I need to start by saying that it is very difficult to compare The Island of Dr Moreau with this latest novel. I love both of these authors but HG Wells’ original sci-fi epic was just that, it was a breakthrough novel of its time and his ability to create such a fantastical world with the most morbid and disturbing creatures was a masterpiece.

One of the first things I did notice is that thw Daughter of Dr Moreau has gone a slightly different route wirh regards as it feels less sci fi and more contemporary fiction style with some sci-fi/fantasy elements. The writing is still good but with the majority of the focus on the humans it loses some of its sci fi roots.

The first half of this book is pretty slow as the scene is set and you are introduced to all the characters such as Montgomery and of course the Dr himself. This is the section especially which feels much more contemporary than sci fi as we only get brief mentions of the Dr’s inventions.

As the story progresses we start to feel some tension building and some darker undertones creep out as new characters enter the picture and start to interfere with the island and Dr Moreau’s work.

One aspect I did especially enjoy was Carlotta’s character development as the story progressed. Seeing her develop from a child into a young woman and begin to become her own person with her own traits was fascinating.

However, one of the main plot twists was somewhat predictable but nonetheless a good one.

In my opinion this would be a better read for someone who has never read the original novel. Although I enjoyed it I struggled to not compare the two and I feel like I would have enjoyed it more as a standalone than as a continuation from the classic.

But, I especially enjoyed the second half when it picked up the pace and things started to progress. However, I feel the first half could have been edited down. However one thing I will say is that she doesn’t disrespect or destroy the Dr Moreau story. She kept with a similar arc for Dr Moreau and the following events in the book made sense as a continuation from the original books.

If you are looking for a slow burn, sci fi/contemporary fiction novel and you liked Sylvia Moreno-Garcia’s other works I would definitely recommend it. But if you have read The Island of Dr Moreau and you want to read this I would say don’t compare the two and treat this one as more of fan fiction esque/ homage title than a sequel. Then you will be able to enjoy it more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 – a wonderful world and interesting character arc but with a slow burn

This is a very enjoyable and compelling reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau in Mexico in the 1870s. The two main characters are Carlota Moreau, The only daughter of the genius doctor, and Montgomery Laughton, overseer of the gated estate of Yaxaktun.
This is my second novel by Silvia Moreno Garcia and I really enjoy her writing. This one in particular is very atmospheric, with the setting feeling extremely vivid. Even though this has sci fi aspects I found it to read more like historical fiction. While it has a bit of a slow start I thought the character's development was done well and Montgomery was probably my preferred character, but Carlota also has a great development arc as she grows up and realises the truth of the situation. I really liked the side characters of the hybrids and their own personalities and the ethical questions this story explores.
Overall I would rate this as a 4/4.25 and look forward to reading more of Silvia's work.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for the e-arc.

5/10 stars

My full review on my blog (link attached).

I’ll be brief, and frank. Yes, ouch.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is not a long book, and yet reading through it felt like eternity. I have been reading the first half of the book for over a week; every time I picked it up I felt that I was forcing myself to do it. Nothing was happening, and the reveals were totally unsurprising for a book that is to a large extent a retelling of The Island of Doctor Moreau. The second half picked up the pace, and offered some entertainment, but never on par with my previous encounters with Moreno-Garcia’s books. In short, this is not a bad book, and yet it’s far from good, too. It’s mediocre, and I’m actually sad to say it, because all Moreno-Garcia’s novels that I have read before were pretty enjoyable – and quite remarkable, too.

[...]

But The Daughter of Doctor Moreau brings to mind not those mentioned above, but another of Moreno-Garcia’s novels – one that is heavy on romance, stilted convenance, and full of lengthy descriptions of various visual cues: The Beautiful Ones. Just as is the case with The Beautiful Ones, the central theme of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a feeling developing between an older, world-weary gent with a good heart but bad love experiences and a young, naive ingénue, beautiful and full of energy and unrealised potential. There’s a similar host of supporting characters, from dashing young aristocrats to blond and cold femme fatales, and a similar tale of female development and empowerment playing out in a lush historical setting – a fantastical France in the first case and an equally fantastical Yucatan in the second. There are differences, of course, albeit slighter ones that I would like. All in all, I felt as if I was reading just another iteration of the previous novel. The decorations change, the supporting cast might be a tad more inclusive, but the emotional and plot-related arc follow basically the same patterns.

Moreno-Garcia is a skillful writer; she knows how to depict internal emotional states, how to create evocative images, and how to build atmosphere. But The Daughter of Doctor Moreau also includes several important action scenes, and these, along with the dragging beginning, should have been the focus of a good – and ruthless – editor. As they are now, they are jumbled, chaotic, and bereft of tension. They serve the purpose of propelling the plot resolutions forward, but their cost is high: general bafflement and lack of engagement. I just didn’t care, I simply wanted the book to end.

