Scan barcode
liamlaurence's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Mental illness, Gore, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Blood
nubecato's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Murder, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror and Alcoholism
Minor: Torture
tungstenmouse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book did not age well at all. Some of the attitudes presented are appalling by today’s standards. It’s also brutal and very dark. If you are very attached to animals you may have a very hard time with this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Gore, Blood, Cursing, Death, Alcoholism, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Violence, Torture, and Racism
Moderate: Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Ableism
donxmore's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Animal death
kstericker's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Racism
Minor: Cannibalism and Fire/Fire injury
bookish_bry's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This was an interesting short read. It has a plot that keeps you engaged, but at the same time that plot isn't really the point of the story. This book is really just one big metaphor reflecting on humanity and what being human means. It's about what separates us from animals and what doesn't. I think the end where Prendick starts to see the animal traits in real humans really drives this home.
There's a lot of interesting things this book calls into question. I find myself thinking of the humanity of Doctor Moreau and Montgomery verses the beast people and wonder which actually express more humanity. I think on that island everyone slipped back to their natural beastly ways at least a bit even the humans and especially Moreau with his horrible cruelty. Montgomery as well seemed to show this with the way he just laid down and accepted Moreau's actions, seeming to slip a bit into obedience. You could even compare the way he bent to Moreau to the way his companion M'Ling bent to him.
Overall, I'd probably give the story about a 3 star rating, but if you view it as an extended metaphor, I'd give it a more than 4 star rating.
There's a lot of interesting things this book calls into question. I find myself thinking of the humanity of Doctor Moreau and Montgomery verses the
Overall, I'd probably give the story about a 3 star rating, but if you view it as an extended metaphor, I'd give it a more than 4 star rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Racism, Gun violence, Murder, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide attempt and Fire/Fire injury
claremcg's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death
Moderate: Racism and Misogyny
literautres's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
you’ve made a beast of yourself,—to the beasts you may go.
had it not because of me listing all of my book purchases for the last 4 years three months ago, i would have forgotten this book in my shelf. apparently i bought it in 2019, i don't even remember why i bought it or what made me buy it, i think it is one of those books i bought just so i can come out of a bookstore holding a new book and feeling content. when i found this book i considered to just donate it because i don't think i will read it.
but a few days ago i stared at my tbr shelves (i have these two bookshelves where i put all the books i haven't read to stop me from buying books) trying to decide what i should read and was like, you know what. this is a small little book with a spooky yet impressive art on the cover. i can manage a small little book. i think a small little book is what i need right now. so i started reading it and could not put it down ever since. (ok i did put it down, but you know what i mean)
the story starts with a man named edward prendick, the only survivor of the sinking ship called lady vain. he was rescued by another ship through the hands of one of its passengers, montgomery. the ship, to his surprise, is filled with wild animals under montgomery's care. due to some beef with the captain, montgomery, his wild animals, and also edward (since he was rescued by montgomenry) were expelled from the ship and they landed on montgomery’s destination, an island belonged to dr moreau, the mad scientist. on this island dr moreau conducted experiments to create these human-hybrid creatures from animals using vivisection method, until all hell breaks loose.
my first reaction to the vivisection thing was that i stared at my book in horror, which surprised me as well because this is an actual scientific method and i knew this already (i read that doctors/scientists are obliged to use anesthesia to perform this legally though) but dr moreau twisted the method in a way that i imagined was Incredibly Painful, i feel like it’s not an experiment that’s A TORTURE, the book literally described the screaming sound of a puma being vivisected as ‘it was as if all the pain in the world had found a voice.’
also the way this is written from the first person’s pov (edward’s) made me feel like i shared the same shock with the character in a way where his shock, his fear, were all mine too. so this is a tiny book, but quite exhausting.
(oh and how dr moreau explained his reasoning to edward when he was terrified as fuck, i mean, no kidding, made me want to throw up. what the hell, man.)
in some ways, though, the story draws several philosophical concepts including morality and ethics on science experiments. how far can you go? does science really is limitless, are you really justified to do everything in the name of science, to twist nature, and which part of it is worth it enough? and what about when what has been done fire back at you in the worst way possible?
there is also this questioning on human nature and identity, this implied irony that inside every human there is a beast as well, that inside every beast there is a little human there. i think the book also nudged the ‘worshipping’ concept, because moreau’s experiments (the Beast People) has this faith system ingrained into them that makes them believe moreau is the one that created the Law they should all obey, or else they will go back to the House of Pain (moreau’s house) and other consequences. they even have this eerie chant, almost like a prayer, mostly warnings though, to not do this and that, they have this Sawyer of the Law (which i believe is like their priest?)
