A review by spicycronereads
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings