From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a dreamy reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico. 'The deeply atmospheric novel blends horror, science fiction, and historical events' Time, 100 'Must Read Books of 2022' Carlota Moreau: growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatan peninsula, she is the only daughter of an eccentric, and dangerous, genius. His experiments, a motley group of hybrid monstrosities, are blindly loyal to their creator. Into Carlota's strange but perfectly balanced world comes Eduardo Lizalde, the charming, careless son of Doctor Moreau's patrons. In the sweltering heat of the jungle, amidst her father's secrets and her own awakening feelings, Carlota will begin asking questions that could ignite a conflagration. ______________________ ' Genius . combine[s] contemporary political awareness with the appeal of a creepy gothic romance ' - Guardian 'An evocative slow-burn SF drama about colonialism , heredity and scientific hubris , couched in lush prose ' - Financial Times ' The imagination of Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a thing of wonder , restless and romantic , fearless in the face of genre , embracing the polarities of storytelling ' - New York Times 'Paints a vivid picture that is as alluring as it is unsettling , filled with action , romance , and monsters ' Booklist.