I really wanted to love this book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, who writes with such vivid prose that I felt like I was right there with Carlota and the hybrids in the lush beauty of Yaxaktun. The challenge is that I had a hard time getting into the story, and once I got there, the narrative of the last half of the book couldn't quite stand up to the weight of the structure laid in the first half. The characters were rich and well written, but in the end, the story itself let them down. Still, a beautiful read.

I've read all of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novels and this is one of the best, along with Mexican Gothic and Certain Dark Things, IMO. The Yucatan peninsula, circa 1870s-- the scene of civil uprisings and guerilla warfare--serves as a much more interesting, nuanced backdrop than the original Island of Doctor Moreau. The characters were fully realized, I particularly liked Montgomery. The atmosphere was lush and claustrophobic, with a romantic plot line that kept me hoping. Highly recommend!

Moreno-Garcia does it again! First and foremost, big thanks to NetGalley, Random House-Ballantine, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia herself (learned about this eARC on Twitter a number of months ago when she encouraged folks to read on NG) for early access by eARC for The Daughter of Doctor Moreau in exchange for an honest review! I've thoroughly enjoyed all other novels by Moreno-Garcia, and am thrilled to contribute to folks raving prior to release on this one with my first Moreno Garcia eARC.

Releasing later this month (July 2022), Moreno-Garcia graces readers once again with a historical SFF novel, this time set in the 1870's in Mexico. Based loosely on a reimagining of H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau, alongside an actual conflict that was happening in the Yucatán (México) in the 1870s called the Caste War of Yucatán, beginning in 1847 and lasting more than 50 years (see Afterword for more information), which resulted from the abusive labor system that discriminated against and indebted native Maya in the region. This likely isn't the right place for new readers of Moreno-Garcia looking for a faster-paced read (she's released other novels that fit a quicker pace), and isn't usually my first choice, but took my sweet time enjoying the read and the pacing doesn't detract, rather lends itself to the slow burn and build of the narrative.

With familiar tropes from Moreno-Garcia including enemies to lovers (sort of? with a twist?), the horror of racism and classism through a historical lens, and elements of sci-fi horror, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is another slow-building, slow-burn of fabulous quality by one of my contemporary favorites. Do see CWs on this one, as there are elements as relate to the status of femmes during this time period, as well as relate to differences of class/caste that include emotional manipulation, gaslighting, and the possibility of violence (including sexual), which could be troubling for some readers. These are moderate CWs at most from my read, and are incorporated in a way that focuses the reader on how the characters are/might/will fight back against this (sexual) violence and oppression in ways that are compelling and satisfying.

A retelling of The Island of Doctor Moreau, this book focuses on the doctor’s daughter, her experience with love and her care for the doctor’s experiments.

Read if you want:
* cool sci fi
* to learn about the history of the Yucatán peninsula
* a hint of romance

I liked that this book was an amalgamation of genres! I didn’t love the romance bit (that’s more just personal preference) but the sci fi and history were great.

