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The Island of Dr Moreau is an early science fiction novel written by H.G.Wells that deals with many different topics on morality and human interference with nature. The grotesque experiments performed by Moreau and Montgomery of reconstructing life forms physically and mentally has you thinking of what purpose does this hidden research and experiments hold. The darker themes and actions keep you on your toes throughout the story making you wonder what possibly could be coming next.

After the Lady Vain boat was lost to sea all the crew members were considered drowned, but miraculously eleven months later a surviving member, Edward Prendick, was found floating in a different boat from the one he set off on. Prendicks account of what happened during being lost baffled people by its absurdity that he started to tell others his mind was blank after escaping his original boat. Psychologists studied his case only to claim the wild fantasies and memory lost were from physical and mental stress from his escape. But what if his crazy stories of drunken captains and odd creatures were true?

Moreau is a crazy doctor who was cast out by modern society for his ideas and theories into mankind and trying to recreate it. He has almost made a perfected version of his distorted experiments and is trying to copy and make more. Through vivisection he changes the forms of animals similar to Frankenstein's monster. He moves around parts, adds new parts, and even uses a hypnosis to change the way his creations think. This opens the door to the ideas of teaching them rules, morals, and being able to talk

The story is told through the experience of Edward Prendick and what he went through after being stranded out at sea and losing his crew members and rations. Prendick was a private gentleman before throwing his life away to survive the Island he came to live on. He became a fearful and cautious man and tries to take every moment he can of having the upper hand. On the unknown island he has to learn to live peacefully with the beastly people who he comes to accept as his new human kind. 

I tend to enjoy darker fiction stories that have fantasy with hints of reality mixed in and this book caught my attention, hooking and reeling me in. I loved the writing style and twisted reality that the book held. I also loved how I personally could not distinguish a true bad guy within the story and how I could see the wrongness of multiple peoples actions, but I also was able to see what their thought process was behind it.I rate the book 5/5 stars and I hope to read it many more times in the future.

Check out the island of Doctor Moreau from the Newport Beach Public Library!