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 Wells' finest hour. June 22, 2008
I will always maintain that the consistently underrated "The Island of Dr Moreau" is Wells' finest novel. The observations on human nature are razor sharp, and are much clearer for the fact that they are caricaturised through his "animal" characters.
 Mercifully short, ultimately boring book December 11, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Island of Doctor Moreau has the misfortune of having a couple of really bad movie adaptations smearing its legacy. Since I was intrigued by Wells' War of the Worlds I thought I would give this book a bash. What a let down, it's almost as chaotic and incomprehensible as the movies it spawned.
The story is told by Edward Prendick, a man of science with a background in biology. He is shipwrecked somewhere in the Pacific and rescued by a man called Montgomery who has a half-man, half-cat for a best pal. They arrive on some remote island and meet a delusional mad doctor who has been conducting brutal, evil experiments on animals in an attempt to make then near-human.
The fact that Wells managed to involve pre-DNA science quite extensively in this story is commendable. But it's so meandering and unfocused that I got quite bored. But since it's not too long I stuck with it and by the end I felt like it was kinda worth it.
The characters are dull and never really come to life and it lacks any definitive action or horror scene. But I couldn't help but think that it might, one day, make for a very good video-game.
HG Wells's classic dialouge on social and scientific development. July 24, 2007
In "Moreau", Wells surpasses other authors of the time in the depths of his discourses on politics, science and social development. From his understanding of classical sociology, with perceptions of "the wild" and "othering", to his scathing attack on branches of science wishing to control nature, he demonstrates the huge range of his political and social knowledge. He even dives, sublimely successfully, into the great literal discourse of femininity, being both voluptuous, sexually charged and dangerous: Moreau's nemesis being the "humanised" female puma. Prendrick's revulsion not only with the process but of the presence of the beasts (demonstrating "othering") but his final admission into their ranks is in its self a great social discourse. Wells builds an unstable, false rural idyll that is torn apart by the needs, lusts and suffering of the beasts, who replace the monarchical, tyrant with a social anarchy; removing the constraints of the "word", a restrictive "human" code.
Wells, again, shows that spooky ability to predict changes in both science and philosophy. His writings pre-date many of Le Corbusier's conceptual predecessors (Le Corbusier being only 9 when this book was published) but clearly indicates sociological maxims and concepts beyond both Le Corbusier and his followers. He also predicts genetic manipulation, calling it a branch of vivisection. Although many Wellssian scholars disagree with this interpretation; it is clear from the text that Wells was delving into the world of the direct manipulation of life for human ends and it does not take an enormous leap of knowledge and imagination to jump from one to the other.
All of this philosophical discussion contained in one book, which manages still to be a cracking read. Both, wonderful and incredible. Read it.
A masterpiece! July 16, 2007
This book is one of the most underrated works of literature I have ever encountered. Wells' fictional island, with its cruel master offers a miriad of possible interpretations, most crucially as a scathing attack on Christian doctrine and Man's struggle to harness his inner animal. Simply wonderful, this book should be offered on any English Literature course, and read by anyone who enjoys a thrilling story packed with a deeper significance.
H.G. Wells at his very best January 16, 2006
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I have read many of H.G. Wells' works, including many of his short stories, all of which were a joy to read, but this was by far the most enjoyable. It is thrilling in its intense sense of mystery and malignity that dominates the feel of the narrative from start to finish. There is a genuine sense of loathing for some of the creatures/characters that Wells presents and the excitement kept me gripped so that I could hardly put it down. I don't want to say too much in case I give any of the plot away but it is certainly in the top-ten of my favourite books!
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