I remember a really bad movie called The Island of Dr Moreau which featured Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer back in the 1990s as a kid and always thought it was so weird, but I didn't realize it was an adaptation of a book. It's not until hearing lots of publicity of Megan Shepherd's debut novel, The Madman's Daughter, a loosely adapted YA retelling of Well's original story did I decide to pick it up. The Island of Dr. Moreau is well worth picking up and reading, especially if you enjoy science fiction and Gothic horror.

Description: In The Island of Dr. Moreau a shipwrecked gentleman named Edward Prendick, stranded on a Pacific island lorded over by the notorious Dr. Moreau, confronts dark secrets, strange creatures, and a reason to run for his life. 

Review: Unsettling, bizarre, and most definitely ahead of his time, H.G. Well's lesser known novel, The Island of Dr. Moreau, is a very slim novel that tackles a variety of themes along with giving its readers a full dose of suspense, horror, and science fiction. Edward Prendick finds himself shipwrecked on an island with Doctors Montgomery and Moreau. Montgomery is the protege and follower of the Moreau, mad scientist and vivisectionist. A vivisectionist is someone who cuts and injures living animals for the purpose of scientific research. Beyond these scientists, Prendick finds himself intensely frightened (that's an understatement) by these creatures roaming around the island. 
  Prendick discovers that Moreau captures the island's animals and painfully turns them into half-men, then forces them to live by strict standards that he believes will overcome their bestial natures. These creatures of treated as subservient slaves, obligated to follow Moreau's commandments much like the Ten Commandments in which the number one rule is to not eat meat. It doesn't take a mad scientist to know that all of this is a recipe for disaster with horrible consequences. I really like how Wells juxtaposed the notion of bestial behavior by pitting the natural craving for meat against the humans conducting so-called 'experiments' just to see if things can be done. 
  Prendick finds himself in a predicament. Though appalled by Moreau's plan, he actually becomes a participant in Moreau's society of vivisection. Prendick is drawn to Moreau's brilliance and is enchanted by  the notion that Moreau could actually be right but that haze of illusion is cleared when the animals inevitably rebel and he becomes the last man on the island, watching the tortured animals return to their natures and throw off Moreau's pseudo-society. The true horror of the book isn't just the creatures no matter how strange they look, but rather the human monster who creates in the name of advancement.
 Though overlooked by other more popular horror novels such as Dracula and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Island of Dr. Moreau is relevant more now than ever with our outstanding and always progressing technology. Genetics, animal experimentation, psychology, colonization, imperialism, patriarchy, scientific chauvinism, religion, and ethical imposition are seriously and intelligently explored within the layers of the story. Wells' implied conclusions may be unsettling at times, but that is the point.

Curriculum Connection: Ethics, Science, and Debate

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: The violence in the novel is quite tame compared to today's books, but I would still recommend this book to older readers due to the book's themes.

If you like this book try: Dr Franklin's Island by Ann Halm, The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

  I have been eagerly waiting for the release of The House of Hades ever since I read the last page and major cliffhanger of The Mark of Athena. I've done my best avoiding spoilers online and devoured the book within a few days. Be rest assured that this review of The House of Hades is spoiler free. If you're curious about picking up the Heroes of Olympus series, I highly recommend reading the Percy Jackson series first as it builds upon that series.

Description: At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy’s instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through the Gaea’s forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?
  They have no choice. If the demigods don’t succeed, Gaea’s armies will never die. They have no time. In about a month, the Romans will march on Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are higher than ever in this adventure that dives into the depths of Tartarus.

