Carlota Moreau: A young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatan peninsula, the only daughter of 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 scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas with plentiful coffers.
The hybrids: The fruits of the Doctor's labour, destined to blindly obey their creator while they remain in the shadows, are a motley group of part-human, part-animal monstrosities.
All of them are living in a perfectly balanced and static world which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau's patron - who will, unwittingly, begin a dangerous chain-reaction.
For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle passions may ignite.
Every time Silvia Moreno-Garcia has a new release, I get excited. She tackles a variety of genres in her own unique way, and I've absolutely loved every single book I've read.
Carlota lives in Yaxaktun with her father, a mayordomo, cook, and the hybrids. Her father happens to be Doctor Moreau, a scientist secretly pursuing the impossible blend of animal and human, as a way of finding cures and enhancements to serve the ill. His work is what keeps Carlota and his creations alive, but there comes a time when everything changes and all his darkest secrets are revealed...
Wow! I LOVED everything about this fantastic story. As soon as I started, I couldn't stop. I was instantly swept away by the lush location, the intriguing premise, and the characters.
Told in the alternating POVs of Carlota and Montgomery, we get to experience what each of them is personally going through. As well as their interactions with the world around them. Carlota is smart and curious, the obedient daughter of a scientist who is always ready to learn more. Montgomery is a lost soul in search of solace, a place where he can perform his job while drowning his many sorrows in cheap alcohol.
They're both haunted by different things, but still find love in their hearts for the many creations the mad professor treats so callously. And they narrate the intensity of the situation, that takes place in Yaxaktun, perfectly.
As is usually the case for me, my sympathy and empathy swayed towards the hybrids. The innocent, living creatures who are suffering because of man's greed, lies, and the endless search for knowledge that usually leaves too much collateral damage behind. I especially loved Lupe's stubborn nature, and Cachito's unwavering loyalty.
There's a lot to love about this book, and the storytelling style is so immersive it's sometimes hard to come up for air.
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is an exciting historical tale set during a turbulent time in Mexico, that drags the reader into a dark and mysterious tale full of thought-provoking pseudoscience. But that's not the only thing that sets it apart, or what makes it so addictive. No, that's because the characters are so real. Whether good, bad or morally grey, they all stand out in their own flawed way to tell a wondrous and violent tale.
I can't wait to see what this awesome author comes up with next.
Thank you Hachette Australia for sending me a copy.
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, July 2022, ISBN 9781529418002, Jo Fletcher Books
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