Better late than never and thank you to NetGalley for the readers copy.
I truly am in awe of Siliva Moreno-Garcia. The sheer volume and variety of all of her work in the past few years is extraordinary, I don't know how she does it.
When I heard her next work was a science fiction-historical fiction retelling of a classic, HG Wells' The Island of Dr Moreau, my interest was piqued.
This was an extremely well-written, deeply atmospheric story filled with a rich history of 19th century Mexico.
The pacing was initially set to a slow burn but once the doctor’s experiments were revealed did I find that things got truly interesting.
This was a solid read and I’m excited to see what Moreno-Garcia does next.
3.5★

Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Daughter of Doctor Moreau takes us into the heart of 19th-century Mexico, blending historical fiction with sci-fi and gothic romance in a reimagining of H.G. Wells’ classic tale. Set against the sweltering backdrop of the Yucatán Peninsula during the Caste War, the story unfolds through the eyes of Carlota, a young woman living under the shadow of her father’s unsettling experiments. With dual perspectives from Carlota and Montgomery, a melancholic Englishman with a troubled past, the novel delves into themes of freedom, ambition, and the ethical boundaries of scientific exploration. While the pacing is slow and deliberate, the novel’s atmospheric setting and richly drawn characters make for a compelling read.

As the main character and point of view, Carlota is an intriguing mix of naivety and curiosity. Initially sheltered and unaware of her father’s true nature, her journey from innocence to a determined young woman questioning everything around her is compelling. Her growth into a strong, independent character is a highlight of the story.

Montgomery is a complex character who carries the weight of his past traumas and secrets, making him a sympathetic yet flawed figure. His presence adds depth to the narrative, as he navigates his own struggles with societal inequalities and personal demons.

Dr Moreau is a deeply flawed and often unlikeable character, driven by obsessive scientific ambitions. While his actions are questionable, Carlota’s relationship with him adds a layer of empathy, illustrating the complicated bonds between parent and child.

The plot of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a slow burn, focusing more on character development and setting than on fast-paced action. Much like Moreno-Garcia’s other works, the story takes its time, gradually revealing secrets and building tension. The slow pacing mirrors the methodical unraveling of the mystery surrounding Carlota’s life and Dr. Moreau’s experiments, ultimately paying off in a gripping final act that ties together the story’s complex threads.

Moreno-Garcia’s writing is richly descriptive and atmospheric, transporting readers to the lush and sweltering Yucatán of the 1870s. The slow-burn mystery weaves together sci-fi and historical themes, creating a narrative that is as much about setting and mood as it is about the characters. While the pacing is extremely slow and can make the first portion of the book feel like a slog, it effectively builds tension and atmosphere, leading to a satisfying conclusion.

The novel explores themes of freedom, ambition, and the ethical boundaries of scientific exploration. It touches on the treatment of women, societal exploitation, and class struggles set against the backdrop of colonialism and the Caste War of Yucatán. Through Carlota’s journey, the story also delves into personal growth and the courage to defy oppressive structures, making it a thought-provoking read.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau blends historical fiction, sci-fi, and gothic romance. While it may not fully meet the expectations of hardcore sci-fi fans, its focus on character drama and atmospheric storytelling makes it a unique addition to the genre.

Positives of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau
Compelling Characters: Carlota and Montgomery are well-developed, with complex backstories and growth arcs that drive the narrative.
Atmospheric Setting: The vivid descriptions of 19th-century Mexico create an immersive and richly detailed backdrop.
Exploration of Themes: The novel tackles heavy themes such as societal exploitation, ethical boundaries in science, and personal freedom, adding depth to the story.
Unique Retelling: The novel offers a fresh, feminist perspective on a classic tale, blending sci-fi with historical and gothic elements.
Negatives of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau
Slow Pacing: The deliberate pace can make the first two-thirds of the book feel slow and meandering, potentially frustrating readers.
Limited Exploration of Hybrids: The hybrids, central to the plot, are not given as much narrative focus as expected, leaving their individual experiences underexplored.
Repetitive Scenes: Dual POVs sometimes result in repetitive scenes that slow down the narrative progression.
Missed Opportunities in Sci-Fi Elements: A deeper exploration of the science behind the hybrids and the ethical implications could have added more depth to the story.
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a richly atmospheric, character-driven novel that reinterprets a classic story through a fresh lens. While the pacing is slow and some aspects of the hybrids’ roles feel underexplored, the detailed world-building and complex character arcs make it a rewarding read. Silvia Moreno-Garcia successfully blends historical fiction, sci-fi, and gothic romance, creating a layered narrative that is both thought-provoking and immersive.

