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

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

3.5



“Hers was the water and the black soil and the trees and those birds in flight not because she owned them but because they had each other."

This was an interesting reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau that incorporates historical events and cultural ideologies from late 1800s Mexico. 


💕Aspects I enjoyed: 💕

🐆 Much of the original premise is the same, where the doctor works on creating hybrid human + animal creatures. I love that we see some of them as primary characters! This allows us to examine what humanity really means, comparing the humanity of the hybrids against that of the humans.

🐕 There is a unique take on found family, and this is built upon throughout the novel.

🐐 There are multiple themes explored, including colonialism, gender stereotypes, racial inequality, and ethics in scientific experimentation.

🐆 The book steered away from some of the tropes I expected it to embrace, which was extremely refreshing!

🐕 The character depth and growth for the protagonist was wonderful to see as she grew in her own sense of justice and self-worth.


✨Some things I wished: ✨

🐐 I thought the book needed a bit more sci-fi material. For a story marketed as historical science fiction, I felt that it didn’t include much of the science. We come into the novel with the hybrids already in existence, and we don’t really learn much about the doctor’s theories or procedures. 

🐆 While we get some depth and growth from a few of the side characters, I wish we’d gotten more of their perspectives and growth. I especially wish we’d had more from the housekeeper who watched over the household and a few of the hybrids.


Overall I enjoyed the book! I’m glad I read it, but there was a bit of spark missing for me, so I don’t know that I’d read it again. I’ll definitely be checking out other books by the author, though, as I thought her ideas were unique and her writing was engaging!
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