5/5

In a secluded estate far removed from the conflict on Yucatán’s peninsula, Carlota Moreau lives an isolated existence. The only daughter of the venerable scientist Doctor Moreau, she spends her days surrounded by the beauty of the Yaxaktun property and the hybrid creatures held captive by their domineering creator. Backed financially by the wealthy Lizaldes, Doctor Moreau is sent a new overseer, the pensive Montgomery Laughton, to assist in his experiments. Six years pass and the fragile atmosphere at Yaxaktun is altogether upended by the arrival of two unexpected gentlemen, one being Eduardo Lizalde, the son of Moreau’s benevolent benefactor. With the sudden arrival of their unforeseen guests, the problems outside the bounds of the jungle loom ever closer, and as Carlota becomes more inquisitive, her father's secrets threaten to expose a truth far more harrowing.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia astounds with a gothic science fiction historical set against the background of late nineteenth-century Mexico. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a fascinating reimagining of H.G Wells's novel “The Island of Doctor Moreau,” that completely extends upon the original with its themes of colonization, class, and subjugation. Stepping into this novel felt akin to wading into a crystalline pool, as main character Carlota slowly draws together a hazy picture of her world, one that is refined and sharpened as she begins to question her reality and gain agency. Similarly to Mexican Gothic, this novel seizes a quiet pace, bringing forth an enthralling expose into the obsessions of a mad doctor, and just who the real monsters are. Dual narrators Carlota Moreau and Montgomery Laughton are altogether delightful, providing the opposing perspectives necessary to relay the unsettling nature of the entire narrative. Where Carlota is the quiet lonesome voice in the darkness, Montgomery is the brooding moody tone in contrast. While it can be said that both characters captivate, Carlota is beyond a doubt the one who dazzles. Her escape from the clutches of her father’s influence, to uncovering the truth about his creations, and unleashing the monster within was absolutely earth-shattering. Moreno-Garcia interlays a gripping examination of possession, prejudice, and the relationship between creator and subject beneath it all. With an added afterword on the history of the Yucatán region and the caste war, the influence of historical events from the text is all the more apparent. It seems as if every time I find myself reaching for a new book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, I have to prepare for the fact that it will surpass all of my expectations and leave me completely dumbfounded. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a powerhouse, and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a startling addition, wonderfully romantic and intense in its resistance.

I was gifted a copy of this book from Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This book is available on July 19, 2022. ⭐⭐⭐ I've never read the original Island of Dr. Moreau, so I went I to this book blind. That being said, I enjoyed this story. There were some parts, especially the end, that dragged on a little long for me, but the overall story was good. I'm interested in reading the original now.

As with many classic monster books, the real horrors in The Daughter of Doctor Moreau are the people.

A bunch of sleazebags think anyone different than them are good for nothing but slavery. Indigenous people, hybrid people, women. (You'll have to read the book to see what hybrids are, but with Dr. Moreau in the title you can probably figure it out.

This isn't really a horror book, though horrible things happen. It's more of a historical fiction that happens to have piggy/kitty/people things in it. Luscious descriptions.

I like luscious descriptions. To me, though, the beginning world-building went on and on...and on. Even as a description fan, I felt like it took a long time before anything happened. I kind of don't need to have every pot in the kitchen described. About 40% in, things start to move along. Bear with it: it gets exciting.

It also took a long time before anybody questioned the expense of creating hybrid piggy/kitty/people thingys to work as field hands. I figured out long before the characters did that creating hybrid people was pricey compared to putting an ad under "Help Wanted." But sometimes one has to take poetic license.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an eARC of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau.

Moody, atmospheric, dramatic, unsettling, complex.

Not my favorite SMG, but still pretty damn good.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau offers a close examination of what happens when man views himself in the false mirror of superiority and god-complex sneaks in.

Our main characters are as follows:

Dr. Moreau - a scientist hellbent on defying the laws of nature and rewriting them as he sees fits. Throughout the book Dr. Moreau’s driving force is his research. He is a man obsessed, to the point where his own humanity is seemingly brought into question and his secret-keeping becomes evidence in support of his suspected cruelty.

Carlota - Moreau’s only daughter. Her life exists neatly within a bubble - perfectly preserved and sequestered within the walls of a lavish but secretly crumbling jungle-adjacent hacienda. She has an unwavering sense of loyalty to both her father and Yaxaktun. She sees them as perfect, sound…her twin pillars. I saw Moreau as simply an extension of Yaxaktun and I believe the two remained inextricably tied to one another throughout the story, mostly in the way they resided in Carlota’s mind. In the beginning its easy to dislike Carlota. She’s spoiled in a sense; naive, and prone to bratty behavior. But once her evolvement takes place later in the story, she becomes admirable.

Montgomery - the newly appointed mayordomo (majordomo). He’s a bit hopeless. A cool exterior with an absolutely obliterated man underneath. Still reeling from his failed marriage and haunted by his many other failures, his only love at present is the drink, and he is almost always found nursing a bottle when not off on errands for Dr. Moreau. I really enjoyed Montgomery’s character. He has that very “rough around the edges” makeup that SMG is so good at creating for her male characters, particularly the morally gray ones. He’s not handsome, he’s not always kind, but he’s a good man.

