You have most likely deduced from the title of this book that it is a reimagining of H. G. Wells' 1896 novel The Island of Doctor Moreau, but it is not a retelling. This story is set in the jungles of the Yucatan instead of the South Pacific, and Edward Prendick never appears. Instead, we learn about the titular mad scientist's daughter as she comes of age in a world in which oppressive hierarchies are violently upheld.

There's a lot here that's done well. The setting is beautifully described and forms a lush and vivid backdrop to what is a very interesting speculative fiction story. The framing of a real place and time in history through Doctor Moreau's unethical experiments offer a clear prism through which to view issues of racial conflict and exploitation. However, I think these issues could've been given a more detailed treatment and fleshed out more as a part of the story. The afterword provides some excellent context about the Caste War of Yucatan during which this story is set, but it would've served the story better if we saw more of that context built into the narrative.

I also really wanted more consistency in pacing. The second act drags a bit at times, and the dialogue between characters sometimes read a little stilted and melodramatic, which unfortunately was distracting and tended to pull me out of the story. The denouement is a little too chaotic, and then everything ends a little too quickly. I don't often say this, but I think this book could've been a good 50-100 pages longer.

In an overall sense though, I really enjoyed reading this book and was thrilled to have an early opportunity to do so, and I will continue to eagerly await more genre-bending stories of Mexico from Silvia Moreno-Garcia!

Silvia has quickly become an auto-read for me and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau did not disappoint. I'll be purchasing a copy for my own shelves and recommending it highly to our collection team. There's so much to unpack here - a lush retelling, a coming-of-age story, social criticism, and a fascinating historical backdrop. I truly loved this one.

*To be published on our blog on March 21, 2022*

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau Book Review

Written By: Diamond Braxton

Release Date: July 19, 2022


The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silva Moreno-Garcia takes place in the Yucatan, Mexico, in the backdrop of the of The Caste War of Yucatan, beginning in 1847. In a time when the native Mayans were being subjugated to forced labor from Mexicans, the British, and others, the story centers on Doctor Moreau, a researcher who has been experimenting with creating hybrids: people mixed with animals in order to create the “perfect person.”
Carlota Moreau, his daughter, has enjoyed the luxury of the Yucatan peninsula, sheltered from the world as she enjoys lush trees, gorgeous views, and admirable isolation. She has grown up with the other hybrids who to her are like family. To help aid Doctor Moreau in his conquests, he hires Montgomery Laughton, a heavy drinker, outcast, and lost soul.
They all live happily in solitude and Doctor Moreau’s research is funded by the Lizaldes, a powerful rich family who is hoping to use the hybrids to conduct their labor on their haciendas since the Indians have been fighting against their employers.
However, their world is thrown into chaos as Mr. Lizalde’s son, Eduardo and his men decide to visit the estate of his father to meet the man who his father is paying. When Carlota and the hybrids get exposed to outsiders for the first time, secrets unravel, passions unfurl, and an ominous threat looms over their very existence.

What I Loved

Silva Moreno-Garcia dazzles us again with her immersive, cultural writing. I found myself in love with the backdrop of the Yucatan and Carlota herself, a gorgeous brown-skinned woman who is quick to emotion, naive, and cares about her unique family and the island.
The characterization in this story is spectacular. While there are very clear “bad” people, it’s easy to find the goodness in everyone. The ethics of Doctor Moreau’s research is an immoral choice; however, his reasoning for creating hybrids makes sense for his character. I had a hard time disliking anyone in the story, even in their worst moments. There is only one person I couldn’t stand, but I will leave that to you to discover when reading.
I found the novel to be historically rich, despite being a literary novel. Learning about the history of how the Mayan people were treated by those needing cheap labor for their sugar cane farms or other farming methods was extremely interesting and plays a primary part in the plot of the novel. It was wonderful seeing the history interact with the text and not just be an unused detail.
Another intriguing part of the story is the hybrids. These human-like creatures are all different in their own way, Lupe and Cachito being the only ones to come out mostly strong and unscathed by major deformities. However, they are all a family, a community, and it sets the tone for how creating hybrids to be used for labor is just as wrong as subjugating Mayans who were on the land first.
What makes the story as strong as it is, however, is Carlota. She has been on the island all her life and has never once left or wanted to leave. She loves the Yucatan, her family, and the lush vibrant scenery. So, as the Lizalde’s come to visit, the plot thickens as Carlota has to navigate an unknown: other people, and more specifically, a very handsome green-eyed, wealthy man. We, as readers, get to watch Carlota grow from innocence to experiencing the world and having to make tough decisions where there are no easy ways out. Her decision-making in the story and her growth and evolution were my absolute favorite points in the novel.

The Rating

For fear of giving too much away, I am keeping this review short. It is a must-read for anyone who is a fan of Moreno-Garcia’s work or who is looking to immerse themselves in a culturally rich, speculative novel. While I feel like there are many texts that discuss hybrid creation, Moreno-Garcia is able to paint this archetype in a new, refreshing light with a protagonist you’ll want to root for.

