As I've mentioned before, I'm always in awe of how with each subsequent novel Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes, she can switch so effortlessly from genre to genre which have included noir, fantasy, gothic horror, magical realism and now historical sci-fi.

I haven't read The Island of Doctor Moreau but this novel is a re-imagining of sorts and takes place on the Yucatán peninsula in the late 19th century. As with her prior novels, the main standout for me, is the writing, which is stellar. However, this has been my least favorite novel of hers. All her novels have been slow burns and usually have a minor twist, which I figured out beforehand but by the end, I was not wowed. It has an interesting premise and for the most part, my attention was riveted but by its conclusion, I was expecting more.

Despite it's shortcomings, I still would recommend this novel.

To say I was disappointed in this book pains me more than anyone else. I fell absolutely in love with Moreno-Garcia's other work, Mexican Gothic. So, I was thrilled to receive an ARC copy of her newest book. Unfortunately, this book was a slog to get through. I couldn't connect with either of the main characters and I was really bored thought the entire narrative. I know this book was not a horror, but because it is based on the gothic tale of "The Island of Doctor Moreau" I thought we would at least get some atmosphere. I made it to 30% though the book when I decided I needed to put it down.

I don't mind a slow moving plot that sets things up for the latter half of the novel, but literally nothing was even happening in the first third of the novel. Not even Moreno-Garcia's lyrical writing could keep me going. I saw other reviews that say it picks up at the 70% mark, but I don't think any book should pick up when almost the entire story was told.

I am so sad this book did not work for me, but I will continue to pick up this author's work in the future.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I seem to be in the minority with my opinion, but I think this book could have been better. I was tremendously excited to read a book inspired by the original Dr. Moreau tale, but with a Mexican folklore twist. To me, everything fascinating and heritage based seemed crammed in as an afterthought. It lacked an immersive quality that I was looking for. I would have rather seen more changes to the original that took me to another world, instead of a story that didn’t stray as far as I’d like and seemed to deviate into explanations and definitions.

It’s an interesting story, but that part isn’t new. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the hybrid creatures. The writing is immersive and wonderful. Overall, it isn’t horrible, but it had so much potential that just wasn’t realized.

Wow. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau was dreamy in both a cozy and scary way, if that makes sense. This was a vivid story full of twist and turns that left me unexpected binging the last 50% because, more than anything, I was SO intrigued.

This story seemed to fall into two "parts" in my opinion - the first part, which was getting to know the eclectic characters and the colorful backdrop of nineteeth century Mexico. Character development was pretty good but there were some pieces that I would have liked to know more about, on a deeper level.

The second half of the book took on more of a gothic tone and caught me a bit off=guard, given the rather "simple" story that had begun. While the first half felt a bit more literary and " Isabel Allende" to me, I think fans of Moreno-Garcia will feel right at home in the second half.

About the book:

Carlota Moreau: A young woman growing up on a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of a researcher who is either a genius or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: A melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: The fruits of the doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them live in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Dr. Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and, in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

I do love this author, and I absolutely loved her last book, Velvet was The Night, but I'm afraid this one fell flat for me. I didn't feel connected enough with the characters, and I'm afraid I stopped reading around one-third of the way into the book, which is typically what I do when I'm not connecting with a story.

Others may really enjoy this, but sadly, despite this author's talent, this one just didn't pull me in enough in the beginning.

In this vivid reimagining of Wells's <u>Doctor Moreau</u> a young, beautiful Mexican girl known as Carlotta is the bastard child of the notorious, twisted doctor. The course of Carlotta's life is forever changed by some surprise visitors that bring the Doctor's past to light.

I've never read anything by H.G. Wells so had no prior knowledge of the world of Dr. Moreau. But I also didn't go into this expecting a horror akin to <u>Mexican Gothic</u>. I guess I just expected more sci-fi, maybe a thriller element, and overall just more of a plot. The pacing of this novel was glacially slow. By the time anything interesting happened (about the halfway point) I just didn't really care and was ready for everything to be wrapped up. Also, nearly every single event and confrontation was extremely predictable. While Moreno-Garcia is obviously a very talented writer and can craft her characters and settings beautifully, I just haven't been too enthralled by any of her stories or characters. I will continue to try more of her novels and hope for something that reels me in from start to finish. <u>The Daughter of Doctor Moreau</u>, unfortunately, did not do the trick.

Once again Silvia Moreno-Garcia takes a classic concept and applies to the latin community in a beautiful and artful manner. The story reimagines the Island of Dr Moreau in an excellent manner, introducing new characters that organically fit into the concept of the original story. It then leads the reader through the idea of what is the true monstrosity at play in Dr Moreau's experiments. There is romantic conflict, high stakes, and beautiful moments to round out the entire story!

at this point, silvia moreno-garcia has become an auto buy author of mine. because this book was just too good, and i simply could not put it down.

if you are searching for a book with immersive characters, fantastic representation, a lively and real setting, romance, and even more, this book is for you. in typical moreno-garcia fashion, the world building captivates you while reading, and the characters draw you in as they share their stories with you. 4/5 stars!

This book was amazing and so well written. I really enjoyed the dual point of view and the characterization of Doctor Moreau's hybrids. The scientific experiments could have been the plot - period. But Morena-Garcia layered in so much more. The interpersonal relationships between the daughter and the hybrids as well as her father and later, suitors. The world-building was fantastic. If you enjoy fantasy, magical realism or science fiction, I think you would enjoy this novel.

