★★★ ☐☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
I don't like horror, and the further in I got, the more I felt like I was in a quagmire that could be awful. I didn't read the whole thing, though the descriptions and characters were compelling.

If you need an adventure that borders on the unusual, if you're willing to bite your nails through some chapters, if you want surprises about mutations and interactions - you might like this one.

3.5/5 stars.  To be released July 2022.

Silva Moreno-Garcia returns to her element with The Daughter of Doctor Moreau.  Her blend of historical fiction and supernatural elements always makes for an intriguing read.  An obvious spin on the Island of Doctor Moreau, Montgomery finds himself employed by the mysterious Doctor in 18th century Mexico.  The novel is told from alternating perspectives of Montgomery and the doctor's daughter, Carlota.  Filled with mystery, romantic inclinations, and lyrical world-building, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a page turner of a world that isn't always as it seems.

A great re-telling of the classic Dr Moreau tale. Being already familiar with the story I was a little skeptical about how interesting it would be, but I was wrong. This book kept me reading with well fleshed out characters enough differences to the original story to keep it interesting. The relocated setting in Mexico seemed to fit the tale perfectly. My only critique was that the story was overly populated with European charters, yes colonialism is something present in this era, and is explored well; but from a Mexican author writing a story set in Mexico i would have hoped for more emphasis on the Mexican characters, they felt somewhat secondary a lot of the time.
that being said I would highly recommend this book.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is an interesting, well written, and thoughtful take on the original tale placing the story on the Yucatan Peninsula which the author notes was occasionally referred to as an island in old documents. The story is told alternating between the viewpoints of Carlota, the doctor's daughter and Montgomery. The violence and extreme cruelty of the original story is toned down in this version as it is hidden from Carlota's eyes. She is aware of it, but is not present during most of the violence.
One of the aspects of the book I really enjoyed was being able to put it down between readings and come back to it the next evening and fall immediately back into the story. The story stayed with me. Even now, after finishing the book, I find myself still thinking about the characters and the plot.
(Digital copy read courtesy of NetGalley)

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
An historical gothic and science fiction novel with a unique premise. Very well written and rich in descriptive narrative. Carlota and Montgomery and the hybrids will stay in one's mind a long time. Unexpected ending. Author's ending notes give more insight into the history and culture of the region.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau blew me away. I simultaneously wanted to speed through this novel and savor every word. Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes such three-dimensional characters and fun, dynamic plots. Just when I thought I knew what would happen next, the author pulled the rug out from under me (in a good way).

Set in a verdant wilderness of the Yaxaktun, this story shows a reverence that transports the reader. The pacing of the story gave me time to breathe after taking my breath away. Carlotta was naive, stubborn, and vain. Montgomery was self-loathing, cowardly, and an alcoholic. However, I couldn’t dislike either one. They are strikingly human, and their compassion and love for their found family was so compelling.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau cemented Silvia Moreno-Garcia as one of the authors whose books are automatically on my TBR list. I read this as an ARC, and I cannot wait to own a hard copy in July.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a great fiction that drew me in from the very beginning and kept me enthralled until the very end.

I really enjoyed the author’s previous book, Mexican Gothic, so I was excited to read this one.

I really enjoyed the unique premise, the slow burn of the pacing of the novel, the character cast, and plot.

Being a character-driven novel, the details of the surroundings, the complexity and nature of the characters have to be richly drawn and presented, and they are.

I enjoyed the mystery, suspense, and intrigue associated. I enjoyed the dual points of view, and the descriptions of Mexico during the 1800s, physically and socially.

Highly recommend.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Random House/Ballentine for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 7/19/22.

Silvia can do no wrong. This retelling of the Island of Doctor Moreau was enchanting and spellbinding. Wells wrote the story from a macabre point of view. This reimagining was like taking a walk in the night - Hauntingly beautiful and gloriously mysterious. Silvia knew what we did not - that we needed a retelling of this story that showed emotion we as readers could cling to.

Carlotta is the daughter of the infamous Doctor Moreau. She tends daily life for everyone in their sanctuary in Yucatán - including the hybrids of Doctor Moreau’s creation.

Hidden secrets, deceit, subjugation are all underlying layers woven into this enthralling read. Each layer within the story underlines an allegory of cultural and class awareness that was dominant within the timeline as well as the inequality seen between the social classes. Our main character’s growth is viewed as the main story. a meek and mild - do as she’s told young lady growing up within the span of the novel and doing what’s right and just even as her world falls apart around her.