Because I would recommend this book to everyone I know, I am gladly giving this book a 5/5.

You can pre-order it here, and I HIGHLY recommend you do it.

I began reading Silvia Moreno-Garcia in 2021 when I stumbled upon Mexican Gothic. What a story!! It seemed loosely based on the short story The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman - deeply psychological, with something a little more sinister than you might anticipate. She is very versatile, not sticking to one genre. Like all of Moreno-Garcia's books that I've read thus far, they are beautifully written and lushly imagined. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau turns a classic on its head, coming from the mostly female perspective, with Carlota Moreau stealing the stage. 

In this, Moreno-Garcia is the master of the slow burn building out Carlota's heaven and the one place Montgomery has ever felt home. The Hybrids jump off the page - their humanity, their surrealness, their existence, is felt keenly from every perspective. You'll find yourself having many emotions throughout - from happiness to sadness, anger to disgust.

What I liked:
- Beautifully written as always - the language, the prose
- Location - you feel like you're in the lush jungles of the Yucatán feeling the heat
- Emotions run very high, you feel them all
- Well-rounded characters and strong female leads; you'll end up loving many of the characters and really hating a few
- Overlapping points of view; get the same scene from both points of view with an individual extension of the story

Ultimately, this story is about love, desire, understanding that your biological family may not always be your real family, and making hard choices - doing whatever it takes to protect the ones you love. The first third of the book is a slow burn with plenty of build-up, but once we hit the second two-thirds, we are firing on all cylinders, and you'll be racing toward the finish line. 

This was 4.5 stars for me. Moreno-Garcia is an automatic buy and I wasn't able to put this one down once I started. Her brilliance in this reimagining is beautiful, dark, and haunting and will linger with you for days on end. A delightful mix of science and historical fiction, add this one to your Goodreads list or pre-order for debut on July 19th, 2022.

Trigger Warnings: attempted sexual assault, sex, and violence. 

Thank you to Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the publisher, and Netgalley for the advanced reading copy and the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Thank you for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted this book, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, because I enjoyed Sylvia Moreno-Garcia’s first book, Mexican Gothic. However, this book by Sylvia did not capture my interest for some reason. I struggled to get through even the first pages of the book.

Silvia has done it again, this time taking a literary classic and giving it a feminist edge. Sure, there is science and the hybrids pop off the page, but Carlotta is the center of this story. It's riveting and my favorite of hers since Gods of Jade And Shadow.

The more Moreno-Garcia I read, I find her offerings very hit or miss. This one is a miss. It just fell flat and felt quite one dimensional. I finished it to see what happened and then promptly forgot the story.

"The Daughter of Doctor Moreau"
I confess that, based on the story, which involves a retelling and the whole concept of evolution of a girl living with a mad scientist who made 29 HYBRIDS, with scary and disgusting scenes, I expected a hyper mega horrifying story in the style of "American Horror Story: Asylum". I confess that I didn't like it so much, the first half was boring, even though the author wrote the story with all her heart and the writing was great, it took me a while to feel attached to the content and it was only actually fun for half of it, besides the obvious plot twist. But the cover is beautiful and the story is good, but its premise is GREAT, which left me a little disappointed. 3.5 stars.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an eArc.

✨ B O O K R E V I E W ✨

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Sylvia Moreno-Garcia is one of my auto-buy authors so when I was chosen for an ARC of her newest book I was SO excited.

This story is a reimagining of the classic- The Island of Doctor Moreau. Please Swipe for synopsis

The beginning was overall a little slow for me. I’m not sure if it was the subject matter or the pacing but once things started to pick up I was IN. The story really revs up towards the last few chapters and the reward is completely worth it. There is also a ~twist~ that I did see coming, but it was satisfying to watch it all play out. There is so much depth to all of the diverse characters included, and is not just limited to the main two. (Carlota and Montgomery) They are each flawed in their own way which really allows you to connect with each of them.

This story hits on topics such as the horrors of marginalization and colonialism in 19th century Mexico as well as the damage that can be inflicted on innocents by an ego maniac. There is romance, drama, action/fight scenes, but most importantly this is a coming of age story about finding the courage and responsibility to do what is right and the importance of family - whether it be the family that you are genetically born into or the family that you find along the way.

I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey Publishing, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia for a free ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were relatable and well written that I could find no reason to not like it. I'm a huge Dr. Moreau fan anyway, so this was right up my alley. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has gotten herself another fan for sure. I have already pre-ordered the hardcover and planning on getting the audiobook as well.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and give my opinion on this.

Silvia Moreno Garcia by far is one of my favorite authors. Once again she did not disappoint with this book.
Silvia's writing is very unique and subversive into the Mexican culture. I particularly enjoyed this time period and setting of The daughter of Doctor Moreau set in the 1800s of Yucatán Mexico. If you enjoy a bit of historical fiction mixed with a bit of sci fi and thriller than this a book for you. This book is loosely inspired by The Island of Doctor Moreau. by H. G. Wells. I enjoyed this book and found myself fully invested in its characters. Silvia's attention to detail and mystery transported me into the world of this book. I highly recommend and would give it 4 stars.

