3.5 stars, **not a horror**

I loved Carlota, the beautiful, fierce, ethereal and naïve daughter of Doctor Moreau. I also loved Montgomery, Doctor Moreau's troubled majordomo - a man with a "sickness of the soul." I loved the play on HG Well's oft-retold premise.

I enjoyed this book, but it was a bit of a slow read for me. For a good portion of the book, the plot languishes almost as if it's an organic part of Yaxaktun (the setting of the novel). It takes a while for the story to kick off, but boy when it does it's GOOD.

This review was posted on my blog on July 18, 2022 at https://www.thecuecard.com/books/doctor-moreaus-return/

I’m excited that Tuesday is the pub date of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s new novel The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. I was able to snag an early review copy and quite enjoyed it.

It’s about Carlota, age 20, who lives with her beloved father, a doctor/scientist, on a farm in the outback of the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula in 1877. Carlota had been saved by her father Dr. Moreau when she was young of a serious malady and now he experiments on creating hybrid creatures that are part animal and part human. So far though he has not perfected their full health or longevity. Still the hybrids live on their property and are Carlota’s best friends, especially since she’s grown up so isolated and without knowing her deceased mother. Yet Dr. Moreau’s benefactor is growing impatient waiting for better results from the doctor’s lab so he can use the hybrids as workers on his land.

It’s a mysterious plot that lured me from the start, especially with Dr. Moreau’s hiring of a 29-year-old British property caretaker named Montgomery, who seems quite taken by Carlota and drowns his past sorrows in alcohol. Fast-forward six years and life on the farm takes a turn when the benefactor’s son Eduardo falls for Carlota and the unpleased benefactor pulls the farm’s funding and plans to take what he thinks is his. The consequences set off a reckoning that will change everything.

I found the novel a fun summer read and a page-turner, which is based loosely on the H.G. Wells classic The Island of Doctor Moreau, published in 1896. There’s been a couple of movies made of it, notably the one I recall from 1977 had actor Michael York playing a shipwrecked survivor who comes upon a remote island where a mad scientist is carrying out sinister experiments on the island’s inhabitants. It was scary for me then and I think I only watched glimpses of it.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau takes a different tack than the original, re-imaging the story all quite creatively and plausibly on the Yucatan peninsula in 19th-century Mexico. I liked the daughter Carlota’s perspective who seems to find out things about her father’s secrets, lies, and obsessive scientific creations along the way that ruptures her world. Montgomery, too, is an enticing character, who alternates chapters with Carlota and takes up the hybrids’ cause.

This is my first read of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books and I was impressed by her writing and historical details of the times. I’d like to read more of her work. Have you read her novels: Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night? This latest novel could be my pick of the summer. It has the allure of being a bit eerie, mysterious, and something you can’t stay away from till you find out what happens. Check it out if it sounds like something for you.

I love retellings. It’s like reading your favorite book again and again and it’s always different. I really enjoyed The Daughter of Doctor Moreau! I was hooked from the very first chapter. The author has a way with words that catches and keeps your attention. Very unique take on a great story!

There’s so much about this retelling of The Island of Doctor Moreau that I would have expected not to like, and yet I found it completely mesmerizing, couldn’t put it down, and can’t stop thinking about it. I often have that reaction to Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s novels, and I wish I could understand how she works that magic.

I like how the author incorporates criticism of racism, classism, sexism, the eugenics movement, and Mexico’s history into this fantasy set in 1870s Yucatán. I love the author’s writing style. Although it gets off to a slow start, the story grabbed my attention and would not let go.

I think the author has a very good grasp of human nature. She tells her story in chapters alternating between the perspectives of our titular character Carlota Moreau, and the doctor’s majordomo, Montgomery Laughton. Her characters often make choices I found frustrating, yet I could understand why they acted as they did, and I was always rooting for Carlota and Montgomery. Moreau’s hybrids are also interesting, sympathetic characters.

Note that the book contains violence, death, occasional swearing, and premarital sex. Although this isn’t the sort of gentle, happy story I tend to favor, I found the ending satisfying.

Thanks to Del Rey for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley, which I volunteered to review.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to review.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a quick read that focuses on the fictional daughter of the titular doctor.