The pace of the novel was on point. The dual point of view allowed readers different perspectives of the same situation. The cultural references made me nostalgic for a time long ago.

I received an ARC from netgalley.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is an invocative story that tells the tale of Doctor Moreau and his human-like hybrid creations. Intertwined are his daughter, Carlota and the majordomo, Montgomery. In a secluded island named Yaxaktun, the lives of the Doctor, Carlota, Montgomery, and the hybrids are altered when Eduardo Lizalde pays an unexpected visit and becomes enamored with Carlota.

This is definitely a character driven story. The readers are given an intimate understanding of Carlota and Montgomery during their switching perspectives. It’s a testament to Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s fantastic storytelling that I felt so impacted by our main character’s woes. The slow pacing of this story ensures that the readers appreciate the thoughtful details that go into the characters' development. There are several points I’d love to reference specifically, but will refrain due to potential spoiler alerts!

The plot itself was really easy to follow and held my interest throughout the novel. The plot twists that were revealed added a tense feeling to an already mysterious atmosphere when reading this book. I also want to applaud the authors efforts in adequately describing the socioeconomic climate of Mexico in the 1870's. I can tell a lot of research and thought when into that and it really contributed positively to my reading experience.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book. I can’t wait to buy my copy when this officially releases!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this ARC!

There’s a lot to like about this new work from Moreno-Garcia including sequences offering romance, drama, and action in turn. I enjoyed the alternating perspective, especially seeing the same events through both sets of eyes. The ending is not especially pat and I appreciate that choice.

'The Daughter of Doctor Moreau' isn't expected to be published until July 2022, and I'm already anticipating having my hands on a physical copy at that time.

I am delighted to have received an ARC from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine.

Goodreads world and my colleagues... you'll be able to see this review closer to the release date!

Everything that Silvia Moreno-Garcia has written has been brilliant, and this book was no exception. From page one onwards I was immersed in a vibrant world.

Other than being able to visualize this world and characters, one of the main things that fascinated me was the glimpse into humanity: the desires and vices that drive people, and the hypocrisy they exhibit. People ARE flawed... some choose not to see it... and some try to weed out the flaws.

I cannot express how much I am anticipating buying this book, and being able to share this with my students as well!

This book is exceptionally stunning. The environment and creatures of Yaxaktun are presented in vivid details which create lush and exquisite images in the mind of the reader.

The whimsical and sometimes disturbing premise of this story set it aside as clearly fiction- yet the deeply developed and complex characters carry such an element of true humanity that it is easy as the reader to forget that they aren't real. Carlotta's evolution was particularly satisfying, as we watch her transform from a meek and subservient child into a woman who has claimed her power and knows how to wield it.

Rarely have I found myself so completely engrossed in a book. Any time I had to step away from reading, I found myself thinking about the story and wondering what would happen next. I will definitely be revisiting this one.

*I was gifted an Advance Reader's Copy of this book and this review is being left voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

This book represents everything I adore about genrebending fiction. I only have a passing familiarity with The Island of Doctor Moreau so I can't speak too much on how much of this boom was wholly original, but I really enjoyed the historical backdrop and thought the hybrids were cleverly presented. Carlota is a fearsome heroine with a healthy dose of vulnerability; the stormy romantic entanglements throughout the book are reminiscent of classic romances, with plenty of yearning. Montgomery, the other POV character, is deeply tragic in a surprisingly appealing way. The pace is medium, with somewhat of a slower start for setup, and while the big twist is a little predictable, the payoff is still satisfying.
While I enjoyed the novel immensely and read it very quickly, I didn't quite gel with the author's particular style of prose. It felt strangely clinical at key points, particularly during the action sequences, which pulled me out of the story.

Carlota Moreau lives in Yaxaktun with her father and hybrids, which are scientific combinations of humans and various animals. Montgomery Laughton joins them as a caregiver and Dr. Moreau's helper. Visitors arrive at Yaxaktun one day and threaten to upset the life of the locals. Carlota, Montgomery, and the hybrids will be forced to make difficult decisions that could lead to death.

The story starts out slow, but things start to get a little more intriguing about halfway through. The suspense begins to develop as the drama progresses. The twist was obvious from the start.  The romance passages were well written but I was disappointed that they did not amount to anything in the end. Part Three, in particular, was the strongest aspect of the story.  The story's best feature was witnessing Carlota change along with the vibrant descriptions of Mexico.

