The protagonist is one Edward Prendick, an average sailor type person. His ship wrecks in the South Pacific, and he lies adrift for a few days before he is taken aboard by a passing ship. Onboard he meets a man called Montgomery, who is transporting many monstrous animals and is accompanied by a strange hairy man called M'Ling.
Eventually the ship reaches an island, where Montgomery, M'Ling and his animals disembark with Prendick in tow. It is explained that ships rarely dock and that Prendick is stuck on the island for several months. The island is owned by Dr. Moreau, who is a disgraced vivisectionist.
Edward is forced to stay in a small building on the side of an enclosure, where Dr. Moreau is performing some cruel experiment on a puma. Edward is not allowed into the enclosure but the screaming of the puma drives him mad and he runs off into the jungle. Now things start to get SERIOUSLY weird.On the other side of the island there is a small village populated by humanoid beasts. It is revealed to Edward by Montgomery and Dr. Moreau that they have been experimenting on animals to see if they can become truly 'human'. But Edward soon finds out that some of the animals do not like being human.
I'll leave you there, but you really must read it. The novel explores who we really are, and what makes us different from animals. Like when do animals become people? How do we really judge ourselves morally for our affect on nature? It is a very interesting read.
My only problem with it was the slow pace. Unlike Wells' other works, the prose seems to be rather slow and lethargic, so be prepared with some resolve if you want to get through it. But it's well worth the trouble and it will leave you thinking about who you really are.
Next up, I'll be reviewing the Newbury and Hobbes series by George Mann, one of my favorite steampunk authors!!!
Four stars
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