Description

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.

‘ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2022’ – She Reads

‘The imagination of Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a thing of wonder, restless and romantic, fearless in the face of genre, embracing the polarities of storytelling’ – New York Times

Carlota Moreau: A young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatan peninsula, the only daughter of 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 with plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: The fruits of the Doctor’s labour, destined to blindly obey their creator while they remain in the shadows, are a motley group of part-human, part-animal monstrosities.

All of them are 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.

Publisher Review

A chameleon writer with incredible writing skills * KIRKUS * Like [Shirley] Jackson, [Silvia Moreno-Garcia] uses language precisely and imbues her work with layers of meaning * BOOKRIOT * A genre-jumping wizard, one of the most exciting and necessary authors writing today * CHARLIE JANE ANDERS, award-winning author of THE CITY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT * Moreno-Garcia is a magician able to switch genres with ease * THE OBSERVER on VELVET WAS THE NIGHT * Cements Silvia Moreno-Garcia's incredible versatility as an amazing writer who moves between genres effortlessly * S.A. COSBY, bestselling author of BLACKTOP WASTELAND on VELVET WAS THE NIGHT * Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing is unforgettable * CHRISTINA HENRY, author of ALICE, on CERTAIN DARK THINGS * With intelligence, energy, and unexpected tenderness, Silvia Moreno-Garcia takes on Wells' classic tale of scientific hubris. Carlota, the mad Doctor Moreau's only child, is a creation more original than anything her father's cruel experiments could ever conjure. At once playful and deadly serious, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is an irresistible and thoroughly satisfying novel * VALERIE MARTIN, author of Property and I Give It To You * The brilliant and unstoppable Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues to weave her magic in The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, a smart, sinister fable about social inequality and exploitation, isolation and abuse of power. In her usual fashion, Moreno-Garcia has given us an extraordinary heroine to root for in Carlota, a young woman who can't know until she's tested how much power is hers to claim. Both lacerating and deeply empathetic, this story satisfies the reader on every page * PAULA McLAIN, New York Times-bestselling author of The Paris Wife and When the Stars Go Dark * As alluring as it is unsettling, filled with action, romance, and monsters . . . Readers will fall into this tale immediately, enchanted * BOOKLIST (starred review) * Silvia Moreno-Garcia goes from strength to strength. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is myfavourite of her novels so far - a gothic tour-de-force with characters who will keep youglued to the page, and a series of satisfying, surprising riffs on Wells' original story * KELLY LINK, award-winning author of Get in Trouble * Lush, eerie, and compulsively readable. This story got under my skin and stayed there * ALEXIS HENDERSON, author of THE YEAR OF THE WITCHING and HOUSE OF HUNGER * Beautiful, feral, and as sharp as a jaguar's claws . . . I felt the anger and hope in this story down to my very bones. Truly, Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a virtuoso of the anti-imperialist gothic novel * ANNALEE NEWITZ, award-winning author of Autonomous and Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age * Paints a vivid picture that is as alluring as it is unsettling, filled with action, romance, and monsters. However, it is Moreno-Garcia's ability to mesh the unease of the scientifically created beasts with the real-life terrors of a life on the margins and the horror of colonialism that elevates this story. Readers will fall into this tale immediately, enchanted * BOOKLIST, Starred review * If you love psychological horror and historical fiction, this is the book for you * SHEKNOWS * She deftly combines fantasy, adventure, and even romance; the result is hard to classify but definitely a lot of fun. This isn't the first book to riff on H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), but it's definitely one of the better ones. A fun literary remix * KIRKUS REVIEWS * Moreno-Garcia's world-building chops are on display as she creates a distinct, vibrant backdrop to her audacious retelling. Fans of cerebral, atmospheric historical horror won't want to miss this * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY * I was swept along from beginning to end, enchanted by this wonderful novel that breathes new life into a classic concept * PARSEC MAGAZINE *