"I leaned over the rail and studied the black horizon. Moonlight reflected on the waves like scales of some dark dragon. I couldn't tell where the night ended and the sea began. Between them, somewhere, was my father."
Megan Shepherd's The Madman's Daughter is a haunting retelling of H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau told through the eyes of Moreau's 16-year-old daughter, Juliet. Abandoned by her father years earlier, Juliet journeys halfway around the world to find him. But her father's island is full of nightmares. And their reunion leaves Juliet wondering if her father is a misunderstood genius, or a monstrous madman.
Shepherd has created a sympathetic and memorable character in Juliet Moreau; I liked her from page one. And Shepherd's beautiful writing makes this fast-paced story even more compelling. This book makes me want to go back and reread H.G. Wells' classic novel all over again. Both are great reads!