Review: What can I say about Rick Riordan that I haven't already said? The House of Hades is quite possibly my favorite book in the Heroes of Olympus series. The book begins at the horrible cliffhanger of The Mark of Athena as Annabeth and Percy plunge into the dark pit of the Underworld. Leaving their friends, both in and out of the side of the book, stunned and on edge for the fear of their safety. Riordan splits his novel by the on-goings of the mortal world and those of the Underworld and continues to have his book narrated from multiple point of views.
   In many cases writing effective multiple points of views is a challenge that can either make or break a book, but in the case of The House of Hades it enhances it as each main character is faced with making touch decisions, both individually and collectively as a group, never resorting to brooding and angst. Each of the seven demigods we have met in the Heroes of Olympus series battle their own demons of doubt, insecurity, and vulnerabilities and are forced out of their comfort zone in several mini journeys as they find their ways to achieve their over arching goal: help Percy and Annabeth to keep the doors of Hell closed and sealed from the mortal world. Despite being a demigod, Riordan strips them of their godly powers for most of the book and reminding his characters of their humanity which sets these children of the gods apart from their selfish, manipulative parents and allows them to grow, evolve. I loved Riordan's message of self confidence and that power, success of an individual comes from within first and foremost. I also loved how I got to know some of the characters a lot better particularly Nico, Frank, and even Piper.
  Though the book is close to 600 pages, I was never bored with reading The House of Hades. Actually, there is really no time to get bored while reading the book as it is filled with plenty of battle scenes as our crew fights mythological monsters, giants, titans, and outwit lesser gods. There are lots of moments of comic relief too to balance the dark mood of the story along with lots of cute moments of romance (some new, others building, and a really nice surprise). I'm being intentionally vague to avoid spoiling the book for passionate fans of the series. All in all The House of Hades has once again raised the bar of what readers can expect from Rick Riordan and thankfully, the conclusion to the series is just one year away. However the title, The Blood of Olympus, has me worried that some of our heroes may not survive.

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: There are plenty of battle scenes in the book, however, they are not graphically described. Recommended for strong Grades 5 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Seven Wonders series by Peter Lerangis, Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver, Loki's Wolves by Kelly Armstrong and Melissa Marr

  I'm really enjoying the Classics Double Challenge hosted by One's Librarian Book Reviews. The object of this challenge is to read a classic (the term is used loosely to include fairy tales, mythologies, classics, any kind of original story) and couple it with a retelling (the original and the newer book have to relate in some way that you can define; it doesn't have to be a straight-forward retelling). My objective with this challenge is to read some classics and discover new authors that I've haven't read yet.

Description (from book's panel): 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.

Review: The Madman's Daughter is a retelling of H.G. Wells's often overlooked science fiction/horror novel The Island of Dr. Moreau and is told from the point of view of the mad doctor's teenage daughter. While Shepherd takes many liberties with the original story, this dark novel blends the basic premise of the original with new insights, characters, and terror. despite some flaws, it succeeds as a horror novel. 
   In an excellent rendition of the dark, desolate Victorian England, we meet Juliet who has a taint on her reputation. Her father, Dr. Moreau, an infamous scientist who has been banished out of London due to his outlandish and shocking experiments, has left his wife and daughter destitute. When her mother dies, Juliet has just enough money to survive until she is fired from her hospital cleaning job for rebuffing the advances of one of the doctors. Terrified that she has to resort to prostitution as a means for survival, she runs into her old friend, childhood crush, and her father's assistant, Montgomery, and learns that her father is actually alive on an remote island. Montgomery fails to deter Juliet from seeing her father after several logical explanations, Juliet convinces Montgomery to take her to her father's island. The perilous trip on a pirate ship and the rescue of Edward, a castaway, naturally foreshadows the dangers and horrors that they will all see once they reach to their destination.
  I liked how Shepherd tries to give contexts to a very bizarre story. Dr. Moreau, while thoroughly detestable and selfish, comes off as a charismatic madman who in his twisted ways make his horrific experiments of mixing genes of animals and human a rather brilliant experiment. By making him a father (both literally and figuratively) to his subservient human-like creatures who obey him as if he was god, we get to see Dr. Moreau as a human which cleverly touches upon the colonial mindset of the times and brings up a really interesting issue of religion. Unlike her father, Juliet comes off as a character who is inconsistent; her mannerisms are thoroughly Victorian though her dialogue seems to be too forthright to be a Victorian girl. She is incredibly uptight and prissy, but I did welcome her take charge personality though her indecisiveness and impulsive nature irritated me, it didn't deter me from enjoying the disturbing aspects of the story. 
  The pace of the story reflects upon the traditional Gothic horror stories by always having something lurking in the background. The tapping of windows, the screams coming far away yet somehow close to the characters all build suspense quite well. I even liked the slow discovery of the Moreau's experiments. Though we are horrified to see what these creatures are, we do grow a relationship to some of them and sympathize with them.
   While Shepherd does a good job in evoking the settings and giving a new spin of the characters, the love triangle in The Madman's Daughter is the weakest point of the story and drags the book down. While Montgomery and Juliet have a natural chemistry that has been built over time, Juliet's attraction to Edward is just too convenient and contrived. Though we are expected to pit our affections for Montgomery and Edward against each other, only one of them comes out as a clear winner and makes us wonder if the other love interest was a superfluous invention. Though Montgomery and Edward are equally charismatic characters, I would have liked to learn more about them as individuals without Juliet swooning about their good looks. I do, however, have a theory about Edward and I'm waiting to see if I'm right or wrong in the next book of this series. 
 Though I read The Island of Dr. Moreau before reading this book, there were a few surprises that were a welcoming addition to the story such as how the book ends. While knowledge of Wells's novel would perhaps lead to a more satisfying reading experience, The Madman's Daughter whets the appetite for the original story and tackles some of the essential themes with some good old fashion scares. I'm looking forward to where Shepherd takes her characters next as the series continues.

 Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is a scene of attempted rape, some gore, and violence which mostly takes place off the page. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells, His Dark Endeavors series by Kenneth Oppel, The Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

    I've read nothing but rave reviews for Saga, the latest graphic novel series by Brian K Vaughan. I was interested to see if all the hype of what many call "Star Wars meets Romeo and Juliet meets Games of Thrones" upholds for the novel. While I can't officially say if these statements are true, I do see how the connections are made. I enjoyed the first volume of Saga and I'm curious to see where this series goes.

Description: When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe. 

Review: The first volume of Brian K. Vaughan's award winning, Saga, clever combination of science fiction and traditional fantasy. Filled with witty dialogue, action, suspense, and amazing art Saga is a graphic novel that I haven't encountered before. Saga has a very simple story: Marko and Alana, a pair of star-crossed lovers who have abandoned their own warring planets and just want to settle down to peacefully raise their newly born daughter, Hazel.
Within a few panels we  have come to understand where are characters are coming from and care for them. Alana is from the planet Landfall, a place of great technological advancement, and their planet is in constant conflict with the magic-wielders of that planet's moon Wreath, where Marko is from. Despite being from opposite sides of the war, Marko and Alana have a lot in common as both were disgraced in their military services. Several months have gone by and a pregnant Alana is giving birth to their child, Hazel, the actual narrator of the series. The moment is intimate, funny, and fragile as their happy moment quickly vanishes as all three lives are put in danger since they are being pursued from both sides of this galaxy-wide conflict. 
  While trying to escape from their pursuers, Marko and Alana are in search of a legendary Rocketship Forest so that they might get off the planet with their new baby, we are introduced to all sorts of new, strange, frightening and wonderfully rich characters. We meet Prince Robot IV, a humanoid being with what appears to be an old-fashioned TV set for a head, who is the one primarily tasked with the elimination of Marko and Alana. Prince, just like Marko and Alana, want the war over so he too can start a family. We also meet two of the bounty hunters and ex-lovers that have are in a bidding war to get the fugitives, The Will and The Stalk. The Stalk is a terrifying looking spider-like alien- an armless, naked woman on top and spider on the bottom- who carries weapons in all of her additional appendages, and The Will is humanoid, but has with him a very helpful sidekick named the Lying Cat, a talking cat that can tell when someone is lying. Also characters in their own right are a legendary group of terrifying killers called The Horrors, which, like all characters in this book aren't quite what they seem. All of our secondary characters are fully realized and they each have their own motives, which is what makes them interesting. As the volume progresses, we learn about the character's frailty and their limits that will not cross as they are put to the test in many ways. 
  Vaughan's writing is as strong and despite the characters being alien, there is quite a lot of English speaking slang and idioms used which actually feels natural. I am guessing though as we delve deeper into the other planets Vaughan has created will see see many other languages spoken by a wide range of races. The pace of the graphic novel moves along quickly, allowing for the character to flex its muscles as well as allowing for moments of great suspense and violence. Fiona Staples' art is brilliant and excellent balance of extreme detail to abstract lines and shading. I don't think Saga would be as great without her wonderful and detailed illustrations.   

