Reviews

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells

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arytaco's review against another edition

4.0

H.G. Welles’ “The Island of Dr. Moreau” has some familiar ideas: a mad scientist trying to play God, a protagonist trapped on a practically deserted island and a look at the animalistic behavior that exists in human beings. However, the author equips the novel with challenging ideas and a gripping story, both of which caused outrage among British press in 1896. Darwin’s theory of evolution is challenged, the writer describes his dissatisfaction with the Judeo-Christian faith and he pens a haunting tale of savagery and illusion. Are the creatures more human or beast, and which will ultimately win in the end?

katenovah's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

3.75

Content Warnings

alixelix's review against another edition

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3.0

I read this as an audiobook, lovingly recorded for me by my boy. He has, what I think, is a fantastic ‘radio’ voice, the only complaint I can imagine is that he is sometimes a little too bassy. But I love listening to him read to me, and he enjoys recording books for me. If we choose titles that are in the public domain he’ll put them out there on the interwebs for anyone to listen to. If you would like to hear The Island of Doctor Moreau audiobook you can find it here https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUpMsam3SUi5zOxB6jpQp3FhIMjbAHhXE
An entertaining story that raised many ethical questions about man's superiority over animals. I felt like it was only half a story though. Prendick is on the island for about a year, yet we only really hear about the first couple of months. After that, when most of the book is done, it really just glosses over the next ten months or so with an off hand comment along the lines of “I mostly just sat around waiting to be rescued, some stuff happened, but don’t you worry about that, I got off the island in the end”. To me, the story of what happened in those ten months could have been an epic novel in itself. It was an abrupt ending that left me unsatisfied.
Overall though, I did enjoy the book. The science is far fetched and the characters are one dimensional, but the concept was different enough for me to get caught up in the story and just take it for what it is. It got a little bit obvious at the end, hammering home the ‘we’re all animals’ point, but that Prendick was obviously very messed up by his experience and wasn’t going to get over it anytime soon, gave it back some realism.
The morals were all one directional, it was a about men devolving back into their primal, animalistic states. There wasn’t really ever any question about the ethics of what Moreau was doing to the animals. I don’t think this was intentional, it’s just that animal rights is a much more modern sensibility that wouldn’t have been considered when Wells wrote the book. The screams of the Puma won’t be leaving me anytime soon.
Three out of five.

anchan93's review against another edition

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3.0

Good, not what I thought it would be. The legacy of Eurocentrism made it offputting to read at times, but the ideas related to ethics & playing God are always relevant discussion materials.

iamboehnke's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

smateer73's review against another edition

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4.0

This book is dark, grotesque, and intricate. It plays games with your mind and will set your moral compass spinning. The descriptions are vivid and will make you question our own humanity. Overall the book was very good, a twisted fascinating kind of way.