Carlota Moreau is the obedient daughter who is devoted to her father. She has grown up with the hybrids that her father creates and considers them family. When financial circumstances force some decisions, Carlota is mostly concerned with the well-being and care for the hybrids.

While I have never read the book “The Island of Doctor Moreau” I found this to be an engaging and interesting story. Set in the Yucatan, the story utilizes historical events that were occurring in the area at the time. This also adds to the story and makes it more engaging.

Overall, the story is about a young woman who must learn who she really is and make some difficult decisions along the way.

My introduction to the Mexican-centered fantasy of Silvia Moreno-Garcia was her re-telling of the Cinderella story, Gods of Jade and Shadow. Now she offers a fresh interpretation of H. G. Wells’s classic novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau. Instead of retreating to a hidden island to perform his experiments, this Dr. Moreau seeks the relative solitude of the Yucatán jungles, on an estate owned by a wealthy man in search of cheap, malleable plantation laborers. Under the pretense of developing such workers, Dr. Moreau creates human-animal hybrids from various animals. They are, alas, less than functional, with rapid aging, joint problems, and other issues. Only his beautiful, meek, and secretly rebellious daughter, Carlota, is perfectly human. Dr. Moreau needs a majordomo to run the estate and care for the infirm hybrids, so he hires Montgomery Laughton, a drifter heavily in debt and drowning a broken marriage in drink. Isolated and surrounded by lush forest and fascinating creatures, Montgomery begins to slowly form a friendship with Carlota, and to heal.

When the landowner’s charming and egotistical son arrives at the estate, he is instantly smitten with Carlota, thereby setting into motional a cataclysmic chain of events.

Like other of Moreno-Garcia’s adventures, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is strongly character-driven. Maturation and healing are the twin lenses that focus the action, which begins slowly in the near-static serenity of the estate and builds to a breathless climax. At first, I found Carlota childish, especially her constant verbal sparring with her two closest hybrid friends. Her flirtation with the landowner’s son struck me as dangerously naïve. As the story went on, however, I noticed the parallels between her increasing understanding of the world at large and of herself. Her capacity for acceptance—of her friends, of her father, of Montgomery with his tortured past, and of her own true nature—emerges as the moral and emotional center of the book.

I haven’t read everything by this author. Some of her books are not in a genre I care for but literally everything I have read by her has been of the highest quality. It’s been many years since I read The Island of Doctor Moreau but from what I remember of the original story this is an excellent retelling. Carlota is a sheltered girl, and perhaps more faithful to the man she thinks her natural father than he deserves. I don’t know whether to praise the interesting twist on the story of giving Dr Moreau a daughter or the excellent work in making the story fit the time period more highly but either way this is an excellent book. If this book doesn’t quite sound right to your taste I’d suggest reading the discriptions of her other books and choosing the one that sounded best to you. Everything I’ve read by her has been so good and so different from her other books that I think almost any reader could find something by her they’d enjoy greatly.

I love the way Moreno-Garcia writes, and this book was no exception. Her prose is always so atmospheric and makes it easy to get lost in the worlds and characters she creates. I loved the historical setting of this story, and I really appreciated the note at the end that summarized the major conflicts of this period of Mexican history. Despite the rather limited backdrop of the story itself (it takes place largely in one isolated ranch), it felt infused with life, culture, and history, which is a true testament to the author's skill at weaving an engaging narrative. Additionally, the science fiction elements of the story were fascinating and proposed interesting questions about personhood and the ethics of genetic manipulation. My favorite thing about Moreno-Garcia's writing here and in previous books, though, is the depth of the characterizations. Carlota was the subject of a riveting coming-of-age story about developing her own agency in a time and culture that treated her largely like an object. Montgomery, on the other hand, was struggling to deal with his past and self-loathing after being abused in his childhood and abandoned by the love of his life. Both characters were compelling, and they had excellent chemistry together.

There were only a couple of things I didn't like about the book, and they were mostly due to personal preferences rather than actual problems with story execution. For example, Montgomery's pining for Carlota felt weird to me due to the age gap and him having watched her grow up for six years. I understand that it was normal in the time period of the book's setting, and it wasn't written in a creepy way. However, I just couldn't get past the idea that it would be the equivalent of me pining after a college student I'd known since they were in middle school. I also don't particularly care for the narrative choice of re-visiting the same scenes from multiple POVs, especially when the previous POV ended on an impactful moment. This book did it multiple times, and while it wasn't done poorly and added some extra context, I still found it annoying at times.

