Release Date: July 19th, 2022
Genres: Horror, Adult Fiction, Historical, Gothic
Pages: 320
Publisher: Del Rey
My Rating: ⭐⭐
Publisher’s Synopsis
“From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a dreamy reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.
Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of 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 scientific 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 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.”
My Review
This book has some really great parts to it, but in general it just fell flat for me.
There is a rich cultural aspect to the story world, with beautiful imagery of lush jungles and ranging rivers.
The atmosphere is one of the best parts of this story. She wraps you into the time period of conquistadors, wild country, and the exploitations of colonization.
It also confronts important themes of class divides and the questionable ethics of the scientific community.
As a science nerd myself, I actually found the biological and evolutionary concepts that were weaved into the plot to be intriguing. Even if, at times, the experimentation was gruesome, I’ll chalk it up to a dark, morbid curiosity that allowed me to still be captivated.
Although the creepy, crawly feel of the story is compelling, the pacing is greatly lacking for me.
I didn’t get a sense of urgency that pulled me along. There just isn’t enough there that made me want to keep going. It showcases some deep philosophical and existential dilemmas, but that isn’t a plot in and of itself.
Without the necessary momentum, and even with the included shock value, it is more of a slow, lazy river ride than a sweeping, rapid current to take me away.
Too often, I found myself asking why I should care, and when will things pick up and truly start happening.
I also didn’t feel connected to the characters enough to feel the impact of any transformations that happened. Maybe the meek and mild just aren’t personally relatable to me, though I could objectively understand why Carlota is that way, I just wasn’t emotionally invested in her situation.
Much of the dialogue feels really stilted and sometimes meaningless to the progression of the story.
The writing is also, at times, bland and mechanical, with none of the rhythmic flow or punchy lines that would normally be engaging, immersive, and illustrative.
This story is definitely flat in comparison to some of her other work, which I know can happen to the best of us when we are trying to top previous successes. I still look forward to seeing what else she has in the future; but for me, this one is just ok.
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
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