The Lizaldes - there’s more than one of them, and the both of them are a pain in the ass. Señor Lizalde funds Dr. Moreau’s research but to be honest this element of the story never made much sense to me.

And lastly, the hybrids -within the walls of Yaxaktun lie the doctor’s secret experiments - hybrid creatures not wholly animal or man, but a startling combination of both. They serve as the pinnacle of his research and his crowning achievements…yet something isn’t quite right with his creations and they are often subject to bouts of pain, short life-spans and malformations of various sorts.

When conflict arises and the walls of the hacienda slowly start to crumble, the whole of Yaxaktun begins to feel the tremors.

What I enjoyed:

- The atmospheric perfection that comes with everything Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes. It’s always immaculately *real*. I feel like I’ve visited every world she has created.
- The strong character development
- Dual POV works really well in this story
- Blurred lines of morality and humanity
- Real world conflict (Yucatán caste war) intertwined with fictional conflict
- Science contrasted/combined with religious elements
- Flawed characters

What I didn’t enjoy:
- The pacing. SMG tends to write slower-paced books but this one was a real drag at times. I pushed through but there were moments that felt redundant and underwhelming
- The characters are not very likable in my opinion, though most of them improve towards the end of the story
- I did not like the way that the relationship between Carlota and Montgomery was handled
- The ending. I don’t feel that the story was wrapped up appropriately. I would have really liked to know what became over everyone, especially Montgomery, Lupe and the rest of the hybrids
- The twist was good but very predictable

In short: I enjoyed this book during certain parts, but as a whole it didn’t amaze me.

I am a huge fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and was anticipating this book when I heard it was coming out. It didn't disappoint.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a loose retelling of H.G. Wells' 1896 book The Island of Doctor Moreau. In this version, Moreau doesn't stumble upon human animal hybrids, but he instead makes them in pursuit of life and the erasure of all diseases that plague humans. His daughter, Carlota, a human who is sick and was able to be cured due to his medicine works in the hacienda to take care of the hybrids. She is content, but when she grows, the hacendado's son Eduardo arrives and not only does he shake up her home life, but also forces her to face herself, not the perfect daughter.

I love Moreno-Garcia's style of writing and how the characters really delve into their own pasts and motivations. They're all imperfect and at times I found myself frustrated with all of them, not because of the author, but because they felt three dimensional enough to have so much conflict.

There are depictions of alcoholism and a gambling addiction in this book so for those who are sensitive to that it's something to be aware of and to not romanticize a character due to it.

The descriptions of Yucatan and the very real conflict of the Caste War were well written, As a Cuban, I notice that something that happens with many of the communities is that we forget or willfully ignore the reality that colonization has impacted us all with racism, colorism, and family lineages very real results of it. Moreno-Garcia did not hold back on this when discussing the conflict between the Maya people of the peninsula, the European descended Mexicans, and the mixed population.

Overall I loved the book, it kept me entertained from beginning to end and the entire book is so bittersweet while also hopeful for the future which is what always brings me back to Moreno-Garcia's work.

I was so excited to get an advanced copy of this book! After loving Mexican Gothic I was eager to read more and I wasn’t disappointed. This is, as the title suggests, a reimaging of The Island of Dr. Moreau by HG Wells. Set in Mexico, Dr. Moreau is experimenting with human/animal hybrids in hops of making big leaps in scientific discovery. He also has a daughter, Carlotta. There’s also a man named Montgomery who serves as an assistant to the doctor and oversees things on the property. The story is from the perspective of Carlotta and Montgomery as we learn exactly what’s going on. This is beautifully written. The author does a wonderful job with setting the scene with lush descriptions of the house and the surrounding landscape. The prose is dripping with atmosphere. The characters are also so well done- interesting and complex. Carlotta has a lot of growth through the story which was a treat to follow. This is a quiet story but also very interesting and gripping. We are confronted with the question of where do the lines of science and humanity blur and when is that line crossed? I would absolutely recommend this book for the gorgeous writing and very interesting take on this classic story.

Short Review: Loosely based on H.G. Wells "Island of Dr. Moreau," this book is a bold, feminist, action packed, Yucatán jungle adventure, full of characters who grab your heart and don't let go. I absolutely loved it.

"Women were butterflies to be pinned against a board"

Long Review: Moreno-Garcia is the queen of atmospheric. You can feel the jungle heat, see the bold foliage, and hear the sounds of creatures all around you. This book sucked me in and didn't let go until the very end. And to be honest, I still haven't let go. Even days later, I'm still thinking about this one.

A beautiful, palpable, and atmospheric read. All the stars.

There’s a line in the movie Jurassic Park, spoken by Dr. Ian Malcom, that I will always remember: “your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t start to think if they should.” This line is the perfect summary for so many Faustian tales. It’s definitely true for Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s latest amazing novel, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, inspired by another classic Faustian story The Island of Doctor Moreau. But where those stories focus on the Faust character and his moral dilemmas, Moreno-Garcia puts the emphasis squarely on the fallout of a scientist’s careless meddling with the natural order.

Jules Verne’s island, in this version, is a remote corner of the Yucatán peninsula. It is isolated by dense jungle and fears of Mayans rebelling against oppressive landowners. The only contact the eponymous daughter, Carlota Moreau, and her father and their companions have with the outside world are occasional visits from the man who funds Doctor Moreau’s hacienda and his research. We meet Carlota just before another visit from Señor Lizalde, who has arrived with a new assistant and another exhortation for Doctor Moreau to give him something he can actually use to recoup his investment. The new assistant, Montgomery (and our second narrator, after Carlota), was hired to keep an eye on the doctor as much as anything else.

Up until this point, if you didn’t know about The Island of Doctor Moreau, it would be easy to ignore the hints that something very strange is going on at the Moreau’s hacienda. There are hints that, apart from the Moreaus and their housekeeper, the other inhabitants are not entirely human. We only learn the truth from Montgomery’s reaction when he meets one of the sentient animal hybrids the doctor has created. It seems as though Doctor Moreau has been tinkering with genetics, although he never calls it that. His creations are not healthy. They’re in pain. They have short lives. All Doctor Moreau really cares about is perfecting his methods, so he doesn’t have much to do with the hybrids he’s created so far. Carlota does the caring for him.


The Daughter of Doctor Moreau bounces back and forth between Carlota and Montgomery narrating events. From Carlota, we find a deep love of others and the hacienda. She worries about everyone but is stymied by her father’s controlling ways; she can’t do much more than try to keep the show running while he works in his lab. On Montgomery’s side, we get a lot of confusion over what on earth is happening. He eventually settles in. He cares, too, but his prickly personality doesn’t let him show it. Through their eyes we see events start to escalate. Señor Lizalde wants his money and the hybrids, promised to him as workers by Moreau. His son, who turns up following rumors of Mayan revels, suddenly decides that he wants the beautiful Carlota. Before long, it’s impossible for anyone to hide away at the hacienda.

This summary isn’t capturing the sweltering, hypnotic atmosphere of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. Carlota in particular is an amazing narrator. I loved spending time with her, even if she shares her father’s stubbornness and can be just as prickly as Montgomery at times. In addition to watching events through her eyes, we see Carlota grow up from a sheltered child to a fierce young woman. She struggles against her conditioning to obey, not make a fuss, and her sense of duty towards others. And the best part of watching her grow is seeing Carlota find hidden, possibly animal, depths.

I’m still not describing this fantastic book correctly. Go read it. Trust that Moreno-Garcia has delivered another brilliant, engrossing, psychologically deep, beautifully detailed story. This book is one of her best.