Overall, I felt the plot was a little lacking but Moreno-Garcia made up for it with lush prose, historical themes, and a great premise.

From the very beginning I could tell there was something more than what was being shown. It had a mysterious air, and characters that were very suspicious as well.

I loved the setting, atmosphere and the lush descriptions all throughout, but the in the first half of the novel there were repetitions in the narrative of the two perspectives and this felt quite pointless to me. It did thankfully diminish as I went on. I appreciated the foreshadowing here, too. Blink and you’ll miss it.

The big twist in the book was something I predicted but the reason for the twist was - for me - insane. Though I think it wasn’t something completely new. I found it harder to put the book down as the tension rose. This was a novel that moved quickly, I made it far into the book faster than I expected. It wrapped up quite well but I don’t know, I was expecting something more, or different. I guess my rating was brought down by its predictability more than anything. My rating is between a 3 and 4, I need to sit on this more. Nevertheless, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau has Silvia Moreno-Garcia's signature prose and world building.

I am not even sure how to write a review that will do justice to this outstanding book.

I have been a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia since Mexican Gothic, and this book has only deepened my love for her writing style.

She emotes so much in writing. Is that possible? I recently read a book where the dual narrators each sounded like they had a stiff upper lip. The technical in writing was there, but the heart? Not so much.

This is not a problem with Moreno-Garcia’s writing— she writes with the brain, the heart, and the soul. She makes the narrating protagonists come to life. She makes them feel real, even when surrounded by the fantastical.

Even if that means creating characters one may not always like.

For I did not always like Carlota and Montgomery.

Carlota was at times vain, ignorant, and naive. She frustrated me greatly, but I loved her no less for it. Because she was also kind, caring, loving, and oh so brave.
Montgomery was at times stubborn, spiteful, cowardly, and cold. He too frustrated me, and yes, I loved him still. Because he was also wise, good, and held onto far more emotions than he was willing to admit.

And so, I appreciate all their traits, it makes them come alive off the page. They are flawed individuals who will make mistakes, and it’s up to them how to respond to those mistakes. How to learn from them, or at least to confront them.

I wanted Carlota to learn to love sincerely (flaws and all) without infatuation; and for Montgomery to learn to let go of his self-loathing to accept love, in whatever form it may ultimately be.

Their voices come to life with vulnerability and hardness, flaw and virtue, with love and pain.

In terms of plot, it was intricately written, it is obvious great care was poured in the narrative. The twist is mind-shattering shocking yet makes perfect sense all at the same time.

Perhaps the only very slight hiccup for me personally was the beginning of the novel— its pace felt uneven compared to the rest of the book, a slow walk that took just a bit too long to gain its steady exhilarating pace we see for the majority of the book. It also took me a while to full come into understanding of the hybrid plot. But again, that’s just a small hiccup at the beginning, the plot found its right pace and every facet of it became well developed. I was 100% immersed.

I cannot stress enough how excellent this story was— and how much I hope everyone reads it once it’s released. I plan to purchase a physical copy when it does.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia knew what she was doing with “Mexican Gothic”, and “the Daughter of Doctor Moreau” is equally as dark, suspenseful, and full of culture!

I have never read anything else by this author, but I will now for sure! A retelling of The Island of Dr. Moreau, but with a very distinctive time and place, this retelling nevertheless retains its sense of being a Victorian novel, a quality I loved! I will be recommending this book to anyone with an interest in historical, fantasy, and just good fiction!

"The Island of Doctor Moreau" has an interesting concept, but like most Victorian sci-fi novels it lacks the execution that will appeal to modern readers. This makes it perfect ground for a retelling and I was so excited to see Silvia Moreno-Garcia tackle it. Things that make “The Daughter of Doctor Moreau” appealing to readers is that it is character focused, it has a distinct historical and geographical setting, and it moves quickly. Even though Moreno-Garcia is known for her horror novel "Mexican Gothic"--and I remember "The Island of Doctor Moreau" being pretty disturbing--this novel did not emphasize the grotesque and I think it would be a good entry into Moreno-Garcia’s novels.

THIS COVER!!! Stunning. And you know the saying don't judge a book by its cover? Well in this case you can because the inside is just as lovely. It is provocative, intriguing, twisted, and impactful. Carlota is a character I will always remember and watching her growth was inspiring. Silvia Moreno-Garcia can do no wrong. I absolutely recommend this book! I will be recommending it on my Instagram @botoxandbooks and will post the review a week before the release date.