Reviews tagging 'War'

Fiica doctorului Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

18 reviews

alixbx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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

3.0

You most likely will not like either of the characters from whom we hear this story: Carlota & Montgomery. Carlota is childish and selfish to a fault and it is very rarely endearing. Montgomery struggles with addiction and is jaded by his ex-wife for who he went into extreme debt to try an keep her married to him. Carlota instigates fights with everyone and Montgomery buys into any disagreement no matter what. Eduardo is a brat. Doctor Moreau is an absolute jerk beginning to end. The only redeemable characters are the hybrids, specifically Cachito and Lupe. Ramona is also a gift. By the end epilogue, Montgomery is somewhat likable because he has the most character development of anyone in the book, but the epilogue's end is really confusion. This next section is really important and contains some level of spoilers and will be marked as such, but if you have any sexual triggers, it'll be important for you to read it.

There are two sexual triggers in this book: age-gap attraction and undisclosed beastiality. The signs that Montgomery is attracted to Carlota are evident pretty early in the book, but it is unclear what their age-gap is until much later in the book. Since Montgomery has already been married and divorced, you can surmise there is a notable age gap, but about 2/3 of the way into the book we learn that it is a 15 year ago gap. The bulk of the book takes place when Carlota is 20 years old and Montgomery is 35. He meets her when she is 14 and still play dolls, and even discussing watching her grow up. It's really uncomfortable to read. Later in the book, there are sexual encounters between Carlota and Eduardo Lizalde. I was not keen minded enough to realize that Carlota herself is a hybrid, shame on me, but she has sex with Eduardo multiple times before it is revealed that she is part jaguar. Eduardo still wishes to have a sexual relationship with her for the remainder of his time in the book. So we learn after the fact that we have this unknowing beastiality and then it becomes a desired sexual encounter. I had to take a break from the book for several hours to really process if I was going to finish it because that's just not something I really want to read about, but I was able to overcome it only because I don't like Eduardo so I never wanted there to be a sexual relationship between Carlota and him, but also because I just don't care for Carlota's character either.

In thinking about all the trigger warnings, my love of Silvia's other book (Mexican Gothic), and the epilogue - I'm not regretful that I've read this book, but I am not as impressed with this story. It is rated lower on average by readers than Mexican Gothic, perhaps because some of the other content in the other book being even more controversial than this, but the plot of the other book is resolved much more neatly than this one. Do not expect a happy ending or a concrete vision of an ending, either. I think I honestly had more questions than answers by the end of it. The only thing I can say positively is that Carlota

doesn't end up in any romantic relationship

and it is so rarely seen for stories where there is a female lead character.

My best advice - really look at the trigger warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Minor: War

Beastiality, One-sided attraction, Age-gap attraction, Age-gap sexual content

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Pregnancy, and War

Minor: Cancer and Infertility

meat_muffin's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Xenophobia, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Confinement and Pregnancy

vixenreader's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Sexual violence, Suicide, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Chronic illness, Drug use, Genocide, Religious bigotry, Murder, Dysphoria, and War

Please remember to be aware of animal-human hybrids, death of a spouse, grief over a lost relationship, financial struggles, dehumanizations of slaves, attempted rape, animal violence, first sex experiences, narcissism, surrogacy, and experimentation on animals.

spicycronereads's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Suicide, War, and Classism

abril_chavez's review against another edition

emotional hopeful slow-paced

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

4.0

This book presents a fantastical, whimsical far away land that's been shaped by important politics and colonization of the time. It adds elements of a love story, not just your classic love story, but the love within a family, love for one's self, and how different sorts of love can be toxic. Although "love story" would not be the main way to describe this book; it's mostly a book about a family who's trying to stay together and hold onto the peace they've created for themselves in their isolated Hacienda when threat comes knocking on their door. If you've read The Island of Dr. Moreau, then you sort of know what to expect in terms of characters in the book. If you haven't, like me when I started this book, then you're in for an unexpected twist that makes the story so much better.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body horror, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and War

gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: War

amartin48's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

This is an excellent book for lovers of fables! Nothing terribly challenging or unpredictable happens, but it is an entertaining read that takes you right where you want to go, with a pinch of mystery along the way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Medical content

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Violence

Minor: Confinement, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and War

birduh's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious sad 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Trafficking and Death of parent

wholeottabooks's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, and War