Daughter of Doctor Moreau

eBook, 320 pages

English language

Published July 19, 2022 by Del Rey.

ISBN:: 978-0-593-35534-3

(2 reviews)

Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of 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 scientific 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 living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor 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 …

Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of 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 scientific 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 living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor 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.

3 editions

enne📚 reviewed Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

3 stars

This book is self-described as a "dreamy reimagining" of the Island of Doctor Moreau. Rather than on a remote island, it's set in the remote Yucatan during the Caste War, and follows the perspectives of the titular daughter and a new alcoholic majordomo to the estate.

I have seen others describe this as a gothic novel, but some elements work against that framing for me. There is not a lot of ongoing mystery nor tension to the book. There is a reveal of some secrets, but I felt like the most major of these was not a surprise to the reader (or at least this reader) and so lost a lot of its bite. There are some bits of patriarchal tension and marriage pressure, but largely Carlota defends her father and wants to get married; rather than feeling trapped in her estate, she would prefer to stay there and doesn't …

This book is self-described as a "dreamy reimagining" of the Island of Doctor Moreau. Rather than on a remote island, it's set in the remote Yucatan during the Caste War, and follows the perspectives of the titular daughter and a new alcoholic majordomo to the estate.

I have seen others describe this as a gothic novel, but some elements work against that framing for me. There is not a lot of ongoing mystery nor tension to the book. There is a reveal of some secrets, but I felt like the most major of these was not a surprise to the reader (or at least this reader) and so lost a lot of its bite. There are some bits of patriarchal tension and marriage pressure, but largely Carlota defends her father and wants to get married; rather than feeling trapped in her estate, she would prefer to stay there and doesn't want to leave. Most of the tension in the book felt like economic tension: Montgomery's own debts, the pressure from the Lizaldes on the estate itself, and the larger economic tension in the region of needing workers for the fields and enslaving them with debt.

The reinterpretation of this story into the history of the Yucatan is probably the strongest part of the book for me. It's something I was not familiar with, so was interested in learning more about it. This framing creates backstory for why anybody would fund Dr. Moreau. It also creates colonialist parallels between how characters treat and view both the hybrids and the Mayans, especially in Dr. Moreau's own relationship to the hybrids themselves.

I always do like a reimagining of stories, but it wasn't enough to make the rest of the story compelling enough for me. I quite enjoyed Mexican Gothic, but I also felt like it was a much stronger novel than this one, especially in terms of tension, mystery, and reveal. If I had to recommend one Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel, it would be that one.

Will reviewed Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Not for me

2 stars

I was not intending to read this, but did since it was nominated for the Hugo Best Novel. I read Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia's earlier novel and thought it was just ok, but had been told by a co-worker this was a stronger book. Unfortunately, I didn't come away with that same opinion. There was no suspense, no big twist or revelation, and the final quarter of the book seemed to drone on forever. I know there is a lot of love out there for this book, but none from me.

Subjects

Animal experimentation--Fiction.
Fathers and daughters--Fiction.
Family secrets--Fiction.
Scientists--Fiction.
Mexico--Fiction.

Lists

2023 Hugo Award Finalists