Welcome to Litsy!

I had no idea this novel was a reimagining of the "Island of Doctor Moreau" by HG Wells. Set on the back of the Caste War of Yucatan, we are warned from the first pages that due to its isolated position the peninsula has often been confused with an island. Carlota has a calm life with her father in a remote mansion where the Doctor leads his research financed by wealthy farm owner Lizalde. All's well until the son of Lizalde finds out about them.

#NewYearNewBooks

#SciGoneWrong Another book from my TBR that I am hoping to get to this year if the #Roll100 numbers match up. Since The Island of Doctor Moreau is about science gone (very) wrong, I am assuming this book will be too. 😱
(Plus I 🩷the cover!)

A morning of reviews to catch up on #scaratglon and October spooky reads!

I listened to this on audio and while it wasn't my favorite Moreno-Garcia I enjoyed it. I love how the hybrids all had a distinct individual personality and how the action moved to a growing climax in a well paced way. Carlotta was a beautiful character for our protagonist, I liked her a lot.
3.5⭐

#scarathlon #photochallenge #monsters @Clwojick @StayCurious

My little monster blocking my access to reading about Dr Moreau's little monsters.

Calamity #catsoflisty

I took a break from THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU a little less than halfway through because I was reading it too slowly to really click with it. I‘ll head back in tonight, with strong hopes I can keep up the pace.

Also, I‘m obsessed with this tiny, iridescent skull I found at Dollar Tree.

I headed back into THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU last night after a busy day that involved lots of pie-making, sewing, and a playdate for Casey. I wish I could‘ve squeezed some more time with it, as it‘s building well. Alas, this holiday Monday‘s set to be super busy, too; I‘ve gotta take a bike ride, sew a bunch more, and attend a family supper.

Just bouncing around, trying to decide what I‘m in the mood for. I thought I might want some SF set in 1870s Mexico. Then I thought I might want some contemporary fantasy. Then I was like, ARGH, what even IS my MOOD?

Casey is unimpressed with my indecisiveness.

This retelling of H. G. Wells's novel has received Best Novel nominations for both the Hugo and Aurora SFF awards this year. It started off slow but the second half was fast-paced and exciting, with a number of plot turns that I didn't expect.
#hugo2023 #auroraawards

I‘ve never read the Welles work which inspired this story so went in not knowing what to expect. I truly enjoyed this one. I liked it better than Mexican Gothic, though I think Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a fantastic writer. I‘ll have to try a third one before I know for sure but she might be one of my current favorite writers. Her world-building has been superb in both books and she writes such strong characters, you really feel invested in them.

I have been wanting these paperbacks for a long time. Found them in the airport and couldn't resist!

Honestly, I found 3/4 of this book boring and repetitive, and I forced myself through it. Carlota was really boring as a main character to me, and the only reason Montgomery was OK, is because the author steered his character away from a trope I hate at the last minute. The setting was described very vibrantly, but there is only so much you can say before it gets repetitive, and very little actually happens in the book until 30 pages are left.

This author has quickly become one of my favourites, I love her writing and this was no exception. This is a reimagining of the Island of Doctor Moreau with feminism vibes. As always the author builds atmosphere and her characterisation is excellent
It‘s a bit of a slow burn but once you get into the story it picks up the pace and is engaging. So good!
4 ⭐️

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/a2WR5UNHehI

Enjoy!

Only halfway there and out of books 🥺

I loved this book interesting plot,atmospheric, great characters, I couldn‘t put it down.
My second SMG I will definitely look into her other books, 1 read if 2023

#wondrouswednesday
1.historical,sci-fi,gothic,captivating
2.No I have never read a book not in my native tongue
3.Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

This reimagining of the famous tale focuses on Carlota Moreau, the titular daughter of the infamous Dr. Moreau. With Montgomery Laughton (shout out to Charles Laughton!) as the overseer of the Doctor‘s hacienda, Carlota finds herself at a crossroads as the actual owners of the hacienda plan to kick Carlota,the hybrids &her ailing father to the curb. So begins a race against time as Carlota must figure out a way to save everyone, including herself!

Worked an event outside in the cold all day yesterday and woke up feeling absolutely smashed, sore throat and quite tired. Guess today is a day for books and bed.

I‘ve always been intrigued by this creepy classic, especially when they changed the ending of the 1977 movie so as not to spook the audience. But we could already see those feline features in Barbara Carrera‘s character!🙀 So…I really enjoyed this reimagined version spiced with much more history and details about the hybrids. Brava Silvia!
#AuthorAMonth
@Soubhiville
#LitsyLoveReads

This is my first book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and I really enjoyed it! I especially enjoyed the mix of history, fantasy, and science fiction. I‘m for any book that shows animals (or animal/human hybrids) as more humane than the humans around them. Carlotta was a wonderful character and the narrator did a great job of bringing her, and the other characters, to life. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Interesting. Magical realism and historical Mexican fiction again from Silvia Moreno - well written and with strong female characters

I really like the way Moreno-Garcia sets a scene, both in this novel and in Mexican Gothic. In a jungle oasis, Carlota‘s father, Dr. Moreau, creates hybrids of human and animals. This book deals with the question of morality in science, but also has a little romance. I like the character of Carlota, especially how she stays true to herself at the end of the story.