Not much of an endorsement, really, and yet it’s not a bad book. If you’re in need of a nineteenth-century romance with a feminist twist, set in an exotic jungle full of fantastical creatures, you might enjoy The Daughter of Doctor Moreau much more than I did. The main themes are all depicted neatly if conventionally, the plot arcs are brought to predictable resolutions, and the entire book brings to mind the didactic romantic novels a la Gautier. Moreno-Garcia tried to bring the local flavor by locating the plot in the timeline of Maya uprisings, and it was interesting to read about this generally little-known facet of Mexican history – however, I couldn’t help but notice that in the end the Mayas were relegated to a vaguely formed background, far beyond not only the main characters but also the fantastical hybrids that formed a large part of the supporting cast. I appreciate the effort of “localization” – of researching the Mexican history and geography, and referencing the information in a fictional novel in a way that feels organic and smooth. It’s nice to read about something else than New York or Paris for a change ;).

[...]

I have received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one author that never lets me down and in this retelling of the H G Wells classic The Island of Dr Moreau she proves once again she is a gifted storyteller and has produced a worthy companion to a literature classic.
The action is moved in this reimagining to the Yucatán peninsula amidst a time of post colonial upheaval which acts as a backdrop to the madman vs genius events in the book. Everything you’d expect from a Moreno-Garcia novel is here, the lush world building that captures the sweltering heat and sultry dampness of the Yucatán jungle is masterful, the strong multi layered characterisation and an absolutely unputdownable story. Into this mix if you throw in a dose of romance, a touch of mystery and some sprinklings of science fiction, you have a recipe for a successful summer blockbuster. What I absolute love about the writing of Silvia Moreno-Garcia is that it balances the tightrope of being classic yet with very modern sensibilities. A perfect later summer read.
A masterful reimagining of a classic four out of five stars

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is very comfortable writing across an impressive range of genres and styles. The one common theme throughout all her books is that they either feature Mexican protagonists, or they are set in or around Mexico – and this one is no exception. While the original story by H.G. Wells is set on an island, this version is set on the Yucatán Peninsula on an isolated estate well off the beaten track. Moreno-Garcia is masterful at scene-setting and the world-building in this story is no exception. Through both protagonists, we get a vivid sense of the intense, humid heat, vegetation and creatures inhabiting the estate – particularly when in Carlota’s viewpoint as she loves the place with a deep-seated abiding sense of belonging. And as the story progresses, we begin understand just why she is so very comfortable living in the heart of the wilderness.

Those who have come to Moreno-Garcia’s writing after having read Mexican Gothic or Certain Dark Things might have found this a slightly frustrating read. While readers who have also read Velvet Was the Night or Prime Meridian will be aware that the author is equally capable of delivering a slow-burn story full of pent tension and an increasing sense of wrongness as she is of providing full-on action. That said, there is action – an explosion of violence that I found all the more shocking due to the slow build-up. I enjoyed the manner in which the climax also provides answers regarding Dr Moreau, which expose him for the real monster in this story.

The characterisation of both main protagonists is pitch perfect. Each of them is flawed and trapped. I was rooting for both of them to find a way out of the murky wrongness caused by Moreau’s poisonous influence – and was also relieved that Moreno-Garcia didn’t go down the predictable route that I feared she would. Their relationship is beautifully nuanced, complicated and utterly believable. As ever, the pages turned themselves in this lush, memorable read and is highly recommended for those who like their historical science fiction adventures finely written in a vivid setting shot through with tension. While I obtained an arc of The Daughter of Dr Moreau from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

Not far into this book, I realised I’d made a mistake - I should have read Silvia Moreno-Garcia ages ago. Thankfully, dozens of her works await me.

But first, to this one. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is set in Mexico, on the Yucatan peninsula, and tells the story of Carlota Moreau, who lives with her ‘siblings’ in a gated estate, and of Montgomery Laughton, a debt-ridden, drink-reliant outcast who is appointed overseer of the estate. Pulling the financial strings in the background is the loathsome Mr Lizaldes.

For the first half of the novel, Carlota is mostly oblivious to the conflict raging around her and the reasons for it - the Mayan people enslaved in debt, abused for their labour and punished whether or not they give it. But when Mr Lizalde’s nephew Eduardo shows up, he sets off a series of events that force Carlota to face not just the brutal power dynamics of the wider world but those closer to home. (I’m being deliberately obtuse because Silvia Moreno-Garcia's slow reveal of information is perfect, and I don’t want to ruin it for you.)

