Silvia Moreno-Garcia is unequivocally one of the best authors of our time. Her beautiful prose and homage to her heritage come together in such truly captivating storytelling, while even some of her books with speculative elements add a new layer to the story and its characters. Having read The Beautiful Ones last year and Mexican Gothic prior to that, I was excited to pick up THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU, which turned out to be just as engrossing and gorgeously written as its predecessors.

Inspired by H.G. Wells’s The Island of Doctor Moreau, Moreno-Garcia’s novel reimagines the classic by giving the doctor a daughter: Carlota Moreau. Carlota has developed a familial relationship with the hybrids her father has created and experimented on, and tries to help them along with Moreau’s assistant, Montgomery Laughton. Their peaceful coexistence is disrupted however with the arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the son of Moreau’s patron. His attraction and pursuit of Carlota, much to Montgomery’s dismay but to Moreau’s hope that more funding will be fueled through their union, threatens to expose the secret of the hybrids as well as unravel everything Carlota thought she knew.

Initially, I didn’t realize this book was based on The Island of Doctor Moreau, although the title sounded familiar. And despite having not read the original book but knowing its story, I thought Moreno-Garcia did an amazing job elevating it with her version. She brought in something new and reimagined its source by introducing a heroine, the titular daughter of Doctor Moreau, whose journey exemplifies the original book’s themes about science, evolution, religion, combined with her own themes about colonialism and power. I was unfamiliar with the historical context that was referenced and happening in the background, but I liked how Moreno-Garcia uses it and later expounds upon it in her Afterword.

The entire novel felt lush and immersive, especially because of its setting. This paired with a bit of mystery regarding Moreau, the hybrids, and the simmering tension between Carlota, Eduardo, and Montgomery heightened the brewing conflict that happens. All together, it was riveting.