Despite a few pacing issues, the novel’s strengths lie in its atmospheric writing and exploration of societal themes, making it a compelling addition to the genre. I’d rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars for its creativity and emotional depth. If you’re looking for a book that’s more about the journey than the destination, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Another incredible novel from Moreno-Garcia; and again a fresh take on a known genre. Instant recommend.

Enjoyable read - disturbing and fantastical, am impressed by the broad themes and imagination of the author. Historical gothic novels with a twist of magical realism is always fun but I feel could have been elevated by more horror and less melodrama for me personally.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an author that, on paper, I should love, but somehow, none of her work ever really resonated with me.

The setting of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau was so intriguing, and initially, I was absolutely hooked. But alas, Moreno-Garcia lost me where she so often does - with the weird age gap between the protagonist and her love interest. I mean, man, why do we have to make her fall in love with a man who's been around her since she was a little girl and then actually have her end up with him? I'm sorry, it's just something I personally always struggle to get over, and it really left a sour taste in my mouth.

That aside, I found the story to be very compelling. The setting was so lush and vibrant, the writing felt truly transportive, it truly felt as though one might step through the pages and onto this odd little island. I had a lot of fun with the twist at the end, and the conclusion did feel satisfying.

Absolutely adored this. Remembered I never left a review here. It's been a while since I read it so my review isn't going to help very much! I haven't been on my Netgalley in years.

The author's eloquent prose vividly animates both the setting and characters, yet I sensed that the narrative and character dynamics were still in their infancy when the story concluded. While the setting exudes solidity, the characters appear less fleshed out in comparison. Despite this observation, I found overall enjoyment in the reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I've voluntarily read and reviewed this copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am an admirer of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work. I've read most of her books and her writing is always compelling, mesmerizing and intriguing. Her stories are unique and magical. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is also a unique story. In the beginning I felt a bit lost as to where the story was going. But a few chapters in, I found the rythm and was compelled to learn more. The characters were interesting but I didn't fall in love with them completely. Which is probably why I give this story 3 stars, I love it when books make we root for characters, make me identify with characters or completely make me fall in love with characters. That is a big part of why I love stories.

Storytelling wise it's a beautiful woven story with unique twists and turns. I've enjoyed reading this. If you love Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work, then you'll be happy with this one.

I do not thin it was my time to read this book: I put it away for now and I will be coming back to this once in the mood for that genre.

The author writes beautifully and really brings the setting and the characters to life, but I felt that the story and the relationships between the characters were only just starting to develop before the story ended. I enjoyed the book, I just wanted a bit more from it.

I was excited for this book, so much so, I will be buying this book when it is released. I loved the history with the sci-fi. I especially enjoyed the ending of this book and did not want it to end. I LOVED the way the characters navigated any obstacles in her way. 5⭐️ Read for me

I'm a big fan of Sylvia Moreno-Garcia's books and adore her incredible versatility. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau combines historical fiction with scifi, reimagining H. G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau, but told from the perspective of his daughter Carlotta and grounds overseer Montgomery. This was a really good read, but not my favourite. Although I have read a number of Wells' books, I haven't read Doctor Moreau so I didn't have a strong connection to the source material. However, I really enjoyed the lush setting and the life depicted on Moreau's property.

I ended up listening to the audiobook for this title and would definitely recommend it! The narrator does a great job bringing the story to life.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia can do no wrong! I couldnt put it down but really got into it at the end! Our main character was fierce and challenged whatever obstacles were thrown her way. Overall, I enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it.

I am a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, so I was excited for this book. The book has a dual narrative of Carlotta, the daughter of the slightly erratic scientist Dr Moreau, and Montgomery, the Englishman who is living and working alongside them as the doctors assistant.