Eduardo’s arrival is also the trigger for Carlotta to examine the pedestal she’s put her father on, and as shocking secrets come to light, to tear him off it. I really enjoyed this aspect of the novel, how Carlotta’s coming of age changes her agency in this and her other relationships.

As he was in H.G. Wells’ book (the novel is inspired by rather than based on it, so don’t worry if you haven’t read it), Dr Moreau is an egotistical God-playing narcissist. Moreno-Garcia uses to him to explore the mindset of colonial invaders and the ramifications of this mindset on indigenous populations. There’s lots of reasons I’ll be reading more of Silvia Moreno-Garcia – her writing, her fully-fleshed out characters and story – but the way she handles theme and history and culture in the Daughter of Doctor Moreau, has me especially keen to get to her other books.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book, which I loved and should have reviewed earlier!

Bit of a slow start but I understand it was necessary to set the scene. I loved the different POVs it really enhanced and added to the story. Would recommend if you loved Mexican gothic.

This is an enjoyable retelling of The Island of Doctor Moreau relocated to the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico in the 1870s. The story is told from the points of view of two characters, Carlota, the doctor's daughter and Montgomery, the caretaker of the estate, Yaxaktun. The property is rented from Hernando Lizalde, a local landowner who also funds the doctors research into the animal/human hybrids he creates. The historical events of the time are used as background (there are Mayan rebels that have a small role) but are never the focus of the story, which for me was unfortunate. I found the author’s afterword describing the history in more detail very interesting, perhaps she could write an historical novel next time!

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau ofters a fantastical and gothic twist to the classic novel.

I have mixed opinions on this book. By the end I was really enjoying the story - but that only really started in the final third of the novel. I found the first two sections a bit of a slog to get through and I'm not sure if the pay off was quite worth it. There were some loose ends that weren't really tied off that I really wanted to know more about, and it wasn't really paid off at the end of the story.

The book is set against the backdrop of a real historical conflict, and while it did eventually tie this to the rest of the story, this wasn't until the last third of the book, and this wasn't really explored as significantly as it was set up to be.

The most interesting part of this book for me were the hybrods and I really wish we got more of them. While I understand that this book isn't really about them, there are parts that I would have lessened (the romance-not-romance for instance) in fovour of having more of them, as they were truly a treat.

Again, I have mixed feelings on the two main protagonists, Carlotta and Montgomery. Carlotta really ikred me in the first two thirds of the book, with her very naive attitude, but by the last third she had grown on me slightly more and I did enjoy her progression and transformation. Montgomery was an interesting one as I liked his backstory and the way his chapters explored his POV, but his weird relationship with Carlotta put me off a bit. I'm happy with the way the author handled their relationship by the end of the novel, but I do think that the inclusion of it wasn't really necessary.

Overall, this book has an interesting take on the themes of morality and transformation, and was an interesting read that was definitely out of my usual comfort zone.

A mysterious somewhat ethereal re-imagining of the classic sci fi tale was a captivating read throughout. Although not a firm favourite of mine, I already have a number of my students in mind who I think will devour this.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley and Quercus Books for a copy of this title to review.

To preface I never read The Island of Doctor Moreau but I was aware of the story. I knew the basics of it but that was kind of it. I don't think is necessary to have read the original inspiration before reading this book. However, there is definitely an undeniable urge to read it now I've finished The Daughter of Doctor Moreau.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It felt a little different from Silvia Moreno-Garcia's other books but in a good way. This one felt more character driven as there wasn't much of a journey (like Gods of Jades and Shadow) or mystery (like Mexican Gothic). But I did love all the characters - especially Carlota and Montgomery. Their relationship was wholesome and the slow burn romance that never quite reached its full potential is something I am still pining for.

This book is technically science fiction however, it feels more historical fiction from the outside. There is the crossover element with the Island of Doctor Moreau that classes this book as science fiction but if you are not familiar with the genre don't be scared off by it.

I'm a big fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia so was super excited and grateful to be able to read an early copy! This book pulled me in from the very first page, Carlota Moreau is a mesmerising character who I felt drawn to straight away and I loved all of the secrets in this book. Silvia's writing is beautiful and keeps you hooked right til the very last page, can't wait to read more!

This is not the sort of thing I usually read but I thought I would give it a go as the cover is beautiful and I am so happy I did. A wonderful story that I just could not put down. Thank you for such an enjoyable experience.

