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A review by richardrbecker
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The Island of Dr. Moreau reboot is an interesting, tamer reboot of the original — thrust into the historical socio-regional conflict of the Yucatánin the 1870s. As a result, it's a very different story, one that may have been better served as a prequel or sequel to the one penned by H.G. Wells.
In place of science fiction/horror, Moreno-Garcia gives us feminist gothic fantasy. Instead of dealing with the ethics of science, she deals with the ethics of colonialism. And instead of themes of pain and cruelty, moral responsibility, human identity, human interference with nature, and the effects of trauma; this novel tackles what some critics claim has become problematic in the original — the white male ethos that dominates it. Oh my.
True, the best change in the story if the emphasis and point of view of Carlota Moreau, daughter of the esteemed doctor who is funding his experiments by promising wealthy land owners an ungraded slave. This plotline provides Moreno-Garcia with the room she needs to solicit sympathy for her naive female protagonist and hybrids. And on this point, the novel truly works. Not only does Moreno-Garcia win us over to Carlota and her majordomo, Montgomery, but many hybrids as well — especially Carlota's sidekicks Cachito and Lupe.
Here, the lesson learned isn't that exploitation of nature will bite the hand, but rather, the hand of misogyny and colonialism cannot be bitten enough. Carlota is empowered to deliver much of these bites as she learns the awful truth about her father's work and pushes for a sanctuary where hybrids (who stand in as an analogy for natives) would otherwise live peacefully and in harmony with nature.
Ultimately and unfortunately, the lesson loses some steam when presented as an overripe sermon, leaving the story to be a mixed bag. If there is a real irony here, the hybrids are exploited twice. They are exploited by the colonial masters, including the doctor, and the author, in that they are only allowed to support Carlota, who is painted as superior to them in every way. The one exception may be Lupe, but that's only because she eventually serves as the protagonist's morale mentor.
In the end, while the story is entertaining, it eventually falls flat and predictable. All we are left to marvel at is that everything male is science and bad, and everything female is nature and good.
In place of science fiction/horror, Moreno-Garcia gives us feminist gothic fantasy. Instead of dealing with the ethics of science, she deals with the ethics of colonialism. And instead of themes of pain and cruelty, moral responsibility, human identity, human interference with nature, and the effects of trauma; this novel tackles what some critics claim has become problematic in the original — the white male ethos that dominates it. Oh my.
True, the best change in the story if the emphasis and point of view of Carlota Moreau, daughter of the esteemed doctor who is funding his experiments by promising wealthy land owners an ungraded slave. This plotline provides Moreno-Garcia with the room she needs to solicit sympathy for her naive female protagonist and hybrids. And on this point, the novel truly works. Not only does Moreno-Garcia win us over to Carlota and her majordomo, Montgomery, but many hybrids as well — especially Carlota's sidekicks Cachito and Lupe.
Here, the lesson learned isn't that exploitation of nature will bite the hand, but rather, the hand of misogyny and colonialism cannot be bitten enough. Carlota is empowered to deliver much of these bites as she learns the awful truth about her father's work and pushes for a sanctuary where hybrids (who stand in as an analogy for natives) would otherwise live peacefully and in harmony with nature.
Ultimately and unfortunately, the lesson loses some steam when presented as an overripe sermon, leaving the story to be a mixed bag. If there is a real irony here, the hybrids are exploited twice. They are exploited by the colonial masters, including the doctor, and the author, in that they are only allowed to support Carlota, who is painted as superior to them in every way. The one exception may be Lupe, but that's only because she eventually serves as the protagonist's morale mentor.
In the end, while the story is entertaining, it eventually falls flat and predictable. All we are left to marvel at is that everything male is science and bad, and everything female is nature and good.