Daughter of Doctor Moreau

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Silvia Moreno-Garcia: Daughter of Doctor Moreau (AudiobookFormat, 2022, Books On Tape)

Unabridged

English language

Published July 19, 2022 by Books On Tape.

ISBN:
978-0-593-61002-2
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4 stars (2 reviews)

Carlota Moreau: A young woman growing up on a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of a researcher who is either a genius or a madman. Montgomery Laughton: A melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers. The hybrids: The fruits of the doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities. All of them live in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Dr. Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction. For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and, in the sweltering …

3 editions

Fun science fiction mystery, underwhelming character chemistry

4 stars

I loved the Yucatan setting and the core mystery of this novel. The main concept is adapted from an old SF book featuring the same Doctor, but I appreciate how it was transplanted into this setting with the political undercurrent of the late 1800's. Most of the supporting cast are quite spunky and really stood out. Unfortunately I do feel like the two main characters don't have much of a relationship; they also tend to be a little one-note and frustrating.

The audiobook narration was also quite high quality particularly in the use of Mexican, French, and English accents. The narrator (Gisela Chípe) really brought the characters to life with craft and energy.

Well done if not my cup of tea

No rating

This isn’t that bad a book by any means but I do think you need to want to read something from this genre to fully enjoy it and unfortunately that isn’t really me. I will say that it was well enough executed that I still finished it and mildly enjoyed it though. If I was more into magical realism and Gabriel García Márquez I’d have enjoyed it a lot more tho.

Subjects

  • Science Fiction
  • Historical Fiction