A review by mrswhiteinthelibrary
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
4.0
I'm consistently impressed with the variety of genres and concepts Silvia Moreno-Garcia works with. This is my fourth novel of hers and I think I have a feel for what to expect from her, even if I never know what ideas she'll be working with. This retelling/reworking of H.G. Wells' Island of Doctor Moreau bears many of Moreno-Garcia's trademarks: a feminist tilt, a slow build, relevant historical background and themes of white supremacy and colonialism. She does a good job capturing the tone and slow pace of Wells and his contemporaries (confession, I've never read the original, though I've read other Wells work) while adding her own stamp to them.
For all of its good points, I would be remiss to say this book does drag overly long in the middle, focusing on a courtship that, while it will be the linchpin in the climax of the story, drags on for too long, and the science fiction elements get so lost they become mundane. As both are often features of "scientific romance" I can forgive a lot, but it was frustrating to be so lost in ruffles and lace when there were freaking *human animal hybrids* around. Still, like in other books, the final act was such an immense game changer and upped the ante to such an extreme degree that I was breathless by the end. Even with a twist telegraphed so much the whole time, it was delivered so well, and the characterization of the two leads, Carlotta and Montgomery, was realized so well, I could forgive the middle of the book for much.
For all of its good points, I would be remiss to say this book does drag overly long in the middle, focusing on a courtship that, while it will be the linchpin in the climax of the story, drags on for too long, and the science fiction elements get so lost they become mundane. As both are often features of "scientific romance" I can forgive a lot, but it was frustrating to be so lost in ruffles and lace when there were freaking *human animal hybrids* around. Still, like in other books, the final act was such an immense game changer and upped the ante to such an extreme degree that I was breathless by the end. Even with a twist telegraphed so much the whole time, it was delivered so well, and the characterization of the two leads, Carlotta and Montgomery, was realized so well, I could forgive the middle of the book for much.