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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
3.5/5
The story centers around Doctor Moreau and the curious experiments he is conducting on an unknown island. The events are told from the perspective of Pendrick who has recently been brought to the island after being found at sea by Moreau’s assistant, Montgomery.
I enjoyed this book but found some parts of the story hard to dive into. The idea itself is very interesting, but perhaps because I study biology in the 21st century it came across as a bit dated. Unlike War of the Worlds for example, where it is easy to suspend disbelief and immerse yourself in the story, I found myself questioning a lot of what was happening here. That being said, the writing is very enjoyable. Moreau makes for an excellent mad scientist - mad in his ambitions but not his abilities - and Pendrick is a solid protagonist.
The story centers around Doctor Moreau and the curious experiments he is conducting on an unknown island. The events are told from the perspective of Pendrick who has recently been brought to the island after being found at sea by Moreau’s assistant, Montgomery.
I enjoyed this book but found some parts of the story hard to dive into. The idea itself is very interesting, but perhaps because I study biology in the 21st century it came across as a bit dated. Unlike War of the Worlds for example, where it is easy to suspend disbelief and immerse yourself in the story, I found myself questioning a lot of what was happening here. That being said, the writing is very enjoyable. Moreau makes for an excellent mad scientist - mad in his ambitions but not his abilities - and Pendrick is a solid protagonist.
This book was terrifyingly creepy. And I loved it. Wells, like Jules Verne, was ahead of his time. I am glad I listened to this one as an audiobook instead of reading it.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
A classic and a Victorian Science Fiction following the premise of "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, or "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson (my personal favourite) and "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"by Phillip K. Dick, among others, where men try to become God, are unable to control their creations and end up killed by them.
Edward Prendick is the survivor of a shipwreck and ends up in the Island of Dr. Moreau, who is a sociopath who doesn't care about the animals he decides experiment with. He does vivisection to transform animals into humans and he does also combinations of different kind of animals which are very painful to them. He doesn't care. And he actually loses quickly interest in the creations as soon as he is done with them. Some who he thinks represent his failure he even kills. What a horrible man. The poor beings are now following some rules to try to be human but without continuous intervention, they are bound to go back to their natural animal state, with the exception of the poor ones who are hybrid and now are bound to be the atrocities of Science forever.
Dr. Moreau is arrogant and is one of those people who think the rules don't apply to them. He is shunned by society due to his experiments and ends up in this island where he can do whatever he wants but still he is never satisfied.
There is a theme that I saw in the book I've recently read, "The Lord of the Flies by William Golding which is the absence of laws and society driving the animals - and the humans, since we are animals as well - to chaos and savagery. Comparably, the same occurs with the boys in "The Lord of the Flies" where they descend quickly into barbarie as there is no religion, law or society to give them boundaries.
The Science without ethics and boundaries is a huge theme here. When we think of this book being written in 1896 and that Josef Mengele would come not even 50 years later to experiment in humans in the most horrific ways, we can see how visionary this novel is. Science without a purpose and ethics can lead to chaos since bad actors such as Mengele can end up treating people and animals as things and bringing much suffering for their own vanity and delusions of grandeur.
Finally, Pendrick goes from trying to commit suicide several times to doing everything he can to survive,
This is a very interesting book that is thought provoking and very actual.
Edward Prendick is the survivor of a shipwreck and ends up in the Island of Dr. Moreau, who is a sociopath who doesn't care about the animals he decides experiment with. He does vivisection to transform animals into humans and he does also combinations of different kind of animals which are very painful to them. He doesn't care. And he actually loses quickly interest in the creations as soon as he is done with them. Some who he thinks represent his failure he even kills. What a horrible man. The poor beings are now following some rules to try to be human but without continuous intervention, they are bound to go back to their natural animal state, with the exception of the poor ones who are hybrid and now are bound to be the atrocities of Science forever.
Dr. Moreau is arrogant and is one of those people who think the rules don't apply to them. He is shunned by society due to his experiments and ends up in this island where he can do whatever he wants but still he is never satisfied.
Spoiler
Being killed by one of his creation was a good karma for such a horrible man.There is a theme that I saw in the book I've recently read, "The Lord of the Flies by William Golding which is the absence of laws and society driving the animals - and the humans, since we are animals as well - to chaos and savagery.
Spoiler
When Dr. Moreau dies, the authority of the Law is questioned, the "beast society" crumbles and chaos erupts.Spoiler
Pendrick himself cannot live normally in society as before, because in the island he saw the humanity in the animals, but back in society he sees the animal and savagery in the humans. There is but a small thin line separating both.The Science without ethics and boundaries is a huge theme here.
Spoiler
To the point that all of Dr. Moreau's work dies with him, and it's pointless. It brought a lot of suffering for the creatures but no good to society.Finally, Pendrick goes from trying to commit suicide several times to doing everything he can to survive,
Spoiler
including imitating actions done by Dr. Moreau and Montgomery. Montgomery is another interesting character: he is more beast than human according to Pendrick andSpoiler
it's fitting that he ends up killed by the Sayer of the Law, who is the most "human" of the Beasts.This is a very interesting book that is thought provoking and very actual.
The book today is not something that necessarily has to be read, a synopsis would do but at the time it was written it would have been an interesting novel.
At the time of the novel's publication in 1896, there was growing discussion in Europe regarding degeneration and animal vivisection. Several interest groups were formed to oppose vivisection, the two largest being the National Anti-Vivisection Society in 1875 and the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection in 1898.[9] The Island of Dr. Moreau reflects these themes, along with ideas of Darwinian evolution which were gaining popularity and controversy in the late 1800s.
At the time of the novel's publication in 1896, there was growing discussion in Europe regarding degeneration and animal vivisection. Several interest groups were formed to oppose vivisection, the two largest being the National Anti-Vivisection Society in 1875 and the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection in 1898.[9] The Island of Dr. Moreau reflects these themes, along with ideas of Darwinian evolution which were gaining popularity and controversy in the late 1800s.
Racist and unpleasant, with nowhere near the well-developed story of The Time Machine or War of the Worlds.
I enjoyed the book, finding the language very accessible (a mild surprise for a book from around 1900) and efficient. It reads very quickly and keeps you engaged.
One item that struck me was a few feelings from the narrator reminding me of Life of Pi.
I do highly recommend reading the book first before any foreward or introduction, which is what I did with my version. The foreward went deep into the themes and scenes and digging into the work. Great to read, AFTER you enjoy the story of the text.
One item that struck me was a few feelings from the narrator reminding me of Life of Pi.
I do highly recommend reading the book first before any foreward or introduction, which is what I did with my version. The foreward went deep into the themes and scenes and digging into the work. Great to read, AFTER you enjoy the story of the text.
challenging
dark
sad
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol
Entertaining tale of moral choice and personal integrity