I absolutely love Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing, and this is a fantastic horror novel, with a lush setting that you can absolutely sink into. Really good commentary, really good writing, everything I could want, once you just get into the plot, as it does take a while to start. Also, my grandmother has actually read this book, and she also adored it, so it's definitely good for a wide range of people.

This was not bad at all.

I have read Mexican Gothic by SMG and I had liked it. I don't remember how I rated it but it stayed with me for long, I can still remember snippets of it. And as far as I remember I didn't like some parts of it but overall a different and a good read.

The daughter of Doctor Moreau feels same, written in a distinct style it makes for an unique experience set in Mexico. Inspired by the Island of Doctor Moreau by H. G. Wells, it is retelling of the same old book, executed quite well. I haven't read the classic but I knew the premises.

First half of the book is slow paced and it took me time to get into the story, I did not find it interesting. But as I crossed about 30% of the book, the story takes up a pace and gets quite interesting.

One thing I found in common with Mexican Gothic is the characters of Virgil from Mexican Gothic and of Eduardo from the daughter of Doctor Moreau felt almost same. The Same enchanting character in the start, going in 360 degrees transformation.

I liked Lupe and Montgomery more than Carlota. The plot twist was good but predictable. It wasn't really a shock got me. So Overall a good read.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House publishing group for the ARC.

One of my favorite authors wrote a book inspired by one of my favorite modern classics novel? SIGN ME UP!

As soon as i saw this i knew I would like it, and i did. I devoured this in one sitting. I’m truly obsessed. Highly highly recommend!

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a coming-of-age story about a doctor’s daughter, Carlota, growing up in a secluded home in Mexico. As she starts gaining her own independence, she has to negotiate the pressures of her father’s and society’s expectations for her. Added to this, her unique siblings add complexity and a touch of magical realism to the story.

This story was a touching one about a woman’s search for her true path in life and what truly matters.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno Garcia was a beautifully written, new take on an old tale. This genre-bender (fantasy, sci-fi and historical fiction) will delight you. So well done.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A lovely update to the original tale, which was quite misogynistic and racist. SM-G delves into the after effects of eugenics and, in her hand, they are magical.
Highly recommended.

3-3.5 stars

This is the second book that I’ve read by this author, and I love her writing style. It’s incredibly immersive with lush settings and rich descriptions. She really knows how to transport you to these imaginary worlds, and her stories easily play out like a movie in my mind. I love learning about Mexican culture and tradition, even though I have a hard time with her use of Spanish words. I don’t always know what they mean, which can make understanding the story a little more difficult. But it doesn’t take away the mood and atmosphere that she creates in her stories, which are superb. They are creepy, eerie, and alluring in the best ways possible!

This is a re-telling of a classic book that I can’t remember if I read it or not. If I did, it was way back in high school, and I don’t really remember it. I have seen the 90s movie, but it’s been a really long time, though I remember it not being very good and pretty disappointing. But overall, I am familiar with this classic story. I appreciated her nod to the original while creating this new concept. I thought it was very creative and fun to be in this world. She had an interesting interpretation of this tale.

The story itself had a lot of potential, unfortunately, it fell pretty short for me. I loved the concept but the execution needed some work. I wished more happened and was flushed out a bit more because it was a tad on the boring side. I wished there were horror or fantasy elements. It’s another slow burn and doesn’t pick up pace until about 60% into the story. I enjoyed the last third of the book more than the first two thirds. Once we get the plot twist, which I didn’t expect, it starts to get good. This is the same thing that happened in Mexican Gothic. However, I enjoyed that story a lot more than this one.

As for the characters, the bad guys were easy to dislike, but the good guys weren’t always easy to like. I definitely felt compassion and empathy toward the hybrids and even Carlotta and Montgomery at times, but the two main protagonists had their flaws and made some bad choices and acted in certain ways that annoyed me. I found myself not caring as much as I wanted to about the main characters. I couldn’t really find them relatable. However, I did appreciate the growth and change we see in both of them over the course of the story. I also liked that this story is told from their two POVs. It helped put things in context better. I wish the side characters were fleshed out a bit more because they were a little bland and boring. However, I really enjoyed the found family element with all the characters.

Even though this wasn’t my favorite book of hers, I will absolutely read more by this author. She’s a very talented author, and I love her beautiful lyrical writing.

Would I recommend this novel? If you like a mix of historical fiction/sci-if/fantasy, slow burn stories that focus more on characters than plot, and don’t have high expectations going into it, then you may like it. But personally, Mexican Gothic was better, and I absolutely recommend that one.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

I really enjoyed this book.
There is a lot of sci-fi/fantasy mixed with historical fiction which I really appreciated. I think this book was beautifully written & the author really brings each of the characters to life with her writing.