This was my first Moreno-Garcia’s book. I have seen a lot of her books around, and I was tempted to read some of them, even if as a whole her books are not exactly my cup of tea, they sound like something that I can enjoy all the same. So I was pretty excited to read this one, because not only it would have been my first try at her works, but I was also quite curious to see how this retelling was. I haven’t read the original book, but I know the story, and I have read at least one retelling of it so… yeah, I was curious. And I am also quite happy to have read this book as a whole!

The best feature of the book was, to me, the setting. It is lush and vivid, and you really feel there, alongside our characters in the jungle and in the old mansion. The author did an amazing job with her description, and we get to really see the world of Carlota and Montgomery, to be there with them, surrounded by nature that is almost uncontaminated.
And the story is deeply routed in the place and in the time it takes place. It is not only about nature and the places, but the author did an interesting job of interweaving the lives of the characters with the historical events that took place in that period in Yucatan and Mexico. We are at the end of 1800, I think it is around 1880 but I can’t remember correctly at the moment (but the timeframe is that, given or taken), and we get to learn something about the tensions and the problems that the inhabitants of this area were experimenting. And I have to admit my complete ignorance. I didn’t know a thing about the events portrayed in the book, and it is nice to learn something new while you are enjoying yourself with a pleasant novel.
Sure, it is not really in-depth as it could have been, and I think that it could have been a bit more developed in this part but, all things considered, this is a well-balanced novel, and we get to learn something new while visiting an amazing place.

Then we have the characters, and they usually are the most important thing in a book, because I am a highly characters-driven kind of reader, and here… things start to get not so amazing anymore. Mind me, I enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it if you want to read something with a captivating setting, or if you are in search of an interesting retelling because both of these things are true, but I didn’t really care so much for the characters.
Carlota is an interesting MC, she is a young woman and we really see her grow and mature, her development arc was really well done, and I appreciated it a lot. We get to see her as a pampered little girl (pampered but not entitled or mean in any way, she is really good at heart, and she is well-mannered and educated. She is kind and smart, too, and she is quite loyal to her friends) who slowly become a brave and determined young woman. She grows in her potential, and it is done so slowly and well balanced, that it is almost like seeing a flower blossom: you see the plant growing slowly, day by day, and then one day you go and check, and here the flower is. And here it is almost the same. Even if I didn’t really feel for Carlota, even if I would have hoped to be more captivated by her, to be moved by her, I admit that she is an interesting character, and that the author does an amazing job with her.
Then we have Montgomery, and I think he was my favorite character, but not by much. He is the second voice in the story, we get a chapter by Carlota’s POV, and one by his POV, and I liked his chapter a tad more, but I wasn’t totally in with him, either. All things said, he was an interesting character, and his POV is a nice counterpoint to Carlota’s voice. And aside from the magical and luscious setting, I think that his relationship with Carlota is my favorite thing in the book.
Their friendship is a slow thing, that developed over years, and that has some depths in it. And it took also some unexpected directions and twists, so I have to say that this was masterfully developed.
These two are the MC, but we get to know some of the hybrids that the doctor creates, and two of them are Carlota’s best friends, and I really loved to see their interaction. Sure, maybe I would have loved to see a bit more of the hybrids around, and I am talking about the others, the ones that are not living inside the mansion with the Doctor and his family. But they are here all the same, they are part of the story, and they all are enjoyable characters. The one I liked less was Lupe, but this was more due to her being a strong-headed teen than some real faults.
And we can’t forget the Doctor. He is something for sure. He is maybe the most complex, in some ways, and the most cliches of them all. But I am not saying it in a bad way, it is as good as the others, but he is, in some ways, also the most predictable in his decisions and in what moves him. And yet he adds something to the story all the same.

And the story is interesting. It is even-paced and we get some different things going on: we have a coming of age story, but we have also some ethical points in there, and also some history is thrown in there. And we get the people because this is a story that is first and foremost about people.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a well-crafted novel that takes a classic story and explores it in an unconventional setting. Even if you haven't read Wells' work, Silvia Moreno-Garcia manages to capture your attention with the dual narrators, Carlota, who's learning to become more than just the doctor's daughter, and Montgomery, an troubled man who battles his demons among the hybrids. With its complex character relationships and engaging writing, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a stellar read.

Still deciding whether to give it 4.5 or 5 stars, I loved it but I was not a fan of the romance and one aspect was icky (age gap), although i’m glad in the direction it ultimately went in. Everything else was absolutely amazing, especially the setting and history the story was rooted in - I really appreciated the note at the end with some extra information about the time. It was slow yet exciting and emotional.

I will begin my review by saying I am a huge Silvia Moreno-Garcia fan. I have read 6 of her books, all of different genres and themes, and I have liked all of them. Each one is special but all share an addictive immersive story-telling characteristic. Her latest book is no exception.