  I don't read legal thrillers very often but the premise of Reconstructing Amelia caught my eye. The idea of reconstructing an identity works well in the novel and on many layers. The question of how well do we really know a person is once again asked and the answer is not always clear.

Description: When Kate, single mother and law firm partner, gets a phone call summoning her to her daughter's exclusive private school, she's shocked. Amelia has been suspended for cheating, completely out of character for her over-achieving, well-behaved daughter. Kate rushes to Grace Hall to pick up Amelia, but what she finds when she arrives is beyond comprehension. Amelia has jumped from the school's roof in an act of impulsive suicide. At least that's the story Kate believes until she gets an anonymous text: Amelia didn't jump.

Review: Reconstructing Amelia is a multi-layered legal thriller/mystery that works quite well despite some flaws. Kate Baron is a single mom who is trying to overcompensate a one night stand that led to the bird of her daughter, Amelia, by becoming a workaholic associate at a high-powered New York City law firm. Amelia doesn't know who her father is, and Kate, for some reason that never really becomes clear, fails to share this information with her. I got conflicting impressions about the Kate's refusal to tell Amelia the truth: a) she is ashamed who the father is due to his social class since Kate comes from an affluent family or b) She simply doesn't know the identity of Amelia's father. I really wish the author made this clear.
  While curious about her dad's identity, Amelia has other, more pressing issues about which to worry. For one thing, she has been tapped for membership in her ritzy private school's illicit all-girls club (think Mean Girls on steroids), a fact she's hiding from her best friend, Sylvia, as well as her mother. The club hazes their inductees by having them do horrible things such as posing in next-to-nothing close for a porn site. As the "dares" get worse and worse, Amelia wants to drop out but can't since the club will blackmail her and she has developed feelings toward one of the club's members. Amelia keeps these hidden away from Kate though inside she wishes Kate would pick up on the signals of Amelia's distress and out of character behavior. 
  Amelia's distress signals come to a head when Kate receives a call from the school that she must leave a meeting and come pick up her daughter because Amelia has been suspended for cheating, Kate's world completely crumbles. Running late to collect her daughter, Kate doesn't arrive until pretty, smart, blonde Amelia has fallen from the school roof, a victim of her own failure. Everyone including the high profile police detective believes Amelia committed suicide due to pressure and depression, but Kate knows her daughter and she doesn't believe Amelia killed herself. When she receives an anonymous text message, it prompts her to prove that Amelia was murdered. 
  I really liked how the author structured her book, telling her story in flashbacks, alternating between Kate's and Amelia's point of view, leading up to the day Amelia died. This allowed the reader to conjure up two versions of both characters, one through the eyes of secondary characters and who Kate and Amelia are "suppose to be" and a second with the actual flawed versions of our two protagonists. Although the expensive and exclusive school comes across as an over-the-top sorority  it does manage to address the issues surrounding teens today particularly with the sensitive issue of bullying. The author also makes good use of adding social media such as Facebook posts, email, and text messages to break up the prose and give Amelia an authentic teen voice. The suspense doesn't drag and the pages go by quickly and comes to a seamless and unanticipated conclusion. There are moments, however, that you have to suspend your disbelief but otherwise Reconstructing Amelia is a solid read.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language, underage drinking, and some sexual situations. Recommended for teens and adults.

If you like this book try: Swimming at Night by Lucy Clarke, Mystic River by Dennis Lehane