I'm not even sure what to say about this one. It's certainly more to my taste than the awful H.G. Wells original that she used for inspiration. I think this author keeps me reading solely because I never know where she is going. I like that she adds in random points in Mexican history and then explains where she was going in the afterward. Also, the bright pink cover.

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

#AuthorAMonth2022 @Soubhiville

I either love books by this author or find them boring. This one was the latter. ?

The idea behind it was great. The cultural background of the time and the folklore was informative. But the overall story felt like it took forever to progress and then when the "climax" comes it is very underwhelming.

I'll keep reading her books though because some of her previous ones were great.

This story was something of a triumph. It was dark and intense, but the characters were all so compelling! Now of course I want to read the original. In the end I‘ve decided that Silvia Moreno Garcia remains a hit-and-miss author for me. #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

I have a lot of catching up to do on posting books I've read this month, starting with this one for November's #AuthorAMonth. My only other Moreno Garcia has been Mexican Gothic, which I loved! This one was a little slower, but felt classic and timeless. The characters were so well done, and the story had a little of everything - romance, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, villains, heroes, antiheroes, and action. @Soubhiville

I loved this book. It's my favorite of Moreno-Garcia's books. It is a reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau. Moreau's daughter Carlota is of the age to get married so Moreau tries to marry off to his patron's son. It does not go well.
My favorite was the hybrid Lupe 🧡
#AuthorOfTheMonth @Soubhiville

Final panel of the day
#PDXBookFest
Silvia Moreno Garcia and Lan Samantha Chang
All about family secrets and the art of crafting a novel with a classic as an inspiration.

Who else is getting ready for November?

#SundayBuddyRead @TheBookHippie

#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

10-16-22: My 103rd finished book of 2022! Told from the perspectives of Carlota-Dr. Moreau‘s daughter and Montgomery-Dr. Moreau‘s caretaker. It‘s 1877 and Dr. Moreau has created a bunch of hybrids-animal/human creatures. His daughter helps him maintain their lives. Moreau‘s benefactor, Lizalde, is getting frustrated because he was expecting the hybrids to work for him and his son has fallen for Carlota. Much happens but don‘t want to give away.

A great retelling! This author is really awesome! #Latinx #NetGalley

10-13-22: Getting some sun and pool time in today. ☀️🌴🏊🏼‍♀️

I think I‘m off to a good start! Any suggestions for a grinch-like character??
#autumnbingo2022
@Ann_Reads

I first read The Island of Doctor Moreau by HG Wells as an undergrad student. I really enjoyed the sci-fi classic and so was very intrigued by the premise of this book. What if Doctor Moreau had a daughter? What would her life be like? How would she perceive her father‘s experiments making human-like animals?

Silvia Moreno-Garcia does a good job exploring these questions while keeping the elements of fantasy that made Mexican Gothic great!

I love this other and her heroines so I did enjoy this. That being said, it dragged in places and was a bit tedious. I'd rate it. It's based on original book, The Island of
Doctor Moreau. I wish it was a little more creepy but I'm going to try Mexican Gothic next. I love the narrator in this and her last one too. ⭐⭐⭐

A fairly slow build to an intense ending. I'm not sure if this is horror - most of it didn't feel like it, but there are some horrifying events near the end.

3✨ I would say I enjoyed reading this, but it took me a long time to get into. There is two narratives happening of the depressed and secret hiding Montgomery, and the doctors daughter Carlota. This reimagining happens in Mexico instead of an island and besides the hybrids and the Drs crazy fixation on his hybrids this book seems completely different. Overall, an interesting and disturbing twist.

I‘m a big fan of Morena-Garcia. This was a soft pick for me. Did not like it as much as Mexican Gothic or Certain Dark Things. I loved this take on an old story and setting it in Yucatán in the late 1800s, it‘s themes of what it means to be human, the violence of colonialism. After reading the afterword about the political upheaval happening when this story takes place, I wished SMG had incorporated more of it into the story, delved deeper.

Maybe my new favorite SMG novel (or at least tied with Mexican Gothic). In this reimagining of The Island of Dr. Moreau a girl lives in the jungles of the Yucatan peninsula in the 1800s alongside her scientist father and his human-animal hybrid experiments. But the unexpected arrival of his patron's' son changes everything forever.

Got the pre-flight essentials 🍟📚

Another extremely bright Waterstones edition! Isn‘t it gorgeous? I‘m gonna have to start a special bookcase for my signed editions. Lookout hubs, I need space for more shelves🙌 #bookmail

Another great one by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. She is as rich in story telling as she is in imagination.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia isn‘t always a hit for me but I really liked this reimagining of HG Wells‘ The Island of Dr Moreau, set in 19th century Yucatan and seen from the viewpoint of a woman. Who is monstrous in this novel? The half human, half animal creatures? Or the men who treat them—and women—as if they were possessions? #ShadowGiller #CanLit

I talk about the books I‘ve been reading plus give a brief tour of our art show open house in my latest booktube video:
https://youtu.be/sUEmZhkiQhY

It has been a very lazy Sunday, although I DID start setting up my StoryGraph account…Still no real word from Goodreads re: my account having been deleted. 😒 I just finished “In the Houses of Their Dead,” by Terry Alford (it was so good!!!) and am moving onto this one! 😍 #thedaughterofdoctormoreau #silviamorenogarcia

This was a very very slow book. I had high hopes for it, but it was just bland (besides the amazing cover). She hasn't been able to recapture the magic of Mexican Gothic or Gods of Jade and Shadow.