Interesting reimagining of the classic story with a twist. Enjoyable and well written set in a time period that is little understood by many American readers. Provided insight, education, and entertaining.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has this way of spinning tales—whether fantasy, historical, or noire—into truly engrossing stories. I’ve read a number of her books—Mexican Gothic, Gods of Jade and Shadow, Velvet Was the Night, The Return of the Sorceress—and now I can check The Daughter of Doctor Moreau off my TBR list.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau was one of my most anticipated 2022 releases, and it was everything I was hoping it would be. I read it in almost one sitting.

This isn’t the first time I’ve read a retold version of The Island of Dr. Moreau, but this is one of the best. It was a loose reimagining, but the hallmarks of the classic tale were there. At times, it read like a family drama with plenty of secrets. And yet, there was always that underling intensity and apprehension from the hybrids, friction with Moreau’s benefactor, and the isolated and enigmatic atmosphere.

Carlota Moreau was a character who disliked change. But with her upbringing, change wasn’t something that came often. But as the story progressed, the earlier periods of contentment became harder to maintain. Carlota had an interesting character arc, and I enjoyed the moments when she stepped outside the role of a dutiful daughter.

Doctor Moreau was a somewhat malevolent figure in the household—a stern father, a devoted scientist. He had his secrets, and the mystery surrounding the nature of his experiments was one of the reasons I kept reading.

Montgomery Laughton was a tragic character who was prone to indulging in his habits, but his chapters were some of my favorites from the novel.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau was another good one.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Del Rey) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

This was definitely a Silvia Moreno-Garcia book! Which is in itself perhaps a strange thing to say, because all of her books are very unique. I can only describe this as a lush historical literary gothic tale with science-fiction overtones set in the Yucatan Peninsula. It is immersive, poignant, and thought-provoking.
Carlota Moreau has been raised in an isolated manner deep in the jungles of Mexico, and her only companions are 'hybrids"--the results of her father's experiments to combine humans and animals--and Mr. Laughton, the overseer of her father's ramshackle compound. When outside forces come crashing onto Dr. Moreau's enclave, including Mayan rebels and wealthy landowners, the precarious balance that has existed there for so many years is suddenly teetering on the edge of chaos and nothing can ever be the same again. But then, is that a bad thing...?
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is such a fascinating author and she has yet again crafted a thoroughly compelling tale that also sheds light on cultural and historical events and beliefs. While this book was, to me, not as overtly sinister or "gothic" as Mexican Gothic, it had a dreamy, turgid tone that fit in extremely well with the hot and humid jungle setting of the book.
If you have enjoyed any of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books in the past, I would definitely pick this book up--because you know what you will be getting into! But if you enjoy literary fiction with a speculative sci-fi twist and well-drawn historical setting, you will also want to check this book out.

I read Mexican Gothic earlier this year and loved it so I was very excited to read this one. The first few chapters were mostly setting the scene and introducing the characters. It needed to be done but definitely a bit of a boring, slow start. However, things quickly picked up pace. This story is told from the perspective of Carlota, the sole daughter of Dr. Moreau and Montgomery, the overseer of the large estate and a morose alcoholic. Sometimes I don't love the split POV style but I think the chaaracters were different and developed enough that I didn't mind,

Carlota has grown up alongside the hybrids her father has created in his laboratory. Humans and animals spliced together, comissioned by a wealthy contributor who is essentially looking for slave labor. Carlota and Montogomery both care for the hybrids and view them like family. Their peaceful life is infringed upon when the son of their patron comes to the island. Really enjoyed this, liked the fact that the plot wasn't overtaken by a love story. The historical aspect was really interesting, definitely painted the enititlement of colonialism and how religion is often used to exploit and enslave. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book is based on the Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells, which I have not read. But I know the basic premise of that book and from what I can tell, Moreno-Garcia took the best parts of the story and made it her own. What I know of the original is that a man is rescued from the sea and ends up on the Island of Doctor Moreau who is a scientist who has created hybrids of humans and animals using vivisection. The themes of the original include the balance between scientific knowledge and ethics, humanity vs. "lesser" animals, religious authority (basically Moreau) and order, morality, and how it can change when your survival is at stake. While scientific knowledge is definitely a huge theme in Moreno-Garcia's version, she focuses much more on interpersonal relationships which by their very nature creates a more complex story. The story is told from two different points of view--Carlota, the Doctor's daughter, and Montgomery, the new Mayordomo. I don't know where or when the original story takes place, but she placed this story during the Mayan uprising on the Yucatan peninsula against the Mexican government (1871 and 1877), which is a time period I knew nothing about. It made the story more compelling as you see the obvious parallels between how the indigenous people are treated by the invading Europeans and how the hybrids are treated by Moreau and Lizalde.

