Those who like the style of Mexican Gothic will really enjoy the style of this book. I loved MG but didn’t find myself drawn into the plot for this one. I stopped at 10%, but I can see a lot of our patrons really enjoying it, especially since Mexican Gothic was a hot book on our shelves.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

Carlota Moreau is a beautiful young woman living with her father in a secluded hacienda on the Yucatán peninsula in 1870s Mexico. Her father is, of course, the legendary Doctor Moreau, creator of a secret collection of human-animal hybrids. Montgomery Laughton, an emotionally broken alcoholic who never recovered from being left by his wife, works for Doctor Moreau, procuring animals for his experiments and serving as the hacienda’s mayordomo. But their steady existence is broken when Eduardo Lizalde—the aggressive yet charming son of Doctor Moreau’s financial backer—comes to the hacienda one day and immediately sets his sights on marrying Carlota.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is, of course, based upon H.G. Wells’s The Island of Doctor Moreau. This novel could not exist without the original, and it retains the original’s fundamental idea of a mad scientist creating human-animal hybrids. On that score, the new novel does a better job of describing the ‘science’ behind the hybrids than the original (which was pretty unconvincing). And this novel cleverly weaves references and themes from the original—about Doctor Moreau as a god figure, about the usefulness of pain—into its story.

But The Island of Doctor Moreau is a dark novel about the dangers of science gone too far, and the hubris of scientists who believe they can and should wield the power of creation. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is more interested in the interpersonal dynamics. Carlota’s presence not only adds a coming of age story but her relationships with her father, with Montgomery, and with Eduardo, flesh out all of their characters. Her arc is a stand-in for the way women of that era were constrained, controlled, and not permitted to strive for their full potential. Additionally, placing the novel within the time and location of Mayan uprisings on the Yucatán peninsula against the Mexican government gave the story lots of atmosphere and makes the storyline about the hybrids feel more like a commentary on slavery, worker exploitation, and societal inequalities generally.

Isaac Newton famously said “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” And I thought of that as I realized that I liked The Daughter of Doctor Moreau more than The Island of Doctor Moreau. It feels wrong, because H.G. Wells is one of the titans of science fiction for a reason. But Ms. Moreno-Garcia took the best parts of the source material, stood on those shoulders, and used it to tell a richer, fuller, more human story. Recommended.

This book took a classic and put a new twist on it, which I absolutely loved. The story moves The Island of Dr. Moreau, an H.G. Wells classic, to the Yucatan in Mexico. The story was so well thought out, and the characters were wonderfully written. I have become a huge fan of Moreno-Garcia's work in the past few years and this book surpasses all the previous books I have read. The tale follows Carlota, the daughter of Dr. Moreau. As is well known, Dr. Moreau is an older man who creates human-animal hybrids, as was the fad to discuss at the point in time when the original book was written (vivisection was a big scientific study point in that era). Notably, this books takes all of the best parts of the original story and infuses them with a beautiful feel that evokes the warmth, heat, and beautiful locale where this story is supposed to take place. Meticulously researched and wonderfully written, I suggest that anyone who enjoys a tale of adventure, fiction, or science fiction even, pick this book up ASAP!

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Less a retelling and more a reimagining of Wells's <I>The Island of Doctor Moreau</I>, Moreno-Garcia brings her lush, lyrical writing to the Yucatan Peninsula in the 1870s. Carlota Moreau is a sheltered young woman who has grown up alongside her scientist father's hybrid experiments. Her narrative alternates with that of Montgomery Laughton, the estate's troubled majordomo. Their life is insulated and somewhat dreamy, and for the most part the household is ignorant of the ongoing fight of the Mayan people for rights and independence. When the handsome, heedless son of Dr. Moreau's patron visits the estate, a series of violent and awful events are set in motion. This book was a little slow at the start, but I quickly became immersed in the story and setting, and the last third had me especially glued to the page. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for a digital review copy.

i'm not familiar with wells' work, but dr. moreau has seeped into popular media in enough ways that i at least had a general understanding of it once we are introduced to the house at yaxaktun. while montgomery was easy to sympathize with immediately, lest you forget the book's title: this is carlota's story. and what a story. once again we are given fantastically complicated characters, who, true to smg's style, are not protagonists we hear from often. the story is put on its tracks and the ride to an inevitable -- but intense -- conclusion is nuanced and enthralling. the pacing is steady and sure, the world fully-realized, and the writing perfectly atmospheric.

between characters i love to hate and the bittersweet ending, i think this will turn more than a few people off, but i'm looking forward to the growing nature of it. in the three days it took for me to read it already sunk its claws into my mind, and i'm sure it won't let go for a while yet.

