Another hit from Sylvia Garcia Moreno. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and pacing of this one, and this author is quickly becoming autobuy for me. It also helps that it has great cover art!

I really love this authors writing and ideas, but the execution tends to feel a little lackluster for me, leaving me wanting a little more depth! I do love the evocative writing though, and since I’m a fan of any retelling, I still enjoyed this overall.

This is a great book. Excellent world building. A blend of sci-fi and historical fiction. It’s so well written. This is my first book from Silvia and I’m looking forward to grabbing all her books.

**Many thanks to Del Rey/Random House/Penguin Random House LLC and Netgalley for an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of this book**

First Read- Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Hm... This book is a bit of a headscratcher for me. While there are some things I really, REALLY loved about it, there were an equal number of things that had me stumped.

BEAUTIFUL BUT DEADLY

1. The scenery descriptions of Mexico were bar none, some of the most beautiful I have ever read. Ms. Moreno-Garcia's reputation for description preceded her, and she nailed it. I loved to chew on every bit of beauty that she brought to the page. Stunning!

2. Male toxicity, and bad patriarchy. Carlota is an object of beauty all the way through, and the key word here is OBJECT. How others perceived her was perfectly done for the 1800's. And, it's also sad to see that so much has not changed.

3. Montgomery. Oh, Montgomery. Apart from Lupe, you were my favorite character of the bunch, you sad, strange little man. I was rooting for you. I was.

WHAT SLIPPED THROUGH THE CLAWS

1. Carlota. I had a really, really hard time with her. On one hand, she seemed really assertive, but then on the other, meek and bland. She flipped, then flipped again, then flipped again, to a point where it happened multiple times within pages of each other, and I could never get a good read on her character. I also feel like there was more potential to her character that was not explored, or explored too late.

2. The pacing and theme. For me, this book took me two weeks to finish, which is very strange. I have a feeling that this was maybe due to the fact that I did not connect with Carlota's character. Though I appreciate and respect her culture, her attitudes towards faith, and that side of her, I was not invested in her character as I should have been. That made the book seem longer. Also, as I understood it, this was marketed as a horror-adjacent or gothic book, but I never had that feeling.

3. Utilizing the hybrids. For a book loosely based on the Island of Doctor Moreau, one of the key parts to that book was pretty much sidelined, and only brought out a few times for mostly shock value. I was disappointed.

VERDICT
This book was an interesting read, but not for me. My expectations were high and it did not meet those expectations. However, this book does not put me off to any more books that Ms. Moreno-Garcia has written. I will still give her other books a try.

Sadly, this is one I just couldn't get invested in. Moreno-Garcia's books are either a loved or disliked book for me it seems. I do think this is a has target audience that would love it.

I'm a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing, Mexican Gothic and The Beautiful Ones, in particular. If you are also a fan of these works and are enticed by the idea of transformation horror and historical science fiction, then I believe this book will also appeal to you. I enjoyed the complexities held by the main character and the place she holds in this world of her father's making. I got from this book what I most hope to see from BIPOC storytellers crafting stories set in similar time periods - an unflinching critique of colonialism and how it makes liars out of oppressors and their agents alike.

The way that Moreno-Garcia was able to accomplish this with her signature writing style and understanding of human nature makes this a book I'm happy to have as part of my collection. I look forward to picking it up again.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC of this title. I enjoyed reading this title. Would recommend for my library.

I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing. Her ability to create lush atmospheres suffused with the encroaching creep of the uncanny is remarkable. I can't say that this is my favorite adaptation of The Island of Dr. Moreau, but I do think what Moreno-Garcia added to the narrative around race, class, and gender to be thought provoking.

I have only read Mexican Gothic by Moreno-Garcia and it was a wild ride. I intend to read her backlist as well as new reads. This new release is different yet still has the same lush and haunting writing that sucks you in. The twist isn't hard to figure out but that feels intentional. This is much more of a character study and retelling with a twist.

Another great story from Moreno-Garcia. This writer can do no wrong! Once again we have a SMG story that's totally unique from her previous work and yet so perfectly tailored with such a strong voice that you know it's hers instantly.

