Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

26 reviews

inirac's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Really enjoyed this. I'm glad it made an effort to ground the original story in the history of the area and gave agency to characters that I had been curious about.

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lady_valhella's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75


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lynxpardinus's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious

4.25


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wellreadandhalfdead's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5


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meat_muffin's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.75

Wow, not gonna lie, this book was PAINFULLY slow and boring. Sure, the prose was pretty, but nothing??? happened??? for the first HALF of the book! I was just waiting for plot! Overrated, not gonna lie

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vixenreader's review

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

Half of the book is more about atmosphere than plot. Be patient, because you will get a thrilling climax once you get over the hump and see how the author subverts Wells’ sci-fi classic in the best possible way. 

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spicycronereads's review

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious slow-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

4.5

This novel is loosely based on HG Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau. Like much of Moreno-Garcia’s work, the novel takes it’s time establishing characters, world building, and bringing the reader into the political context of the setting. And much like other work of hers that I have read, once the conflict of the plot is established, I didn’t want to put it down. There are romance, action, and science fiction elements that blend seamlessly into the backdrop of conflict between indigenous Maya people and European-descended landowners in Yucatán, Mexico. 

The novel is a split POV between Carlota, the daughter of Doctor Moreau, and Montgomery, the mayordomo of Moreau’s scientific hacienda. Though we also hear Montgomery’s perspective, the novel is indisputably Carlota’s tale. Her narrative arc, including the challenges in her relationship with Lupe, drive home the horror of Moreau’s experiments. The references to eugenics add nuance to the novel’s backdrop against the Caste War of Yucatán.
I was waiting and waiting and silently cheered at the moment that she owns her power and uses it to save those she loves and to avoid the life in which Eduardo would trap her. Then when she manipulates the class-anxiety of her uncle to get her hopeful ending… *chef’s kiss*


Montgomery’s perspective serves most usefully to ratchet up the dramatic irony as his (sometimes drunken) observations of Carlota clue the reader in that there may be more to her story than anyone realizes.
Montgomery’s backstory gives the reader a sense of the possible tragic alternatives that Carlota faces. His trauma and unhealthy coping mechanisms drive home that  colonialism and patriarchy are toxic for everyone. 

The secondary characters of Lupe, Cachito, and Ramona add dimension to the novel, suggesting a model of chosen or found family that can be more caring and supportive than biological family. 

If you are looking for a traditional romance plot and a neatly tied up HEA, this isn’t it. But if you want an atmospheric novel with action and romance, a FMC you can root for, and an ending in which the marginalized can thrive against imperialist forces, then I highly recommend this one. 

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paulineerika's review

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adventurous challenging dark hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Absolutely one of my favorite Silvia Moreno-Garcia books, if not my favorite. It's a fresh and engaging take on The Island of Doctor Moreau. The characters are wonderfully written (even if I did roll my eyes once in awhile at Carlota) and the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico, with all the themes of colonialism and imperialism and everything that goes along with those, was perfect. And I loved the ending--very fitting for the story.

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madamenovelist's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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


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rhi_'s review against another edition

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

3.0


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