Reviews

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

laurenkraigco's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.0

aniventure's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

3.75

undercoverfeesh's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

3.85 ⭐️

I love how lush, gorgeous, mysterious and wild the Yucatán landscape seemed in this novel. The colonizers' misconception that the Yucatán was an island -- and the jungle's vitality and impenetrability -- helped create a perfect setup for a retelling of "The Island of Doctor Moreau." 

The book shone through its themes of feminism and its unflinching examination of colorism/internalized racism in Mexican society, Mexico's patriarchy, and the history of the enslavement of the Maya people (and ensuing Maya resistance).

I did find the plot largely predictable; hence, its 3.85 star rating. But, as a woman of Mexican descent, it felt so good and meaningful to read this book and feel so at home in the wilderness.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Misogyny

annika_th's review against another edition

adventurous dark lighthearted tense medium-paced

3.75

Cool characters and thoughtful themes. I was hoping it would be spookier.

smfaulkner's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

agwood32's review against another edition

4.0

I don't know what it is about SMG's writing, but I eat her books up in like two days. Regardless of my nit-picky comments, she's always going to deliver a story that pulls me in. 

elread0's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

the_raenaissance's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

iamdemi's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective

4.0

kdrhoton's review against another edition

4.0

Silvia Moreno-Garcia can do no wrong in my book. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is another haunting, atmospheric tale tackling such issues as racism, colonialism, and sexism. There’s a brilliancy to the way in which Moreno-Garcia portrays her hybrid characters and how this juxtaposes the way in which the colonizers view said “monsters”. While this story was a bit slower than her other works, I think the slow burn build worked beautifully. Now to sit and eagerly anticipate what she comes out with next.

Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the advanced copy.