Overall, though, this was a very enjoyable read with compelling characters, rich prose, and fascinating historical and science fiction elements. Therefore, I rate The Daughter of Doctor Moreau 4 out of 5 stars.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly July New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

A fresh take on The Isle of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of Mexico, this was a fun read that was hard to put down.

tThis book is a perfect exploration of modern sci-fi.
Silvia Moreno Garcia deliveries a story exploring the horrors of eugenics through Doctor Moreau's experimentation on animal hybrids. He has made himself a god figure on the Yucatan island. His daughter Carlota is a well written character who experiences the first hand pains of being used as a token item. She is young, beautiful, and so incredibly kind in a world that would repulse at her very existence (the TWIST of this book while obvious is expertly crafted and it was phenomenal to experience). Through Carlota, there is a feminine twist to for a sci-fi heroine that is drenched in social revolution and heart.

There is a careful balance of characters who are all flawed and authentic from Lupe and Cachito, two hybrids who are intelligent and are friends with Carlota to the British drunk Montgomery who drowns his debts at the bottom of a bottle. The backdrop of 19th century Mexico with the historical blend of the Maya, Mexican, and British Honduras provides an eye-opening look at the colonialism that has instilled racism, xenophobia, worker exploration, and eugenics not just in the form of animal hybrids but in what is expect of women, how society functions, and who is allowed to become wealthy and powerful.

There is a blend of the gothic in this novel. I commend Moreno-Garcia for being a master of genre and having a modern voice that is necessary and a gift to experience.

I've read several variations on the Island of Dr. Moreau, and I found this one to be every entertaining. The animals and the women were destined to be the victims, but they took charge, turning the tables on old Moreau.

This story has its roots in The Island of Doctor Moreau, but it also has the author's fingerprints all over it!
Carlotta Moreau only knows what her father tells her. Her world, though isolated is supplemented by books, the occasional visitor, assisting her father, and her hybrid companions. Set on the Yucatan peninsula, there is always the fear of the Mayans, fighting against the Mexican tyranny. They are left in peace mostly, and this suits Doctor Moreau as he works diligently to create better hybrids that will take the place of temperamental workers for his patron, Mr. Lizalde. From a historical perspective, the conflicts in Mexico reflect not only an awful time but one that lasted for many years. From a science fiction perspective, I never thought that these experiments could end well.
Chapters alternate between Carlotta and her father's new overseer, Montgomery Laughton. He is a man with demons, and this isolated locale suits him. Carlotta's aging father wants to find a suitable husband for her and his decisions lead to the potential loss of her beloved hybrids. Proof that they are not far enough removed from the world for those that want what they have.
This was a slow burn but once again, a story where the author's words made me feel like I was right there in this isolated and dangerous place.

Carlota has spent her whole life living on an isolated ranch on the Yucatan peninsula with her father, Doctor Moreau, their mayordomo Montgomery, and the doctor's hybrid creations who are her friends and playmates. Doctor Moreau conducts experiments that blend human and animals together in an attempt to solve the infirmities of humans with the strengths of the animals, while also working for his employer to create a new class of workers more tractable than the Indians of the Yucatan. But when the son of his employer shows up unexpectedly, Carlota begins to feel things she hasn't before, and soon their lives are upended.

Not having read the original work that inspired Moreno-Garcia (sorry, I've only seen The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror take on the story!), I didn't have much more than the general sketch of the premise to get in the way of enjoying her version, and honestly, I think that is best. I felt that the hybrids were treated with more compassion by this version than the original and appreciated the focus on Carlota and Montgomery instead of the doctor. Moreno-Garcia does an excellent job of setting the stage for the conflict that becomes the focus of the second half of the story with her treatment of the main characters in the first half. What happens feels natural to the characters and inevitable for the premise of the story and the conclusion is satisfying without wrapping up everything neatly. The only thing I would have liked added would have been more detail on the doctor's backstory in order to understand his motives better, though it is certainly not necessary to the story. I like Moreno-Garcia best when she writes speculative fiction like this and hope to see more in the future.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine and NetGalley for the chance to read The Daughter of Doctor Moreau early in exchange for an honest review.

