here (like Carlota and Montgomery) show respect and love for the hybrids, others treat them as less than or as fearsome. I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between the negative treatment of hybrids and the kind of racism, homophobia, and other discrimination we see to this day.

The characterization is also top-notch, and as flawed as they can be, I loved our main characters. Carlota is complex and intriguing. Though she starts off as a naive, fanciful girl, she grows more fierce and capable as time wears on. Montgomery has a sad history and is a functioning alcoholic, yet despite his melancholy, I particularly liked him. He may not be so honorable and brave at first, but he improves greatly throughout the novel. He and Carlota were perfect leads here. Cachito and Lupe were also charming, Doctor Moreau was complicated, and the intruders (ahem, guests) were… well… fun to hate!

After starting off in 1871, most of the novel takes place in 1877, when Carlota is 20. Some romance is thrown in, maybe a bit of a love triangle, but this is also when the stakes start to rise. Are the hybrids still safe here? Are the Moreaus in trouble? What about Montgomery and his debts? Following a suspenseful climb, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau reaches a thrilling final act. There’s danger, fighting, maybe some death. It’s action-packed and will get your adrenaline going, but it will also fill your heart with emotion, too.

By its end, there’s a lot to contend with. Personally, I wouldn’t mind a sequel to this. I would love to see what happens next with our surviving characters, and I secretly hope a certain relationship can finally bloom.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has such precise and engaging language, full of feeling and the right tone for each unique story. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a beautiful, thoughtful, exciting novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers. Even if you’re not a big sci-fi reader, it’s a stunning and delightful book. I’ve loved every novel from her so far, but this may have just became my favorite yet.

* Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for providing me with an ARC of this book!

What a wonderful job of developing characters over the course of the story. Every single one shows a different side to their personality from the beginning of the book to the end that shows the depth of their humanity. It was easy to love, hate, or at least sympathize with each one. Of course, the author also addresses many themes to provoke thought, like the ethics involved in scientific experimentation, slave or indentured labor, and what makes a family.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Del Rey for the ARC to read and review.

Silvia is in excellent form once again. I had no doubt she would outshine the classic she re-envisioned, and I was not disappointed. Carlota Moreau is another strong-willed young woman, a signature Moreno-Garcia trademark. As with everything else of hers I've read, I sometimes wish the books were longer, with more revelations of plot and character, but her creations are so vivid it is easy to visualize them into their future.

Have you ever read your favorite author and things are going amazing but 1 thing has you terrified that you'll have to leave a negative review?
Well I had a sinking feeling as Montgomery, a tortured character I adored, began developing a romantic attraction for a girl he has known since she was a minor. I spent most of this book in terror of how their relationship would develop and what message it would give. In the hands of classic authors such a relationship and its serious issues would have been swept under the rug, if acknowledged at all.
I should have trusted Silvia though as she knew exactly what she was doing and she's a step above the traditional classic authors I have in mond. No spoilers, but I love Montgomery, the development of his character amd circumstance. Not to mention all characters. Carlota was fierce and awe inspirin, and I would love to see her again to see who she becomes now that she is no longer the Doctor's Daughter. Of course the best part of Silvia's work is the atmospheric prose that leave you standing in the jungle or floating in the Cenotes, but what really set Silvia's setting and writing apart is her attention to the historical context of the Era and setting. Without making the story about the struggle of the indigenous people and the cruelty of the caste system placing them as indentured servants (aka slaves), she still manages to educate the readers to all of these issues without burying them in info dumps or expositions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the fourth book I have read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and I was really looking forward to it. The setting was amazing in this book, but I really wanted more of a creepy, horror feel from this novel. I kept waiting for a dark twist or unexpected scare, but it never came. I still enjoyed it and would recommend it, but this felt like a departure from her prior books.

I received The Daughter of Doctor Moreau as an ARC through Netgalley. What if Doctor Moreau had a daughter? And what if that daughter is only kept alive by injections of his creation with parts of a jaguar? The doctor instead of being just a mad scientist living in a secluded location, is actually trying to create viable hybrids to handle the labor problem. I felt the pacing at the beginning of the book was good, but towards the middle really slowed down and I contemplated DNF AT 40%. I am happy I finished the book as there were twists and turns I did not see coming, but was not a favorite read for me. I felt there was good character development, but just repetitive at times. This a re-telling, not a prequel or sequel. If you have never read Doctor Moreau or watched either of the movies, I believe you would still enjoy it. I have read the original and seen the movie that was done in the 90's.