I really loved The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. This is a subtly scary and weird story inspired by the story of Doctor Moreau from a new perspective. I thought it was super interesting to follow Carlota and Montgomery's perspectives and to see their views on the doctor and the hybrids change over the course of the story.

The title of this book is a riff on H.G. Wells’s book, The Island of Doctor Moreau, published in 1896. The author chose to tie in the Caste War of Yucatán which began in 1847. This Doctor Moreau is passionate about his hybrids but his research requires monetary support which he has procured through the self-interested Lizaldes family. The caste war has cost them the lives of rebellious Mayan field workers and they sees the solution in hybrids. They have financed the research and now want hybrid workers cutting sugar cane. Moreau knew what that meant for his beloved hybrids - “they would work like a dog, live like a dog, and die like one, too.”

Dr Moreau’s daughter Carlotta is exceptionally beautiful but lives a sheltered lonely, life, so her father gives her two hybrids as companions, Lupe and Cachito, whom she adores. The trick is keeping them secreted away from prying eyes who might be disgusted at their part animal appearance. The Lizaldes are not pleased.

A new majordomo, Montgomery Laughton, is hired to manage the property. The son, Eduardo Lizardes, falls in love with Carlotta, but Montgomery sees right through his ambitions and tries to protect her. She had retired early one evening and he was told to wait until the next day. Eduardo asked if everything was well, Montgomery flinched. “There were leeches and vampire bats Montgomery would have liked better.”


Needless to say, the Lizaldes are not the good guys, and this is where I can tell you no more. Enjoy!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a master of historical fiction, no matter the sub-genre. She takes on the science fiction genre with this reimagined version of the Island of Doctor Moreau, and she again brings to life not only an incredible cast of characters but also the gorgeous yet conflicted Yucatan peninsula in the 1870s. This reimagining of HG Well's novel - critical of both modern and historical classism, sexism, and imperialism - poses the question, "Who are the real monsters?" If you love science fiction, horror, and/or historical fiction, you will love this one.

With The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, Silvia Moreno-Garcia adds her name to the growing list of authors re-imagining classic stories through a distinctly feminist lens.

The title leaves no mystery as to the original text, and most readers will recognize many elements of Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau. The fanciful nature of the original story fits beautifully with Moreno-Garcia’s style and tendency towards magical realism. The author’s decision to set the novel deep in the Yucatan provides a rich and appropriate setting for her version of the story.

Moreno-Garcia’s rendition of the classic tale is presented through the perspective of Carlota, Moreau’s daughter, and Montgomery, his majordomo. In this way we explore Moreau’s work through characters who, for various reasons, lack agency rather than through the Doctor himself. This allows the reader to experience a more nuanced exploration of autonomy, humanity, and morality in both the context of the original story and through these viewpoints. Eventually, the chaos that ensues when Moreau’s work is fully exposed allows our the characters to gain agency in their own lives to varying degrees.

Moreno-Garcia is truly a master of atmosphere. Her writing carries with it a richness that immerses the reader and creates engagement in the story. This is a theme in all of her writing, but it especially important here, because the narrative falters at times. This story opens up the dialogue on a number of heady themes, and the author’s inclusion of additional coming of age and love story lines for Carlota feels like too much to address. There just isn’t enough time to treat every theme with the thoughtfulness we have some to expect from Moreno-Garcia. This leaves some flat spots in the overall narrative that could disappoint some readers. However, the atmospheric expertise of the writing will still leave most readers fully engaged.

This is a good addition to the growing list of adapted stories, and most Moreno-Garcia fans will find this story worth the read.

My gratitude goes out to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for access to this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
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*I received this book as a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you NetGalley, Random House, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia for the eARC of this book.

I either really love Moreno-Garcia’s works or find them just meh. Every one of them, in my opinion, is written a beautiful, engaging style, and I love the marrying of historical content to scifi or fantasy. All that being said, it’s the pacing of the stories that just sort of pull me out of the narrative. Despite so much being revealed and occurring in the first quarter of the book, I felt like nothing at all had actually happened and that I knew very little of the characters that this story revolves around.

Overall, it felt a bit like a chore pushing through the first half of the book, and while I started to enjoy it in the second half, I still didn’t find myself particularly invested in any of the characters.

