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directorpurry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse and Miscarriage
chinue's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, and Alcohol
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
4.25
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
vixenreader's review
- 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
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.trips's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
What could have a been an interesting retelling of HG Wells Classic that explored interesting power dynamics, to me was a very slow experience that wasn't by any means a bad time, but it also wasn't a very good time either. I appreciated the sci-fi story with the historical Mexican background, in fact that is my favorite aspect of this entire book.
What I didn't like is that Carlota and Montgomery get fleshed out in boring internal monologues that are too lengthy and do nothing for the overall story. Sadly this book could've been a novella and would've had the same impact I think...
But it wasn't BAD by any means, the author is clearly a talented writer. There just wasn't really a ton of tension until the last 25% of the book and by that point I was just...very bored. Sadly disappointing.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Racism and Sexual assault
Minor: Animal cruelty
bubblegirl858's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol
annemaries_shelves's review
- 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
4.25
Absolutely read this book in the summer!
Silvia Moreno-Garcia's skills with atmosphere and setting descriptions meant I felt the heat and sounds of the jungle, experiences all the more enhanced by the heat wave we're currently experiencing.
I haven't read The Island of Doctor Moreau (only familiar with the premise) so can't comment on the re-telling aspects, but I thought SGM did a good job of creating a new story wholly her own. As mentioned, the atmosphere and setting were fantastic, and I appreciated the characters. None of the characters are even close to perfect - in fact, Carlota and Montegomery in particular are frustrating in their flaws, but damn did I enjoy reading the dialogue, inner monologues, and character interactions. I think some readers will be frustrated with Carlota but I thought her quite realistic considering her upbringing and she really grew over the course of the novel. I would have liked more exploration of her feelings during/after the reveal, since the novel wraps up pretty quickly afterwards.
SGM had a lot to say thematically about colonialism, disability (coded with the hybrids), family relationships, religion, and power dynamics (to list a few). Doctor Moreau is one of those people so blinded by his own intelligence and goals, that he sees the ends justifying the means, and views everyone under his care/responsibility as lesser. The slow breakdown of his relationships and interactions with his daughter and the hybrids as more information is revealed highlights the power of knowledge (and religion) is maintaining control.
I would have loved to see more on-page scenes with the Mayan rebels, but will have to content myself with what's given to us. The afterword on historical context was appreciated. I always learn something new from her novels.
As with her other novels, the pacing is uneven - though I can never decide if it's intentional (I'm leaning that way). The first half is almost always slower than the second half, where the action takes off (and this novel fits that model).
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It's a fun and relatively fast read, with some good themes and a solid though somewhat open to the future possibilities ending.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Colonisation
julianimal's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death and Medical content
Minor: Suicide
calcifire's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
rhi_'s review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Violence, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism