Inspired by H.G. Wells’s story The Island of Doctor Moreau, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s book places the titular scientist in 19th century Mexico, specifically the Yucatan peninsula, and introduces Carlota, Moreau’s illegitimate daughter raised in isolation on his compound among his hybrids. Carlota feels she is growing up in a sort of Eden, but as she reaches adulthood, her paradise is upended by both the increasing dissatisfaction of her father’s patron, the wealthy Hernando Lizalde, and the arrival of his charming son, Eduardo.

I liked the historical setting; it adds a new twist to the themes of the original, demonstrating that it isn’t necessarily the animal nature that causes every problem, but how society can deny humanity even to other humans based on class, race, and gender. I also want to know more about colonial Mexican history now.

Carlota is a great character, but I wish I could have gotten to know her a little more deeply. It’s not that she’s lacking, but I felt like I knew her on more of an intellectual level than an emotional one, which prevented certain events from hitting as hard as they could have. Montgomery, the alcoholic overseer of the estate, was well-drawn, and I was constantly torn between shaking my head at him or rooting for him to get his act together and be the hero the hybrids wanted.

All in all, I give The Daughter of Doctor Moreau 3 stars out of 5. I think it expands and improves on the original, it was just lacking a bit of that emotional spark to compel me to fully invest myself in the story.