Inspired by "The Island of Doctor Moreau," Moreno-García's latest book focuses on Carlota Moreau and is set in a remote location in Yucatán, Mexico. Given Dr. Moreau's economic troubles and their effect on the continuation of his research, When their hacienda receives two visitors related to the doctor's patron, Dr. Moreau attempts to match his daughter with his patron's son.

It is a good entry point into speculative fiction for those who enjoy literary fiction. She excels at developing immersive settings laden with historical research. The book was well-written and, as usual for SMG, deeply atmospheric. While I did not find myself too invested in the story itself, I was interested in how it handled discussions on colonialism and racism.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno is an approach to the classic book by H.G Wells The Island of Doctor Moreau. In this retelling set in 1877 Moreno creates an amazing story that is filled with solid and vivid characters as she always does in her books. I have never seen or read the original adaptation but I can see how the author did the appropriate research to write this story. she's my go-to author and I truly loved everything that she writes, she never disappoints me.
4.5 stars for me
*I don't get the bad reviews of the book, because she clearly stated that it was a historical science fiction novel and not horror.

Not only this cover is stunning but the story is so unique.

It’s a retelling of The Island of Doctor Moreau (which I admit I don't know much about) and I switched between physical and audio. The audio version was fascinating to say the least! The narrator did such a great job.

We have a beautiful setting (1900s Mexico, come on!), we have scientific experiments, we have spookiness, and we have romance. What else do we need?

I really enjoyed this spin on H. G. Wells' story! It's Silvia Moreno-Garcia, so you know the writing is fantastic like always. I enjoyed the well-rounded characters, including their flaws and complicated relationships with each other. You feel the love that Carlota has for Yaxaktun, and because of that the setting feels like a dream. Everything is dreamy and peaceful, which makes the hybrids all the more grotesque and the following events more horrific. The pacing was a bit off for me - the ending felt a bit rushed and short-lived for me. But otherwise, this story was an interesting read, and I would definitely recommend it, especially for people just beginning to read sci-fi.

An interesting take on the classic Frankenstein tale. Doctor Moreau is paid by a wealthy man to create hybrid creatures. Part human, part animal. But what happens when it's time to pay up and share the serum, but Doctor Moreau has had a change of mind? He no longer wishes to turn over his creations. And what happens to his daughter, who is now caught in the crossfire? A love story destined for disappointment. And a friendship you wish was something more. I love the setting, the spin on a classic tale, and the influence of Mexican culture on the story. I've heard great things about Mexican Gothic, but this is my first foray into the writings of Silvia Moreno-Garcia. And I have now added Mexican Gothic and Velvet was the night to my list.

The story is dark and a little creepy. Great for spooky season coming up. My only complaint would be that it perhaps dragged a tad in the build up. But I feel that way a lot because I'm impatient with story buildup and world building. I. do think the climax/big reveal and the last 100 pages pay off. I finished the book in one sitting so a more thorough reread may be in the cards down the road. We are told the story through Doctor Moreau and his new estate manager of sorts POVs. So yes, dual POV lovers, this is for you. I think I preferred the male POV here. But that's because the women and her experimenting father are the more interesting characters, so it's more fun to see her through the eyes of others in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey, for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading this eARC, which in no way biased me. All opinions are my own.

This was amazingly written, as you can expect with Moreno-Garcia’s writing. I love the spin on a classic story. I just struggled connecting to the plot or the characters. I may try reading this again as an audio format, perhaps that will help.

In her newest novel, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, Moreno-Garcia ventures into the historical science-fiction realm of vivisection—the biological and physical manipulation of animals into animal-human hybrids who, in this case, are capable of talking and complex thoughts. Inspired by the 1896 H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau, Moreno-Garcia’s book is distinctly different.

Set in 19th-century Mexico, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau follows Carlota, the doctor’s daughter, and Montgomery, a troubled newcomer hired by Doctor Moreau to help with his experiments. But where Wells’ book focuses mostly on the unsettling and (un)ethical questions of the experiments, Moreno-Garcia’s novel is clever, immersive, deeply emotional, and wildly entertaining. It’s also a thought-provoking exploration of gender, race, class, colonialism, and family—something fans of any one of her other works will recognize.

SMG never disappoints. The CDMX setting felt familiar but different with the period setting. I love SMG’s ability to completely bring us into the setting. I felt like I was inside the story, hearing their voices, smelling the air.

SMG is always incredibly researched and I loved all of the science terminology in the book. It made it feel more real. This is the perfect gothic Mexican retelling we didn’t know we needed.

Carlota Moreau is the daughter of Dr. Moreau. They live on the Yucatán peninsula where Carlota's father conducts experiments, creating hybrids of animals and humans. Some of the hybrids live side by side with Carlota and her father. Some, however, meet a much darker fate.

This reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau puts his experiments in the background and brings the consequences to the forefront. Carlota and Montgomery Laughton, an Englishman who comes to their home to assist the doctor in his experiments, forge a rocky relationship as they attempt to navigate the questionable morality of the lives they lead.

While I found the characters to be intriguing at times, the story itself left a bit to be desired. It focused too heavily on Carlota's feelings for the various men in her life and not enough on how she felt about her father's work and how it very much impacted her life. The romances were trivial and distracted from what could have been an intriguing, intense plot. When the plot did focus more on the atrocities committed by Dr. Moreau and the things done to Carlota, it was a thrilling read.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia does it again. Her books are all so different and yet the strong heroines and lush storytelling are always a giveaway of hers. Beautiful writing, fascinating concept, and as I’ve come to expect from her - a dose of Mexican history as well.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has such range. I’ve read several different genres from her and she just consistently knocks it out of the park. This one is not my favorite by her, but it is so atmospheric and lush. The sci fi was really not what I expected it but I enjoyed it so much.