Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

57 reviews

daniellekat's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing and this book was no exception. Her writing is descriptive without being tedious and she can capture your attention in a book so easily.
That being said, I didn’t love this book. It was ok. The writing was excellent but the plot was a bit predictable and I didn’t like the love triangle angle of the story. Also the pacing of the plot was weird to me. The first 3/4 of the book moved SO slowly and then the last few chapters were very fast paced and exciting. I haven’t read the original Dr. Moreau so I’m not sure I’m how this compares but if Frankenstein meets Mexican Gothic is your vibe I would definitely recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Body horror, and Medical content

Minor: Suicide and Colonisation

oliviantoinette's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Sexual harassment

sarah984's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I was really excited for this book, but I struggled to finish it. Of the two POV characters, one was so passive that she barely did anything and the other was the most boring man in the world. When something finally happened it was summarized in three pages. Every romance was deeply stupid and the familial relationship with the hybrids didn't feel earned at all. The writing was nice on a basic technical level but I couldn't recommend this.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Racism, Alcoholism, Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia

Minor: War, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs

hannahlee's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

As always with Moreno-Garcia, this was a very compelling read and a fascinating setting and plot. The themes of womanhood/personhood vs. monstrosity, civilization vs. barbarism, and chosen family are well explored in literature, but she puts her own spin on them. The story was gripping and the plot tripped along nicely, though there were moments where I wished for a little less overt symbolism, a little more leaving the subtext up to the reader to figure out. Still, Moreno-Garcia is unputdownable, a chameleon across genres, and always provides a fresh new take on familiar tropes, and a well-drawn, well-researched setting for her stories.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Racism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Blood, and Death of parent

erynlasbelin's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I just kept assuming this was going to be a prequel to The Island, up until that became impossible. I wonder how my impression of the book would differ if I hadn't been working off that frame work for 90% of it.

I really enjoyed this overall, though perhaps a bit less than Mexican Gothic. It's hard to elaborate on why - the characters and their conflicts were all very believable, but I think there were simply too many of them, and some of the story seemed to drag out a bit too long.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Gun violence, Gore, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Cursing, Drug use, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and War

Minor: Infertility and Pregnancy

chelsaat's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has done it again. I love that she’s able to tackle any genre and just knock it out of the park.

Here she takes on what I’d label “gothic sci-fi” in this reimagining of HG Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau. Here, Dr. Moreau works on the Yucatan peninsula and has a daughter named Carlota. Montgomery is still around as the trusty but troubled majordomo, and the hybrids - Moreau’s half-human, half-animal creations, evoke more pity than horror.

I loved how SMG twisted this tale into one of the perils of colonialism and playing god, something the original tale barely scratches the surface of. Setting this partly in Carlota’s POV also turns this into a tale of a woman discovering her own power, which I always love to see!!

My only quibble is that the writing is slightly detached, I think to mimic Wells and other gothic tales of yore. It took me a minute to get into the minds of these characters, but it did happen. Just stick with it, I promise. Part 3 in particular is nonstop…I’m still reeling from how the events played out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Animal cruelty, and Racism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, and Xenophobia

taratearex's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Silvia Moreno-Garcia does it again. Set in 19th century Mexico and loosely based on H.G. Wells' book The Island of Doctor Moreau, she takes this sci-fi slow burn mystery/thriller in her own direction by adding the background of historical fiction that she does so well and brings so much depth to the story.  

I love the atmosphere in this and the complicated characters that feel so fully realized you just become so immersed in the world she's created. She does slow burn masterfully, I can't put her books down, this one was no exception. She's truly a master of her craft and she reinvents every genre she explores in each book she writes to make it her own. 

If you liked Mexican Gothic and Velvet is the Night, you'll like this one too. 

Thank you to the publisher and Net gallery for the e-book advanced copy to review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Gore, Blood, Medical content, Racism, and Death

Moderate: Gun violence, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Medical content, and Physical abuse

Minor: Death of parent