Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s eighth novel, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is – as the title suggests – a retelling of H.G. Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau, transplanting the story to Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula in the nineteenth century and focusing on Carlota Moreau rather than her father, the doctor. Carlota lives a happy, sheltered life, beholden to an illness that only her father’s medical expertise can keep at bay, content with just the hybrids for friends – amalgams of humans and animals, brought to life by the doctor’s arts. When the son of her father’s patron arrives out of the blue though, the Moreaus’ safe life is turned upside down. Carlota begins to wonder what else life might offer beyond the walls of her quiet home, while her father sees opportunity, and the hybrids see only danger.
Told from the perspectives of Carlota and Montgomery (the doctor’s mayordomo), this is a deliciously slow-burn story that blends vintage science fiction with a little romance, hints of horror (though the doctor’s experiments are never dwelled upon for too long), and even classic adventure, with the typically rich and detailed storytelling that’s so typical of Moreno-Garcia’s writing. The two viewpoint characters are a study in contrasts: young, sheltered Carlota who’s quick to see beauty and desperate not to be considered an invalid; and sad, embittered Montgomery who hates himself for what he’s become and what he’s lost. Both are deeply loyal in their own way, and there’s a bond between them that flexes in interesting ways as events proceed – not least with the arrival of the dashing Eduardo, and the unintentional shake-up of the status quo that he brings with him.
Doctor Moreau’s powerful presence hangs over the whole story, but this isn’t his book. Instead, it’s the story of a woman learning to step out from under the shadow of her father, the full extent of whose monstrosity is gradually revealed as Carlota slowly learns to see the world around her in a new light. Moreno-Garcia’s writing is always grounded in historical accuracy, and perhaps more so than ever here, intertwining this coming of age story with the conflict taking place in the Yucatán peninsula at that time, and its racial and cultural implications. For all the fantastical elements with the hybrids and the doctor’s work, the mindsets of the time – regarding race, class, gender – are just as important here, something which makes it uncomfortable to read at times, but powerful too. As always, there’s also a wonderful sense of place – you can practically feel the sun on your face and the dust on your clothes.
This does inevitably share some common characters (the doctor and his hybrids) and themes (explorations of identity, cruelty and responsibility) with Wells’ novel, but it takes things in a very different direction, and there’s absolutely no need to be familiar with the original to enjoy it. Indeed, it’s very much a Moreno-Garcia story, with all the complex character development, compelling historical context and beautiful sense of atmosphere that are trademarks of her work. It definitely taps into the feel of classic science fiction, in which a few speculative elements are seamlessly integrated into a real-world setting and woven into the issues of the time, just with modern, female-centred sensibilities and a historical backdrop. All told it’s a beautifully crafted book, elegantly blending its inspirations and component parts into a powerful and irresistibly evocative story.
Review copy provided by the publisher
See also: all of the other Silvia Moreno-Garcia reviews on Track of Words
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