The following was originally posted on 25/4/10 at http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/printed-books/the-island-of-dr-moreau-h-g-wells/1436326/
I've been on a 19th century fiction kick recently and I've enjoyed reading lots of books that I've been hearing about for years, but for some reason or other have passed me by. Originally published in 1896, The Island of Dr Moreau is the latest short novel I've managed to polish off on my morning commute. This novel is part of Well's contributions to early science-fiction, along with War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, etc. and bears a lot in common with Shelley's Frankenstein, in that the central message is a warning against the dangers of scientific exploration left unchecked by ethical concerns.
However, The Island of Dr Moreau is far from a "straight" science fiction novel (if such a thing exists!) and Wells skillfully blends elements of mystery, adventure and horror to make a story that is ultimately about survival. The story begins when a shipwrecked biologist, Edward Prendick, is rescued from his dinghy and taken aboard a ship carrying a mysterious cargo of animals. His saviour, Montgomery, is accompanied by a faithful man-servant who has something very bestial about him. When Prendick arrives at the island of the title and finally meets Dr Moreau, he meets similarly bizarre creatures and starts to question the experiments that he is conducting on his isolated research base. Soon enough, Prendick sets out to discover the island for himself and stumbles upon more of the island's secrets...
To reveal much more of the plot would be to ruin the reader's enjoyment of the novel, so I'd best pass over onto comments on the novel. A|lthough this is a good yarn and keeps you gripped from start to finish, I couldn't help but feel that there's something missing. At some level, the story feels a bit lack-lustre. This could be because, over the years, Wells's novel has been so revered and referenced (it even has a Simpsons episode devoted to parodying it) that it's difficult to live up to the reader's expectations. Similarly, as is the case of many classic mystery novels, the average reader will already have some knowledge of the essential twists which would have delighted its initial audience.
My other criticism would be that the central character isn't very developed: despite proclaiming himself a biologist, he shows very little specialist knowledge throughout the novel and could easily have held any profession. This is in direct contrast to other books of a contemporary time, such as Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, in which the sheer volume of scientific observation can be overwhelming.
Still, this is a short enough novel to read in a few sittings and is definitely worth the effort. The story makes the reader ask what separates animals (beasts) from humans, and shares many concerns with contemporary horror.
However, The Island of Dr Moreau is far from a "straight" science fiction novel (if such a thing exists!) and Wells skillfully blends elements of mystery, adventure and horror to make a story that is ultimately about survival. The story begins when a shipwrecked biologist, Edward Prendick, is rescued from his dinghy and taken aboard a ship carrying a mysterious cargo of animals. His saviour, Montgomery, is accompanied by a faithful man-servant who has something very bestial about him. When Prendick arrives at the island of the title and finally meets Dr Moreau, he meets similarly bizarre creatures and starts to question the experiments that he is conducting on his isolated research base. Soon enough, Prendick sets out to discover the island for himself and stumbles upon more of the island's secrets...
To reveal much more of the plot would be to ruin the reader's enjoyment of the novel, so I'd best pass over onto comments on the novel. A|lthough this is a good yarn and keeps you gripped from start to finish, I couldn't help but feel that there's something missing. At some level, the story feels a bit lack-lustre. This could be because, over the years, Wells's novel has been so revered and referenced (it even has a Simpsons episode devoted to parodying it) that it's difficult to live up to the reader's expectations. Similarly, as is the case of many classic mystery novels, the average reader will already have some knowledge of the essential twists which would have delighted its initial audience.
My other criticism would be that the central character isn't very developed: despite proclaiming himself a biologist, he shows very little specialist knowledge throughout the novel and could easily have held any profession. This is in direct contrast to other books of a contemporary time, such as Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, in which the sheer volume of scientific observation can be overwhelming.
Still, this is a short enough novel to read in a few sittings and is definitely worth the effort. The story makes the reader ask what separates animals (beasts) from humans, and shares many concerns with contemporary horror.
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