The Madman's Daughter (Megan Shepherd)

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         Juliet Moreau used to be a member of high society London, until rumors of her father's gruesome experiments came to light.  Dr. Moreau disappeared, his wife died, and an orphaned Juliet was left to fend for herself.  Years later, she runs into Montgomery, her father's assistant, and discovers that Dr. Moreau is still alive and working on a remote island.  Despite the dangers, Juliet accompanies Montgomery across the world to be reunited with her father (and to determine whether the rumors were true).  On the island, Juliet realizes that the rumors are not only true, but may have more to do with her own identity than she would like to believe.

         This book has an interesting, macabre concept: a so-called doctor who has developed a method of turning animals into grotesque, human-like creatures.  The protagonist, Juliet, is unexpectedly daring for a Victorian-era teenager.  She's not at all interested in gender limitations, and pursues science with great interest.  The threat of danger doesn't stop her from doing what she wants.  However, the book fell a little flat of its full potential.  Although the idea was interesting, the actual plot line was pretty darn predictable.  I already knew what the twistiest twist was going to be relatively early in the story.  Shepherd's foreshadowing was a little too obvious.  Another thing that bugged me was the love triangle between Juliet, Montgomery, and Edward, a castaway they picked up on their way to the island.  Sometimes a love triangle is good, sometimes it just makes the protagonist seem confused and a tiny bit shallow.  It was definitely the latter in this case.  That being said, people who are looking for a mix of romance, science, and psychopaths might want to pick up this book.

Rating: 3/5
Completed: July 8, 2013