The Madman's Daughter Review

Title: The Madman's Daughter
Author: Megan Shepherd
Publisher: Balzer and Bray
Genre: Fantasy, Horror

Blurb: Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

Me: Oh my god. I have literally just finished this novel and am sitting here, in shock, by the ending. (READ IT, you'll understand!) First of all, why is this not a national bestseller? Hellloooo? I am pierced by the plot, the story.

The Ups: Maybe I was just blank-minded the particular day I read this (Texas heat gets to your head), but I did not see any of the twists coming. At. All. Which is very strange, because I usually predict fairly well what's going to happen in horror/thriller novels. But I had moments where I basically was like...

and then read the passage over like 40 times. Heart-thumping, nerve-chilling book I tell you. 

I really loved Juliet as the main character, the protagonist. She had a mad curiosity for what her father was doing, and a crazy pride in her heart when she finally found out. She had these moments when her father showed through her, when that was exactly what she was trying to fight. The way she kept holding on to the hope that her father was alright, that the accusations were false, I think that really showed her naive side. In general, she was courageous and kind enough to be admired, but flawed and dumb enough to feel like she was real. 

Her father. May we just discuss. The doctor was absolutely terrifying, the kind of calm terrifying, the one that kind of chills you to the bone. I hate him so much. Like hatred. How could someone be so soaked in their own madness? And here I go, getting too absorbed in the book again. 

The ending. Every single part that happened from page 304 and after was so enthralling, an absolute masterpiece of gorgeously woven writing. Seriously, every page turned brought on a new idea, introduced a new clue, made me shiver with every sentence. 

The Downs: I wish it was a little bit faster paced in the beginning. I actually was reading another book with it and I felt myself not reaching for this as much. I had to force myself to read it until about halfway of the book, at which then it was a whole roller coaster ride. But until then, it was pretty slow and borrrinnggg.

I'll admit it. I'm a huge wimp. And this is not a book for wimps. Now just saying, there's a lot more worse books out there but some parts of this were so gruesome they kind of made me want to stop reading and take a second to puke. Creepy factor 100. Gross factor 1000. Just saying. 

Overall: Fabulous for fantasy thriller lovers! A very new concept, I have never picked up anything similar to this. Her Dark Curiosity, the next book, is on hold!

Rating: 5 out of 5!!!!


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