I greatly enjoyed this story. There were a couple points when I felt the plot slow a bit but I was never close to not finishing it. The characters in particular were so fantastic and each one goes through a great amount of character development (even if at times you want to shake them because they drive you batty). I don't want to give anything away because there are several surprise moments (especially if you haven't read the Wells novel) but it's easy to say everyone is quite different in the end than you might expect. As far as favorites go, I love Montgomery. I adore him, plain and simple.

Moreno-Garcia continues to be one of those authors that I instantly read anything new she publishes, even without reading the synopsis. I don't need to know what it's about, I know I'll enjoy it. I continue to be absolutely floored by how flawlessly she tackles different genres and characters and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is just another example of that incredible work.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

Another crazy ride but very enjoyable, this was a little hard to get into it because it has many terms or scientific terms that I was trying to understand but then after a few chapters, you start to get into it and really even get deeper into the characters and the story.

Carlota lives in a secluded area with her father Dr. Moreau, she sees life and things as normal even if she lives with crazy stuff like hybrids. monsters that look more like monsters rather than regular animals but sooner or later things will start to get out of control and these experiments will bring so much chaos and problems to the easy life of Carlota.

Beautiful places like Yucatan are the scenery of Carlota's story and life, but everything will change once the secrets come out, and Montgomery starts to work in Carlotas safe place, making her sanctuary very unsafe.

This was my first ever book by Silvia and I really did enjoy it, I've never read a book this crazy-cool I mean many elements that will make you open your eyes like saucers. Gothic, historical, and with many sci-fi elements that will keep this book on your shelves for many years to re-read over and over again.

Without getting into the story, this is a book that is out of the ordinary but will add, more imagination and fantasy to our regular world. I recommend this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey, for the advanced copy of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau in exchange for my honest review.

This retake on the H. G. wells classic centers on Carlotta, the mad scientist's daughter and assistant as she grows into adulthood in a remote jungle on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico among her father's "hybrids" while her father's patron threatens to shut down his project.

This book was absolutely fantastic! Silvia Moreno-Garcia never fails to entice and amaze her readers. This story is an imaginative retelling of H.G. Wells' "The Island of Doctor Moreau". Instead, you have his daughter, Carlota Moreau who is kept safe in this magical stationery world that her father created. The backdrop for this story takes place during the time that the Mayan people were fighting for their rights and freedom against a tyrannous government. Now Dr. Moreau's scientific experiments add that mystical factor to the story as they lurk in the shadows dutifully obeying their creator. Everything functions as smoothly as clockwork, until an unexpected guest arrives and sets of a chain of reactions that no one can stop.

Moreno-Garcia does a fantastic job of character development in this story. It is the type of slow burn that you want in a science fiction novel. Carolta is peculiar in such a unique way that it is hard not to be invested in her future throughout the story. I have to say that I would give this story 3.75 stars. The author did a great job of keeping the reader engaged throughout this slow burn story. I would recommend this read to any of my friends!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/ Ballantine/ Del Rey for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for an unbiased honest review!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. I enjoy her writing style and how she always has Mexico as the backdrop of her stories. This was a blend of science fiction and historical fiction reimagining of the Island of Doctor Moreau.


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

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an auto buy author for me. I loved her take on this classic. Would HIGHLY recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

I enjoyed this book, although not as much as some of her others. The twist on Dr. Moreau was a good read.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a reimagined telling of The Island of Doctor Moreau. I have not read the original so I cannot compare the two stories. Doctor Moreau is creating "hybrids" and hiding them on an estate in Mexico. Their livelihood is threatened when the son of Moreau's patron comes to visit. This is definitely one that I cannot give away too much for fear of spoiling the story. If you like speculative fiction, I would give this one a try!

This was FREAKY. Well, it wasn't an horror novel but boy oh boy did the men in this book worried me and made me actually terrified. It was so interesting and easy to get into. Would HIGHLY recommend!

