Scan barcode
A review by literautres
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
you’ve made a beast of yourself,—to the beasts you may go.
had it not because of me listing all of my book purchases for the last 4 years three months ago, i would have forgotten this book in my shelf. apparently i bought it in 2019, i don't even remember why i bought it or what made me buy it, i think it is one of those books i bought just so i can come out of a bookstore holding a new book and feeling content. when i found this book i considered to just donate it because i don't think i will read it.
but a few days ago i stared at my tbr shelves (i have these two bookshelves where i put all the books i haven't read to stop me from buying books) trying to decide what i should read and was like, you know what. this is a small little book with a spooky yet impressive art on the cover. i can manage a small little book. i think a small little book is what i need right now. so i started reading it and could not put it down ever since. (ok i did put it down, but you know what i mean)
the story starts with a man named edward prendick, the only survivor of the sinking ship called lady vain. he was rescued by another ship through the hands of one of its passengers, montgomery. the ship, to his surprise, is filled with wild animals under montgomery's care. due to some beef with the captain, montgomery, his wild animals, and also edward (since he was rescued by montgomenry) were expelled from the ship and they landed on montgomery’s destination, an island belonged to dr moreau, the mad scientist. on this island dr moreau conducted experiments to create these human-hybrid creatures from animals using vivisection method, until all hell breaks loose.
my first reaction to the vivisection thing was that i stared at my book in horror, which surprised me as well because this is an actual scientific method and i knew this already (i read that doctors/scientists are obliged to use anesthesia to perform this legally though) but dr moreau twisted the method in a way that i imagined was Incredibly Painful, i feel like it’s not an experiment that’s A TORTURE, the book literally described the screaming sound of a puma being vivisected as ‘it was as if all the pain in the world had found a voice.’
also the way this is written from the first person’s pov (edward’s) made me feel like i shared the same shock with the character in a way where his shock, his fear, were all mine too. so this is a tiny book, but quite exhausting.
(oh and how dr moreau explained his reasoning to edward when he was terrified as fuck, i mean, no kidding, made me want to throw up. what the hell, man.)
in some ways, though, the story draws several philosophical concepts including morality and ethics on science experiments. how far can you go? does science really is limitless, are you really justified to do everything in the name of science, to twist nature, and which part of it is worth it enough? and what about when what has been done fire back at you in the worst way possible?
there is also this questioning on human nature and identity, this implied irony that inside every human there is a beast as well, that inside every beast there is a little human there. i think the book also nudged the ‘worshipping’ concept, because moreau’s experiments (the Beast People) has this faith system ingrained into them that makes them believe moreau is the one that created the Law they should all obey, or else they will go back to the House of Pain (moreau’s house) and other consequences. they even have this eerie chant, almost like a prayer, mostly warnings though, to not do this and that, they have this Sawyer of the Law (which i believe is like their priest?)
the storytelling is chilling and sinister, made me feel goosebumps and kept me up at night, but also there are desperate parts (mostly on edward’s side), and tragic parts (montgomery, the animals) didn’t really care about what happened to dr moreau though, serves him right me thinks. (i can be really judgy sometimes, sorry)
honestly, this was a remarkable read especially considering i didn’t think i would like this book. not sure if i’m going for a re-read someday, but i still want to keep this book for now.
had it not because of me listing all of my book purchases for the last 4 years three months ago, i would have forgotten this book in my shelf. apparently i bought it in 2019, i don't even remember why i bought it or what made me buy it, i think it is one of those books i bought just so i can come out of a bookstore holding a new book and feeling content. when i found this book i considered to just donate it because i don't think i will read it.
but a few days ago i stared at my tbr shelves (i have these two bookshelves where i put all the books i haven't read to stop me from buying books) trying to decide what i should read and was like, you know what. this is a small little book with a spooky yet impressive art on the cover. i can manage a small little book. i think a small little book is what i need right now. so i started reading it and could not put it down ever since. (ok i did put it down, but you know what i mean)
the story starts with a man named edward prendick, the only survivor of the sinking ship called lady vain. he was rescued by another ship through the hands of one of its passengers, montgomery. the ship, to his surprise, is filled with wild animals under montgomery's care. due to some beef with the captain, montgomery, his wild animals, and also edward (since he was rescued by montgomenry) were expelled from the ship and they landed on montgomery’s destination, an island belonged to dr moreau, the mad scientist. on this island dr moreau conducted experiments to create these human-hybrid creatures from animals using vivisection method, until all hell breaks loose.
my first reaction to the vivisection thing was that i stared at my book in horror, which surprised me as well because this is an actual scientific method and i knew this already (i read that doctors/scientists are obliged to use anesthesia to perform this legally though) but dr moreau twisted the method in a way that i imagined was Incredibly Painful, i feel like it’s not an experiment that’s A TORTURE, the book literally described the screaming sound of a puma being vivisected as ‘it was as if all the pain in the world had found a voice.’
also the way this is written from the first person’s pov (edward’s) made me feel like i shared the same shock with the character in a way where his shock, his fear, were all mine too. so this is a tiny book, but quite exhausting.
(oh and how dr moreau explained his reasoning to edward when he was terrified as fuck, i mean, no kidding, made me want to throw up. what the hell, man.)
in some ways, though, the story draws several philosophical concepts including morality and ethics on science experiments. how far can you go? does science really is limitless, are you really justified to do everything in the name of science, to twist nature, and which part of it is worth it enough? and what about when what has been done fire back at you in the worst way possible?
there is also this questioning on human nature and identity, this implied irony that inside every human there is a beast as well, that inside every beast there is a little human there. i think the book also nudged the ‘worshipping’ concept, because moreau’s experiments (the Beast People) has this faith system ingrained into them that makes them believe moreau is the one that created the Law they should all obey, or else they will go back to the House of Pain (moreau’s house) and other consequences. they even have this eerie chant, almost like a prayer, mostly warnings though, to not do this and that, they have this Sawyer of the Law (which i believe is like their priest?)
the storytelling is chilling and sinister, made me feel goosebumps and kept me up at night, but also there are desperate parts (mostly on edward’s side), and tragic parts (montgomery, the animals) didn’t really care about what happened to dr moreau though, serves him right me thinks. (i can be really judgy sometimes, sorry)
honestly, this was a remarkable read especially considering i didn’t think i would like this book. not sure if i’m going for a re-read someday, but i still want to keep this book for now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Death