the storytelling is chilling and sinister, made me feel goosebumps and kept me up at night, but also there are desperate parts (mostly on edward’s side), and tragic parts (montgomery, the animals) didn’t really care about what happened to dr moreau though, serves him right me thinks. (i can be really judgy sometimes, sorry)
honestly, this was a remarkable read especially considering i didn’t think i would like this book. not sure if i’m going for a re-read someday, but i still want to keep this book for now.
had it not because of me listing all of my book purchases for the last 4 years three months ago, i would have forgotten this book in my shelf. apparently i bought it in 2019, i don't even remember why i bought it or what made me buy it, i think it is one of those books i bought just so i can come out of a bookstore holding a new book and feeling content. when i found this book i considered to just donate it because i don't think i will read it.
but a few days ago i stared at my tbr shelves (i have these two bookshelves where i put all the books i haven't read to stop me from buying books) trying to decide what i should read and was like, you know what. this is a small little book with a spooky yet impressive art on the cover. i can manage a small little book. i think a small little book is what i need right now. so i started reading it and could not put it down ever since. (ok i did put it down, but you know what i mean)
the story starts with a man named edward prendick, the only survivor of the sinking ship called lady vain. he was rescued by another ship through the hands of one of its passengers, montgomery. the ship, to his surprise, is filled with wild animals under montgomery's care. due to some beef with the captain, montgomery, his wild animals, and also edward (since he was rescued by montgomenry) were expelled from the ship and they landed on montgomery’s destination, an island belonged to dr moreau, the mad scientist. on this island dr moreau conducted experiments to create these human-hybrid creatures from animals using vivisection method, until all hell breaks loose.
my first reaction to the vivisection thing was that i stared at my book in horror, which surprised me as well because this is an actual scientific method and i knew this already (i read that doctors/scientists are obliged to use anesthesia to perform this legally though) but dr moreau twisted the method in a way that i imagined was Incredibly Painful, i feel like it’s not an experiment that’s A TORTURE, the book literally described the screaming sound of a puma being vivisected as ‘it was as if all the pain in the world had found a voice.’
also the way this is written from the first person’s pov (edward’s) made me feel like i shared the same shock with the character in a way where his shock, his fear, were all mine too. so this is a tiny book, but quite exhausting.
(oh and how dr moreau explained his reasoning to edward when he was terrified as fuck, i mean, no kidding, made me want to throw up. what the hell, man.)
in some ways, though, the story draws several philosophical concepts including morality and ethics on science experiments. how far can you go? does science really is limitless, are you really justified to do everything in the name of science, to twist nature, and which part of it is worth it enough? and what about when what has been done fire back at you in the worst way possible?
there is also this questioning on human nature and identity, this implied irony that inside every human there is a beast as well, that inside every beast there is a little human there. i think the book also nudged the ‘worshipping’ concept, because moreau’s experiments (the Beast People) has this faith system ingrained into them that makes them believe moreau is the one that created the Law they should all obey, or else they will go back to the House of Pain (moreau’s house) and other consequences. they even have this eerie chant, almost like a prayer, mostly warnings though, to not do this and that, they have this Sawyer of the Law (which i believe is like their priest?)
the storytelling is chilling and sinister, made me feel goosebumps and kept me up at night, but also there are desperate parts (mostly on edward’s side), and tragic parts (montgomery, the animals) didn’t really care about what happened to dr moreau though, serves him right me thinks. (i can be really judgy sometimes, sorry)
honestly, this was a remarkable read especially considering i didn’t think i would like this book. not sure if i’m going for a re-read someday, but i still want to keep this book for now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Death
jbabbm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This book was better than I expected, and it's an easy to read classic. Wells decided to use the Island and its Beast Folk as a literary device to tackle various moral topics. I truly consider this a must read.
Also, this is classified as a children's book apparently but I honestly wouldn't read it to children below the age of 10 at least. It's not scary or gory, but I do think that it deals with complicated subjects that may prove too heavy/upsetting for a kid.
Also, this is classified as a children's book apparently but I honestly wouldn't read it to children below the age of 10 at least. It's not scary or gory, but I do think that it deals with complicated subjects that may prove too heavy/upsetting for a kid.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Gun violence
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
robynsimpson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Death, Torture, Murder, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, and Gun violence