The Daughter of Dr. Moreau takes a science fiction classic and gives it new life. We follow Carlota's journey from a girl who loves her home in the Yucatán and fears any change that could challenge her idyllic existence to a woman who knows herself and those around her and must reorganize her priorities. She has a father whom she always seeks to please, she has an extended family in the hybrids that her father has concocted in his experiments, and she has the beautiful wilderness that makes her feel alive all around. The hybrids are Dr. Moreau's crowning achievement, yet they are still a work in progress. Under a wealthy hacendado's patronage, the doctor has melded human and animal genetics to create stronger, better workers in a world where revolt and upheaval threaten traditional workforces *slavery and debt bondage cough cough.* Unfortunately, the results of his work are less than ideal, bar one. The hybrids suffer pain and maladies specific to their animal components, and they can't go out in the world with their visible differences. Yet Carlota loves them all and studies under her father to help care for their health. Beyond being an obedient daughter, Carlota is also a curious, fast learner, a romantic, and possessing of untested strong opinions typical of youth.

Our other POV comes from Englishman Montgomery Laughton, who works for the doctor. He's trapped in this job by hefty debts and a desire to vanish from the world and its problems. Alcohol also plays a role in helping him forget his pesky emotions about the wife who left him for greener pastures (more money), the sister who killed herself, and the father who beat him. On the other hand, Laughton has come to care for the hybrids and especially for Carlota as she has grown into a young woman (I don't know how to make that sound not creepy because I am creeped out by it).

Everything goes awry when the son of the ranch's patron shows up and is dazzled by Carlota. Dr. Moreau sees an opportunity to marry off his daughter and secure future funding for his research, funds that have been steadily dwindling. Carlota aims to please, Laughton gets jealous and testy, and the future of the ranch hangs in the balance.

So I have loved much of Moreno-Garcia's body of work, and this is the first book that just didn't work for me. The central tension between Laughton and Carlota and their non-quite-romance gave me the ick. I dislike the young ingenue meets weary gentleman routine... especially when he's known her and lived in her home since she was fourteen. I was satisfied with where things ended up, but the emotions of the journey just didn't land with me. The other relationships are yet more complex, but they get less page time. As Carlota's bond with her father begins to deteriorate, and her love for the hybrid who was raised as a sister is tested, these interactions hover in the background of Carlota's not-really love triangle. I especially would have preferred more on her story with Lupe as her willful naivete keeps pushing away the sister who harbors anger and seeks freedom. This ends up being the most meaningful relationship in the story, in my opinion, but it doesn't take a central role.

In terms of plot, it all felt a bit worn and obvious, even though I haven't read the original work. I'm familiar with the general idea, but I think the predictability comes more from the tropes in play. I do think Carlota has a compelling journey, but its motion is confined to the end of the book. For most of it, she stubbornly refuses to deviate from her path despite any misgivings. I think this fits with a story of how a girl can be molded and controlled by a father who styles himself as a god. But it's frustrating and stagnant to read when the signposts for the reader make the path forward so clear and Carlota refuses to take it.

This historical fiction window into 19th-century racial dynamics and economics in Mexico is one of the strongest points of the book for me. I think stronger relationship arcs (not necessarily romantic) and steadier growth in Carlota would have suited me better. Each step of the story felt obvious and occasionally preventable, which weighed down an already slow-moving plot. I still think this is a thoughtful book that many will enjoy. I chalk this up to personal preference rather than story quality.

While this book ended up being closer to 3 stars for me, I added an extra star as I went outside my comfort zone a little with this one.

I am a huge sci-fi and fantasy fan, and absolutely adore The Island Of Dr. Moreau. I went into this book knowing that Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes more historical fiction so I should have been more prepared for that. Still, it was quite a slow burn and it took me a couple of attempts to get into the storyline. I did appreciate the depth of the characters involved, and enjoyed the character interactions immensely.

There is no doubt that Moreno-Garcia can write strong characters (especially female leads,) but the plot itself left a little to be desired for me.

I recommend this book for fans of strong female leads, historical fiction, and light scifi.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. I am late to the party with this one but wanted to leave my review anyway!**