It´s fine.
The idea, setting and characters are innately compelling, I just think the story isn’t told in an especially exciting or unique way. In theory, I like that a lot of the book is quiet and character focused, but what is presented isn’t complex enough to justify that. Still, the book never made me lose interest and Silvia Moreno Garcia really has a knack for coming up with the most enthralling premises.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is another winner from Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Atmospheric and moody, with a pace that feels appropriately languid, I nevertheless ate this book up in just a couple of days. Carlota is a gripping main character, pulling the reader along as she discovers and rediscovers the world around her, including herself and her relationships. This book feels like a stifling hot day that finishes with a plunge into satisfyingly cool water. A must-read for fans of Moreno-Garcia and The Island of Doctor Moreau alike.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Entertaining despite a rather predictable plot. The writing is also quite repetitive and the characters are all based on known stereotypes. I've also had Mexican Gothic on my bookshelf for some time and it'll likely stay there, unread, for a while longer.

Not knowing much about Doctor Moreau previously, this book sucked me right into the tale. Silvia Moreno-García does a good job of weaving the story to a climax that has you sitting on the edge of your seat with the reveals. I appreciate the dual POV’s that gave us more insight then had it been singular. My heart was aching for Carlota and the heartbreak she had to endure. I did not suspect for one second that she was one of Doctor Moreau’s experiments until it was revealed. I think Moreau did love her but at the end of the day he was a scientist which made his personality the way it was. I absolutely couldn’t stand Eduardo and knew that he was going to be a disappointment from the beginning. I loved the fact that Carlota and Montgomery’s relationship didn’t develop romantically. It felt so genuine and real, she loved him but not in that way. This is now my 3rd book by this author and I’m continually impressed how unique each experience has been.

Firmly grounded in both the Yucatan peninsula and in a constant state of unease, Moreno-Garcia once again succeeds in creating a haunting, ethereal story that stays with the reader long after the last page. I loved this retelling and found it almost impossible to put down.

I read The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells in high school and that was when I fell in love with sci-fi /gothic horror. So I was pretty excited when I discovered this retelling from Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

Moreno-Garcia’s story is set against the lush and vibrant backdrop of the Yucatán peninsula with Dr. Moreau’s daughter, Carlota, front and center.

This was a relatively quick read (under 300 pages) and a seamless fusion of history and science fiction with the added elements of gothic horror in the mix.

Moreno-Garcia brilliantly juxtaposes the morality of Dr. Moreau’s creations against the historical realities of racial conflict and exploitation during the Caste War of the Yucatán. Though this is further explored in the Afterword, I think the story would have been stronger if this context was more present within the narrative.

The pacing of this book is on the slower end of the spectrum, especially in Part Two. However, Moreno-Garcia’s writing is beautifully descriptive and haunting nonetheless.

Thank you @netgalley and @delreybooks for the free e-book in exchange for my honest review.

This was such an excellent book. I have not read The Island of Dr. Moreau but that did not take away from anything in this. Part historical fiction, part sci-fi, and some mystery - many genres spun into a magical, slow burn story that we expect from Silvia Moreno-Garcia. And nobody is doing it like her. I loved the setting of this against 19th century Mexico. Garcia’s writing is immersive and captivating, it’s impossible not to be put under its spell. There’s a lot of layers here and I don’t want to give too much away, but I think it all REALLY works. Going into the book without much knowledge of its synopsis or any knowledge of the source material made this reading experience surprising and exhilarating. I flew through this and would definitely recommend.

Thank you so much to the publisher for an e ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I read Mexican Gothic a while ago and just did not enjoy it at all. I wanted to give the author another chance with this book. The plot sounded very interesting.
This one was better than Mexican Gothic but it just didn’t wow me like I had hoped it would.
I think this author just isn’t for me. Not a bad writer but just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Random House for the ARC

This is my second book by Moreno-Garcia, and I think it’s just time to admit I don’t love her work. Like Mexican Gothic, it is a slow pace met with no shocking endings or real crescendo in the end. I find myself wondering why I wasted the time. The story follows Carlota, in a re telling of the classic story, and her father - as well as “the hybrids”. Hypothetically, this sets off an interesting event chain, but I find myself simply not interested. It just wasn’t a good book, frankly.

The concept of this book is very cool. A lush setting and a very weird subject matter. Unfortunately, the execution fell very flat. I loved Mexican Gothic but this story lacked the pacing and suspense that made me inhale the book. Reading the Daughter of Doctor Moreau was like being on a really long trip to absolutely nowhere.

The main characters felt vert flat and the hybrids should have produced so much more interest and instead everything felt bland. This could have been a great story about personal agency and what freedom really looks like but the messaging never landed.

It was a miss for me-which is a disappointment-I think Silvia is an excellent author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/ Ballantine/ Del Rey for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy in exchange my honest opinions.

I dnfed this books I didn’t enjoy this. I lost interest in this and didn’t like it. The writing wasn’t for me.

I loved MEXICAN GOTHIC, and THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU is a worthy follow-up! I really appreciated the nuanced ways in which this book interacted with the original text, adding nuance, perspective, and challenges to the narrative as presented by Wells. Felt of a piece with the original while also providing twists I could not anticipate! Moreno-Garcia is great at atmosphere and slow-burn tension.