The Daughter of Doctor Moreau

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau cover
Good Books rating 3.83
Gothic
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Paperback • £9.99
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  • ID: 7669
  • Added: 2025-12-16
  • Updated: 2025-12-31
  • ISBN: 9781529418026
  • Publisher: Hachette UK
  • Published: 2022-07-19
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

Carlota Moreau grows up in a distant, luxurious estate, shielded from the conflicts of the Yucatan peninsula. She is the only daughter of an eccentric and dangerous genius, whose experiments include a motley group of hybrid monstrosities. Into her strange but balanced world comes Eduardo Lizalde, the charming son of her father's patrons. As Carlota's feelings awaken and she begins to question her father's secrets, she risks igniting a conflagration. /n/n The novel combines contemporary political awareness with the appeal of a creepy gothic romance, set against the backdrop of colonialism, heredity, and scientific hubris. It's a vivid, alluring, and unsettling tale filled with action, romance, and monsters.

Reviews
LA Review of Books · 2023-03-11
compelling 4.50

The prose is capable and at times beautiful, offering a sound feminist critique of the original story. The book decodes patriarchal protocols in a compelling manner.

This review praises the capable and beautiful prose, highlighting the feminist critique that Moreno-Garcia brings to the story. The reviewer appreciates how the book decodes the patriarchal protocols of its source material, making it a compelling read. The feminist perspective adds depth and relevance to the narrative.

Quick quotes

    In capable, at times beautiful prose, Moreno-Garcia makes a sound feminist critique that decodes the patriarchal protocols of its source.

    The book decodes the patriarchal protocols of its source material in a compelling manner.

    The feminist perspective adds depth and relevance to the narrative.

Karissa Reads Books · Karissa · 2022-10-24
engaging 3.00

The story is familiar enough to reference, which helps in understanding the narrative. The reviewer found it kind of thin in some areas but overall engaging.

Karissa notes that the story's familiarity makes it accessible, even for those who haven't read the original. She appreciates the engaging narrative but feels that some parts of the plot could be more developed. The reviewer finds the book to be a good read, despite some thin spots in the story.

Quick quotes

    It's one of those stories that's familiar enough to reference, even if you haven't read it, which helps a lot here.

    I did find it kind of thin in some areas but overall engaging.

    The story's familiarity makes it accessible.

Grimdark Magazine · 2022-10-13
intriguing 4.00

The novel reads like a classic gothic tale, blending historical drama with modern fantasy elements. The reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau is both lavish and intriguing.

This review highlights how the book successfully captures the essence of a gothic novel while incorporating elements of historical drama. The setting in 19th-century Mexico adds a rich layer to the story, making it a compelling read. The reviewer appreciates the blend of classic and modern fantasy, noting that the novel's reimagining of the original story is both ambitious and well-executed.

Quick quotes

    The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is a standalone story which reads more like a classic gothic novel rather than a modern fantasy.

    The novel's reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau is both lavish and intriguing.

    The setting in 19th-century Mexico adds a rich layer to the story.

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