3 stars from me.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has done it again. Another masterful work that had me entranced from start to finish. This reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set in 1800s Mexico is less of a horror novel as some of her previous works showcased. This story focuses more on the historical context and scientific elements of the plot, which is what I believe the author mentioned in her discussion of this title on Goodreads. I think if you like any of the previous elements that you will definitely find it in fine form throughout these pages.

The plot was well-paced and strong. The story follows Carlota, the only child of Doctor Moreau, as she lives on the secluded Yucatan peninsula with a host of hybrid creations that her father has experimented with over the years. The novel oscillates between Carlota's point-of-view and Montgomery Laughton, the new overseer/assistant of the property at the start of the novel. Eduardo Lizalde, the son of Doctor Moreau's financial benefactor, arrives unexpectedly and brings havoc that will tear asunder the world in which Carlota and the other inhabitants live in. As Montgomery is one half of the primary perspective we view this world in, he also plays a large part in the dynamic of the story and his relationship with other characters is key to the plot and the heart of this novel. All of the characters in the novel contributed weight to the story and didn't feel like pieces to fill plot gaps. I would have enjoyed much more time with the hybrids in the story, but I did appreciate the pieces of their personality that we did get to see.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing is so fluid and descriptive without overstating or being repetitive. I could wander along in her stories indefinitely. The historical context of this novel concerning the native Maya and other populations on the peninsula at the time is a deep-rooted part of the novel. This issue is the origin of why Doctor Moreau is recruited by a wealthy landowner to perform his unworldly experiments to begin with.

Another stellar read for me. As I've mentioned in a previous review for one of her books, I would absolutely pick up another book by this author. I will be giddily making my way through her backlist of books considering every title I've read so far has been top tier for me. This read is much less horror-centric than Mexican Gothic, but I think anyone who loved that book would enjoy this title as well. Also, the cover vibe for this book is outstanding. The covers for her titles are on point. every. single. time.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title.

I enjoyed this book, but honestly I was expecting something completely different, which threw me off, and put me on the wrong foot.

Thinking of Moreno-Garcia's other work, and the work she based this story off of, I thought I would be reading another sweepingly atmospheric Gothic tale. T'was not the case, sadly.

However! If you enjoy the political intreuge of 19th century Mexico, or the Bronte/Austen-esqe dance of propriety and station, paired with her signature atmospheric writing, this is sure to be a great read for you!

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

The Daughter of Dr. Moreau is a compelling tale of vulnerability and self discovery. While the focus could have been on the grotesque research, Silvia Moreno-Garcia tells a more human tale. We all yearn for acceptance and Carlota is no different. It is the story of Carlota and her coming of age in the remote estate in the Mexican jungle. She will soon discover things are not as they seem.

The Daughter of Dr. Moreau is a fresh take on the classic tale that is inspired by historical events. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's latest does not disappoint. Fans of Mexican Gothic will be right at home in this moody, dark story. It boasts a surprising twist and a satisfying ending.

The review is live on Goodreads and will be shared on Twitter.

*This book was received as an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley.

Prepping for this book, I read the original 'Island of Doctor Moreau" to understand where this one drew its inspiration from. I'm glad I read it, although it was slightly violent and definitely a strange one, because it did help me understand the correlation and underlying motivations that went into this one.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau explores the life of the daughter of a doctor, who in their own slice of Yucatan, conducts experiments and furthers his scientific understanding of hybrids (animals/humans). While his methods do differ from the original books (slightly less violent), they still evoke the same questions of morality and feeling that the original does. His daughter, having grown up with these hybrids as a matter of course in her life, wants to understand her place and future.

I liked the daughter, Carlota. While she made some interesting decisions at times, at heart, she's a good person and wants the best for her home. Montgomery too, I thought was well done in this book, having had much more depth than the original had given him. And we get more nuanced hybrids as well. The antagonists, well, I thought they were a bit heavy-handed, but given the historical nature of the book and actual atrocities committed at the time, they were probably described fairly accurately.

Given that this is an adaptation of the original, it differed as much as it mirrors the original. I liked the changes, and while I thought the ending was a bit chaotic, it was satisfying to be able to have some more questions answered during the course of the book. The science too was a bit more 'believable' than the original, although I'm sure there are plenty of biologists out there that have better insight into that than I ever could. I will say the surprise that comes in the book wasn't a surprise for me, it seemed the most likely thing to happen, but it didn't much alter the enjoyment of the book. My only real complaint is just the pace of the second half, where a lot of things happen and get explained, and it was a bit of a whirlwind.

