I'll be the first to admit, I should have read a few reviews, and maybe the blurb again before picking up this book. It was only after I was finished, that I realized this author also write Mexican Gothic, which I did not totally enjoy, and that's on me.

What the blurb isn't telling you, is that this is a coming of age romance. The story is centered around Doctor Moreau's daughter, and her becoming a woman, and discovering the true nature of men in her life, and in general.

It took me a month to read it because at no point was any part of the plot drawing me forward. It was interesting to see this take on Doctor Moreau, and the author paints a beautiful world, with ties to real life troubles of the area in historical lights, but the plot did not have any hook.

The last 25% of the book is where the 'action' happens, but is more of reactions, which falls flat. There are great bones to this story, it just wasn't the adventure I had hoped for.

If you are looking for a coming of age story, with twists this is a book that you'll love. Especially if you are interest in historical fiction based in Mexico books.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this book. ( )

This book is a gothic-historical science fiction book based on The Island of Dr. Moreau. Set in the 1870's on the Yucatan peninsula (in Mexico), Dr. Moreau is a scientist (a vivisectionist) who has created human-animal hybrid creatures with the financial backing of the wealthy Lizalde family. Dr. Moreau's daughter, Carlota, grew up on the island with only the company of her father, the housekeeper and the "beasts" who she cares for and considers her family. The animals, while shockingly unusual in appearance, are able to speak, think, and actually contribute to maintaining the estate. Carlota's world shifts somewhat when Montgomery, the new caretaker, is hired. As the estate is very isolated, when several men arrive unannounced, Carlota and Montgomery have to hide the animals in order to maintain the doctor's secret experiments. This book was like a journey I've never taken. There are so many themes to this book: possession, exploitation, the status of women, mad scientist vs genius, ethics, monsters, prejudice, class and religion. I was totally captivated by the characters as well as the author's writing. Highly charged, vibrant and unsettling, I was blown away by this book. ( )

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/a2WR5UNHehI

Enjoy! ( )

This is a loose re-telling of the H.G. Wells story The Island of Dr Moreau, told from the view-points of his daughter Carlotta and his majordomo, Montgomery. The pacing of the first two-thirds of this book is very slow but paints a lovely portrait of the Yucatan and the small estate where this book takes place. There is not much focus on the hybrids or Dr Moreau's experimentation but rather on Carlotta growing up as an isolated and confused teen. At the end of the book there is the introduction of Maya revolutionaries but this part of the plot is not developed.
I found the characters shallow and unappealing. The Wells book is not his best but I prefer it to this version.

Library book read 1/5/2023 ( )

A romance novel for preteens -- not my cup of tea. ( )