Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

80 reviews

somebooksomewhere's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Violence, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Murder, Medical content, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Colonisation, Classism, and Cursing

Minor: Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Infertility

jhbandcats's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

I really, really liked this book! It’s a new take on an old story, and the good part is the detailed characterization of the hybrid creatures that offers a fuller picture than I’d expected. While the story isn’t directly told from their perspective, their inclusion adds depth. 

The two main characters - Dr Moreau’s daughter Carlotta and his mayordomo Montgomery - are a good foil for one another; they’re each initially suspicious of one another but that evolves into frequent but mostly friendly squabbling. Carlotta is a devoted and obedient daughter, oblivious to her father’s hidden motives, thus his betrayal is crushing. Lupe and Cachito, the two hybrids, are true friends of Carlotta, and the relationship between the three is a strong part of the book. 

The introduction of outsiders is the catalyst for disastrous revelations and an end to the peaceful life as they’ve known it. How Carlotta, Montgomery, and her friends deal with the incursion informs the last third of the book. Moreno-Garcia is a fabulous storyteller - I will read anything by her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Blood, Grief, Classism, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Torture, and Violence

scrubsandbooks's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

3.5

This had a slow start, like very slow. Once I got to a major plot twist in the latter half of the book, things went fast and became very interesting. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing is always very engaging and lyrical. The setting sounded absolutely gorgeous and I seriously wish I had been there exploring. The historical aspects of it are always my favorite thing about Silvia's books. The overall plot just didn't capture me as strongly as her other books usually do. I would still recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of H.G. Wells's original story. and is interested in reading a story set during the time of the Caste War of Yucatán.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, and Racism

Moderate: Colonisation, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Medical content

Minor: Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

pvbobrien's review against another edition

dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Racism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Gore, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence

Minor: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Slavery, War, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

softanimal's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful tense medium-paced

4.0

I love the way Moreno describes physical spaces, bodily sensations, movement and action, clothing, and scenery. I really enjoyed the two perspective characters and the structure of the storytelling as it alternated between their perspectives. The plot itself dragged a little for me until the last fifty pages unfortunately. But overall this was a wonderful reimagining with carefully researched historical elements and relatable characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Drug use, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Death of parent

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Addiction, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Chronic illness, Medical content, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Ableism, Animal death, Classism, Colonisation, Animal cruelty, and Sexual content

Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Bullying, and Cancer

wlreed312's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Colonisation

Moderate: Classism and War

aardwyrm's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.5

There's a good novella in this book if you chopped out a lot of nothing. The premise is intriguing, the prose is good, and Carlota isn't a bad viewpoint character. But 2/3 of the pages are taken up by tedious romantic drama that goes nowhere and could have been set up in a chapter. Montgomery also sucks a lot of life out of the story. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has many strengths, but writing a compelling protagonist man is not one of them. The human-animal hybrids who should be the stars of the story are barely there, but in them there's the bones of something great.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Gore, Grief, Animal death, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Violence, Ableism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

kylieqrada's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.0

My first Silvia Moreno-Garcia and I loved it!! I got sick in the second half and I am so bummed cuz I would have liked to marathon it, but overall I really enjoyed it. Plus my copy is signed my SMG and I got some background at the event. 😍

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, and Blood

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, and Gun violence

Minor: Sexual violence

sofipitch's review against another edition

• 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? It's complicated

3.0

This book is entertaining but that's about it. The first 2/3rds of the book is basically just a historical drama with the sci fi setting as an extra fancy backdrop, and while it does become more relevant compared to the actual book by H G Wells I feel like this falls short. Wells' book had a greater emphasis on horror which I feel this book really lacked. The romance was only okay. I feel like the characters weren't very well defined so the few characteristics given to them, like Montgomery's alcoholism, were harped on again and again to the point of boredom.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcoholism, and Body horror

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Racism and Classism