This is an excellent reimagining of the classic Island of Doctor Moreau, a compassionate and brilliant version that I know I'll be rereading and recommending to everyone I know. Moreno-Garcia is, as always, spot-on with her language and in creating her characters, positioning them in a historical period and place in a way that seems effortless and is yet packed with thoughtfulness and research. There are a few typos in the eARC I read--"sooth" for "soothe" occurs at least twice, and there is a "tale" where there should be a "tail" in one spot.

A retelling of “the island of doctor Moreau “ done by one of my favorite authors, Silvia Moreno-Garcia!?? YES PLEASE!

I’m in awe of how Silvia can do it all, her fascinating ways to make her point across and tell a story are absolutely brilliant “Women were butterflies to be pinned against a board”

Silvia’s story starts our very sweet & naive MC Carlota Moreau, who lives in Yaxaktun with her father. doctor Moreau (or mad scientist), Mayordomo Montgomery and 29 of his creations, HYBRIDS, experiments between humans & different kind of animals. Their lives are turned upside down with an unexpected visit

It’s a slow read and the story definitely takes its time in developing but fear not the plot hits with such an impact that it makes it all worth the wait.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this wonderful story.

I was SO excited to receive this ARC from Netgalley since Mexican Gothic was a fave in 2020.

Fans coming in from that book will not be disappointed, this is a similar style of Gothic Historical though very different in particulars. My mistake was thinking this was a prequel with liberties to Island of Doctor Moreau but it says reimagining right there and it truly is -- don't expect it to align perfectly with Island.

Speaking of Island, this was a much more satisfying tale than Wells'. I always liked the *idea* of Island of Dr Moreau better than the actual book and Garcia has scratched that itch at last. Less horror but a much more fleshed out and vivid story.

The first half is a slow burn. I liked it a lot and it really puts your head in the setting. Whew, we go wild around 2/3 in! That's where I went from enjoyable read to feverishly glued! Much like Mexican Gothic, she has this way of slowly drawing you in and then BAM! You cannot rest until all is told.

Loved this one. I thought it was written better than previous works I've read by this author. There was a great sense of place. and I enjoyed the history lessons that were seamlessly threaded throughout the narrative. For a plot such as this, I was very impressed by how believable all the characters were, especially the daughter, Carlota, and Montgomery. I don't enjoy romance as a rule but the subplot here was lovely. Highly recommend!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is becoming one of my favorite authors. Every one of her books that I’ve read so far ends up being amazing. I love the atmosphere she creates as much as the characters. Every time I read something of hers I truly feel that I’ve been transported to a new place and time. I tore through this book in like two days and enjoyed it from start to finish.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

She’s done it again! SMG weaved a beautiful and lush setting with aspects of science-fiction, contemporary social criticism, and historical fiction full of vivid imagery and sympathetic characters. Absolute must-read for anyone who loves reading about a suspenseful and colorful world.

Montgomery, with his heart sickness, soon becomes my favorite character. He is a hopeless romantic who works hard and loves hard. His tragic history and his constant yearning rounds this character out, making you miss him when he is not there.

I did not have the same love for Carlota, which is fine. She is the opposite. Carlota is young and spoiled, even with her sense of decency guiding her choices. I dislike characters that make brash decisions, even if youth is to blame. Her kindness does not make up for her childishness.

My favorite part of the book is the way these two characters took turns speaking to us with first-person narratives. Silvia volleys us back and forth between these two. Showing us how different this breathtaking scenery can look depending the eyes we see it through. One minute you are seeing the jungle as a mature man, the next a teenage girl.

This book lingered in my mind throughout my day. The characters popping up to visit me when unleash except it. The ending hurt. Hopefully, come April, you will find out why.

I think this book is perfect for those who love the gothic and historical fiction genre. I can even see people that like westerns enjoying The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, as well as those who are enchanted with Mexico.

This is a book worth reading. I look forward to hearing what you think about this tale.

Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for allowing me to receive an arc in exchange for an honest review- all thoughts and opinions are my own!


First of all- I went on a major deep dive for three days on the historical aspects of this story- I legitimately had zero clue about 90% of it. I loved the intertwining of historical fiction and science fiction- I don’t think I’ve read much with that same fusion but I’m a fan now.

Loved the characters, loved the plot. Loved the true human raw emotions depicted. I loved how gothic this book still was while not being marketed as such- Silvia has a real gift in the gothic novel realm. I’d give this a 5 and I can definitely see this trending all over once it’s released!

I knew nothing about The Island of Doctor Moreau but did read the synopsis for this particular book before starting it. This was NOT what I expected, but I really liked it. I hadn’t realized that this novel would be more of a romance novel, within a great sci-fi setting.

It did have a slow start; part 1 was a lot of set up. Once I began part 2 though, it was difficult to put the book down. It moved at a good pace. I loved the characters— a very interesting and diverse lot. (I loved the friendship between Montgomery and Cachito most of all. The latter being my favorite character of the bunch.) I did love the science fiction aspect of it and thought the ending was fabulous.

Thank you Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.