This is a translated version of my review, orginally posted in spanish, from Goodreads:

Score: 3.4/5 Stars.

Let's start with the positive section of the review: I liked the characters, my favorites were undoubtedly Lupe and Cachito, who are as eccentric as they are interesting. Carlota, the main character of the story, was not entirely to my liking. I didn't share her decisions and, to be honest, I wasn't very interested in her as a character.

I also liked how Silvia Moreno reimagined the classic story of Doctor Moreau and moved it to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, placing it in a real historical period. The conflict between the Mayan population and the Mexican descendants of the Spanish is the context that gives real meaning to the plot. In my personal case, I did not know about this conflict, and I was delighted to have had the opportunity to learn about it with this novel. I always appreciate when books teach me something new, and I must emphasize that this happened with this novel.

However, not everything was charming. The reasons that made my "Mexican Gothic" reading experience not as good as I expected also appeared in this book. It lacked excitement, it lacked surprises, It lacked plot twists. Yes, the last 50 pages of the novel are action-packed (and yes, I really enjoyed them), but it was all overly predictable!

The "secret" about Carlota: I saw it coming since we were introduced to the characters in the first chapters of the book.

The conflict with the Lizaldes: Yeap, you can also see that coming.

The resolution of the epilogue: Aha! it was also very evident from several pages ago.

This greatly affected my reading, since the surprise factor was non-existent throughout this adventure. For this reason, I limit my recommendation of this novel to people who are looking for a chill science fiction reading, without much movement but that is entertaining and that can be perfect to set the mood for a vacation or a weekend.

I have not read the book "The Island of Doctor Moreau" by HG Wells. Little by little I am discovering the science fiction genre and without a doubt this book is part of my TBR.

4.5 stars. A gothic, historical, sci-fi tale with a tiny bit of romance thrown in! Being based on The Island of Doctor Moreau (and having read author’s Mexican Gothic), I was expecting a macabre horror story, which this is not. It is much more emotionally moving and character driven with just a touch of creepiness.The main character, Carlota, is a complex, strong woman, the other characters are well written and fleshed out, and Dr. Moreau’s hybrid creatures are fascinating. The excellent writing deeply immerses the reader into the Yucatán jungle. I enjoyed it and recommend!

I love the original work by HG Wells. I was hoping this reimagining would update it but keep with the original feel of that. Instead I had a really hard time making myself finish this book. The characters were rather boring and I never got the thrill of reading. It was all so matter-of-fact and the feminism sometimes felt forced in. You don’t need to force women into stories. Women are part of life and should be a natural part of stories. I don’t know if I am expressing that well. I love representation in all forms of art. It shouldn’t feel like it’s there just to be representative, though. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel like anything was added here. More that something was missing.

A beautiful story inspired by The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells. Carlota is the daughter of the eccentric doctor who has been raised along with his hybrids, animal-like creatures that have many human qualities. His "experiments" are funded by Hernando Lizalde, a man who wants cheap labor for his many properties, including the property Dr. Moreau and his daughter live on. When Lizalde's son comes to visit, all hell breaks loose and the delicate balance of living and working together comes to a head.

*Thanks to NetGalley and DelRey for a copy of this e-arc.*

A fever dream of a genre crossing novel. Set in 19th century Mexico it's a remaining of the Island of Dr Moreau, which I've not read or seen so I came to it cold, This is gothic, sci-fi feminist plotting with fantastic (and horrifying) beasts. I got lost in the middle and had to put it down for a bit but came back to it a day later and found myself turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, Interesting.

I would like to thank Random House for providing a complementary digital copy of this novel via NetGalley. This novel is loosely based on The Island of Doctor Moreau by HG Wells. This story is set in Mexico during the 1800s, specifically the period of the Caste War of Yucatan. There are two POVs that alternate with each chapter. I found the story to be engrossing and possessing great depth. The author did an excellent job of telling a cohesive story while exploring themes of colonialism and racism. We also find our protagonist Carlotta navigating being a female in the 1800s while trying to do what's best for her loved ones. We see her make difficult choices for their benefit. The idea of what constitutes family is also explored in the story. I truly enjoyed this novel and it worked not just as a reimagining of an old classic but also social commentary that is as poignant today as in any other time period.