Overall, I think this was a well-done telling of the story, giving it a unique twist. I look forward to reading more from the author.

Review by M. Reynard 2022

I will always appreciate anything by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The way she weaves language is captivating and beautiful. This was no exception.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Is there anything that Silvia Moreno-Garcia CAN'T write? The range of Moreno-Garcia's writing is expansive, and her newest offering is testament to this. Inspired by The Island of Dr. Moreau, this is another unique, noteworthy addition to her long list of accomplishments. Though it does contain some triggers (be warned), readers looking for something that will pull you in with a mix of sci-fic will enjoy this!

2.5 /5 stars

Oof, this was a weird read. I kept waiting for something, anything to happen, and I still couldn’t tell you what the point was…

I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters. The “conflict” (of what little there was) wasn’t very compelling or interesting. The saving grace was M-G’s writing, which I found engaging enough that I sped through it relative to how odd I found the story.

Mexican Gothic was one of my early BOTMs and I gave it 4 stars; I hoped I’d like this one as much, but sadly it just was not for me.

TDODM comes out July 19th! Many thanks to @penguinrandomhouse @delreybooks @netgalley for the chance to read & review this ARC.

4.5 stars

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of my favorite authors and her newest book “The Daughter of Doctor Moreau” is another beautifully written and thought-provoking story that’s sure to impress both new and current fans of her work. Tapping into Wells’s classic "The Island of Doctor Moreau," Moreno-Garcia examines many of the same themes such as humanity, social responsibility and ethics but with a feminist lens.

As with most of Moreno-Garcia’s works, you learn a bit of history. It’s something I’ve come to love from her books. One aspect of her retelling is taking the setting to the Yucatan peninsula during the nineteenth-century. Within the main plot of the story is the backdrop of the war of the Maya people against Mexican tyrants. She also touches upon slavery and the part the British played during the time. The setting itself is a lush and dreamy peninsula where Doctor Moreau is tucked away in his own world doing shocking experiments—all the while convincing himself it’s in the name of science and humanity.

I loved Carlota. Her essence was captured so beautifully—a daughter torn between loyalty to her father, love of her friends and desire for independence. She’s complex, tortured and relatable on many levels despite her unique situation. As with many of Moreno-Garcia’s works, this is a highly character-driven story with Carlota’s struggles, growth and dreams spearheading the plot. Montgomery is another unique character as well and while damaged and roguish, he’s oozing with the anti-hero vibe and I really liked him.

The story tackles multiple themes much the same as Wells’s classic, but in this one we get a feminist lens and it’s one of the things I loved most about the book. Themes of animal cruelty, science, humanity and social responsibility are tackled as well as the more common themes of love, family and loyalty. Top it all off with examining the “role” of women in accordance to society’s demands and expectations and not only do we have a beautifully written and intriguing story but also one that makes us think bigger picture. Again, this is something I’ve come to expect from Moreno-Garcia and it’s why her works are consistently a step above the rest.

A lot of people are calling this a horror but it reads more as a historical thriller with sci-fi elements. Both a thrilling and contemplative read, Moreno-Garcia delivers yet again.

While not the only re-imagining, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, is a clever spin-off of the classic thriller The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells.
On the Yucatan Peninsula set among the rising conflict between the Mayan and the European/Mexican settlers (based on the real Caste War of 1847), Dr. Moreau, with the aid of his financial patron Eduardo Lizalde, has again sought to manipulate nature in his animal-human hybrids.
Being familiar with the original plot worked both in favor of and opposed to the thrills of this new take. I wasn't "shocked" by Dr. Moreau as a mad scientist bent on creating a twisted race, but I appreciated how Moreno-Garcia had fun with her creative twists and injected some fresh plot turns.
My only wish is that there was a closer sense of characters in the novel. It progressed at a 'safe' distance that kept me from being fully invested in their journey. It does, however, all tie together quite satisfactorily and the pace ramps up in the last third of the novel and lands in a memorable, exciting conclusion.
Fans of moody noir mysteries will eat up Moreno-Garcia's latest work; She skillfully mashes up fantasy, adventure, and even romance; the result is hard to classify but definitely a lot of fun.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau in exchange for an honest review.
Look for The Daughter of Doctor Moreau starting July 19th (2022) at your favorite bookstore.

Absolutely loved this-great family intrigue and the sci-fic aspect is really neat and grapples with moral and ethical issues in a very interesting way.