The daughter of Doctor Moreau tells the story of Carlota Moreau and her life in the isolated house she lives with her dad, cook, mayordomo (butler), and hybrids. The concept of a hybrid in the most basic form is a mix of cells between animals and humans which results in an animal-like being with human characteristics, most importantly the ability to speak. Carlota, having grown up with them, sees them as friends, whereas Doctor Moreau sees them as his life's work.

At this point in the book, I considered all the implications of the concept of hybrids and how they were perceived in the book by different characters: scientific achievements, property, and to Carlota: family. I found this concept an interesting philosophical/moral discussion. However, Moreno-Garcia doesn't stop here. But continues to tell the story of a woman coming of age, confronting things she had never considered or worried about, and ultimately choosing her own path.

Both themes are set against the (real) backdrop of the Caste War of Yucatan in 1847. Where native Maya people raised against Mexican land owners, most of them of European descent. This aspect is another reason why I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books so much, she frequently sets her stories in different decades of Mexican history. At the end of all of her books, she provides further explanations of historical facts.

I must admit that only in this section, at the very end of the book, I find out that The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a retelling of a book by H.G. Wells "The Island of Doctor Moreau". It is from the original book that the concept of hybrids comes from, whereas Carlota is fully a concept of Silvia Moreno-Garcia. In my opinion, it is not necessary to read H.G Wells' book first as this is not a sequel but a re-imaging of the story set in a different place with different characters.

The book also has romance, and is not perfect saccharine romance, but real imperfect love. Another usual characteristic of all SMG stories. You won't find perfect endings, but real complex emotions which ultimately explain the characters' decisions.

The pace is medium and an easy fast read. Content warnings include alcohol abuse, physical and emotional abuse, and minor violence.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, it introduced me to a science fiction concept I haven't heard of before (the hybrids), I could relate to Carlota's coming of age story, and I learned about the caste war in Mexico's history.

Thank you Net Galley, Quercus books, and Silvia Moreno Garcia for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Like all of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books I’ve read so far, I really enjoyed this too.
I really love her writing style, it was very interesting and atmospheric, I could easily imagine the setting in Mexico, Yucatan peninsula in the 1870s, with summer heat, hybrids, a laboratory, a scientist and his daughter, and two love interest.
I liked the character development of Carlota as she grew more adult and opened her eyes, not letting man tell her what to do. I loved the relationship between her and the hybrids, who she saw as sisters and brothers.
There was some important topics woven into the story too like feminism, colonialism, power and religion, that the author executed out well.
Although I found the pacing a bit slow in parts, i think it was a very interesting read, and it was a cool take on the classic “The island of Dr. Moreau”.

I was not a big fan of the ending though, people who read Silvia Moreno-Garcia books might know what I mean.
I always have a feeling of the endings are lacking of something, usually an unfulfilled love/separating from the love interest, or the uncertainty of the characters life or future. We won’t know how they will go on. This seems to be a pattern in the author’s books, I’m not sure why, but its interesting to think about.

With that said, i believe this is a really great, atmospheric, summery historical- fiction. I found it very creative, I cared for the, characters and the story. And I love that when I finish a book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, it did not only entertain, but teach me about the history of Mexico and the Mayans, so I always learn something new.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for sharing this digital copy of one of my most anticipated books of the year in exchange my honest opinion.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia could write any genre and it would still be a hit with me.

The prose is beautiful, full of vivid imagery which really brought the setting to life. I loved Carlotta's strength even though she was young and known to cry easily. She consistently put others before herself and showed strong morality where many others around her did not.

The way that Montgomery felt about Carlotta was a bit icky at times given that there is this sizeable age gap and he's watched her grow from a small child into a young woman. But ultimately I felt that this bond was deep and not at all superficial.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot and look forward to whatever SMG comes out with next.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is the third book I've read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Although all her books are different the one thing they have in common is how atmospheric they are. The picture she paints makes you feel as if you're part of the world.

This book is loosely based on the Island of Doctor Moreau by H G Wells, which I haven't read. It's set in nineteenth century Mexico and told from the point of view of Carlota and Montgomery.

Carlota is a naive mc but understandably so. She's content with her quiet and isolated life, all she wants is to please her father who she looks up to. Often you find mcs who want something more, but she's quite the opposite. She's happy to just read about far away places in her pirate filled romance books. Things get shaken up when two strangers arrive in her life. I liked reading from both her and Montgomery's point of view.

One thing I will say about Moreno-Garcia's books is you never know where the story is going or how it's going to end. Although I saw the twist coming with this one it didn't take away from my enjoyment.

Overall, another creeping and compelling standalone from Silvia Moreno-Garcia.