The writing is beautiful, and the story fascinating, it had me hooked from the start and I couldn’t put it down.

I would highly recommend this book, and Moreno-Garcia is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia can do no wrong, she is an auto-buy author for me and it is no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I usually do not like science fiction books but this was an exception. The writing was beautiful and the ending was very fast-paced and dramatic that I couldn't put it down. I highly, highly recommend!

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau. We join Carlota Moreau, daughter of the legendary Doctor Moreau; Montgomery - the Doctor's Assistand and the hybrids (animal and human mixes created by the Doctor).

All are living well in harmony until outsiders turn up which starts a series of not-so-good events.
A lot of truths to be revealed.

For me, I feel there was too much action and not as much about the hybrids themselves as I had hoped for. I would have rather the book be another 100-200 pages longer and spend more time with the hybrids but it was a good read.

Silvia moreno-garcia is one of my faves. You don't know what to expect going in to a new novel, because their books are always something else. So was this one. I just love the way the story is told and everything comes alive in this book because of the vivid writing. Loved it!

Thanks to #NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC in return for a fair review.

A brand new, refreshing, creative retelling of H. G. Wells’ “The Island of Doctor Moreau” with feminist vibes, taking place in Yucatan peninsula during the war between Mayan people fighting for their freedom and Mexican tyrants.

Silvia Moreno Garcia’s creative story telling, unconventional characters, riveting style and intense horrific elements kept my attention throughout.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau was an interesting book. There were some element of the story that I really adored and some that I didn’t enjoy at all. If I’m being honest I expected to love this book, based on the synopsis and the fact that I enjoyed the authors previous work. I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. Anyway, with all that said let’s get into the actual review.

I enjoyed the writing style a lot, as I expected I would. Moreno-Garcia has the ability to create such a vivd atmosphere. I could picture the setting of the story perfectly and I will remember it for a long time. I adore atmospheric books, so this was right up my alley. I don’t know how to explain it better but I love the way this author creates stories. All of Moreno-Garcia’s books have such interesting summaries that make me want to read them all. The writing style was a definite favourite of mine and I plan on picking up more books by this author in the future.

I expected there to be a lot more horror elements than there ended up being. I feel like this book was marketed as a horror, but it was more of a mix between historical fiction and science fiction (with horror elements as well). Which isn’t a bad combination, but I just expected something different. That’s on me I guess, I just think this would have been an even more interesting book (for me) if the horror elements were the main focus of the story. I did find the story to be boring at times, it just didn’t manage to hold my attention. Though I’m still attributing that to having different expectations of the story.

Now onto the characters. I didn’t really connect with any of them. They were mostly fine but I didn’t feel anything for them. Carlota was interesting in the sense that she was a very sheltered character, and I felt that that portrayal was well done. It’s not a perspective that I read from often. I don’t have any strong feelings about her, I liked her fine but she didn’t stand out much for me. Which can be said about all the characters in this story. Montgomery was also fine, I honestly don’t have much to say about him. He was either grumpy or drunk during the book, so there is that. Doctor Moreau was fine as well, but he fell flat towards the end. I expected something more and that it would turn more complex than it actually did. (I can’t go into details about that since saying what it was would be a spoiler.) I wanted more from him, or rather I wanted more from all the characters.

I didn’t enjoy the romance. Montgomery met Carlota when she was a child, so their whole relationship felt weird to me. She was an adult when their relationship started, but it still felt weird. There were also some other things that bothered me with their romance (small things, nothing major), but I can’t go into detail about that since I would need to spoil some things. Basically I didn’t like the romance and I thought it was unnecessary. I would have enjoyed seeing them have a platonic dynamic more.

As I said at the start of this review, I enjoyed some aspects of the story while others bothered me. In this book the setting is very memorable but the characters are not. I would still recommend this book if you enjoy atmospheric books, just don’t go into it with the expectation of it being a horror book.

I hadn't read anything by this author before, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! it was strange, whimsical and a little creepy. I have read the the island of doctor moreau, and loved this unique and original take on the story.

The writing was easy to follow and transported me elsewhere. Our main character was fierce and challenged whatever obstacles were thrown her way. Overall, I enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it. I'll be checking out Mexican Gothic next!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an e-arc!