While I really did enjoy this story, it took patience to work through the uneven pacing. The story is very character-driven, and the POV switches between Carlota and Montgomery. You are briefly introduced to the Yaxaktun estate as well as to the hybrids (5 chapters) and then the rest of the story takes place in 1877, 6 years later. Each of the characters (main or otherwise) is flawed but in Carlota's case, you sense that her flaws are a result of being sheltered, controlled, and protected (by her father), and therefore naive about the reality of life outside the walls of Yaxaktun. Montgomery's flaws are more obvious as he is an alcoholic who just wants to live separate from the world, but you learn throughout the book about the many sources of his pain.

This book was what one might call atmospheric historical fiction, which this author is known for. But while some of the scenes in the book are pretty horrific, I would not consider this story to be horror. The science of the hybrids, while never explicitly stated, seemed to be related to gene splicing and I found it all pretty interesting.

I found this book to be worth reading and really enjoyed the twists Moreno-Garcia put in her tale. While there were certain elements I found predictable, they did not take away from my enjoyment at all. Even if you can predict certain things, when the details are put together so well, it doesn't matter. If you're a fan of historical fiction and science fiction, you should definitely give this one a try.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a retelling of the story of Doctor Moreau told through the eyes of his daughter Carlotta. For those unfamiliar with the original story Dr. Moreau is a scientist who creates human and animal hybrids through gross experimentation. For Carlotta the hybrids are all she has ever known. They are her friends if not her family. When her father suggests that Carlotta consider marriage to the son of the man financing his experiments she initially is agreeable. Unfortunately when these outside men only see the hybrids as beasts Carlotta’s world and understanding of what makes a man and what makes a beast crumbles around her.

This is a beautifully told story of Carlotta and her growth. The character descriptions and development is fantastic. I did have to utilize the Kindle dictionary for the beginning of the story as I was not familiar with some of the words and language. This did mean the beginning of the book was slow for me but built into an amazing storyline. This was my first book by Silvia Moreno Garcia but will not be my last!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues her streak of genre hopping by taking on a horror/science-fiction/historical fiction retelling of THE ISLAND OF DOCTOR MOREAU, this time having it take place in the Yucatán and bringing in themes of colonialism, Othering, and identity. I haven't read the source material, but I felt like I had a good feel for what the original story was within the context of this reimagining. I really liked how it centered on Carlota, and how her perspectives of the hybrids from her father's lab bring humanity and empathy for his creations as opposed to relegating them to monstrous freaks. I also liked the themes of Imperialism and how she set it in the shadow of racist and violent policy from the Spanish influenced Government directed towards the indigenous Mayan rebels, and how themes of Othering and violent oppression go hand in hand. It's a bit of a slow burn to get to the meat of the story, but the set up is well done and when things get going, they REALLY get going.

Another great genre jump from Moreno-Garcia!

I've never fully read the original book by H. G. Wells that this book is inspired by, but the synopsis gave me enough context to build off of. As a huge fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's works, I was happy to find similar threads in this book that I've seen in her other writing: taking a snapshot of Mexican history and putting a speculative spin on the era, building multifaceted and complex characters, and overall storylines that are unique and creative. I flew through The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, and my attention was kept the entire time. I appreciated the different points of view and over all arcs and growing dynamics between the two main characters, Carlota and Montgomery, and I thought that the ending fit well for each of them.

A huge thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for a review; I will be cross-posting a review on my Instagram page closer to publication date.