650#Love Note ~ [Book Review] The Madman's Daughter

Even though it has been months but I still couldn't forget the suspense in The Madman's Daughter. I tried to finish this book as soon as possible but lab reports and assignments were in the way *sigh*. The Madman's Daughter is the first book of a YA series written by Megan Shepherd, inspired by the Gothic thriller classics The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells. 

Read: From May 10 to June 10, 2015

Rating: 4.5/5

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father’s handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Juliet Moreau comes from a respected family whose father is a talented scientist. After the scandal ruins her life, she works as a maid in a university. Even though she's not living the easiest live but Juliet is a smart girl, quite knowledgeable in science despite women are not seen to be educated as men during that time. She lives her life without knowing where her father the infamous Dr. Moreau has been. Juliet's mother dies years after the scandal.

Some incidents occur during Juliet's working time resulting her to risk being arrested by the police. She injures a doctor who's trying to harass her and runs away. After meeting her childhood friend, Montgomery and his assistant Balthazar, she decides to follow Montgomery back to her father as he is her father's current assistant. Montgomery objects to this idea but Juliet succeeds by threatening him - she shows him to a girl at a dark street and asks him whether he would allow her to follow him or see her being a prostitute. During their exhausted journey on the sea to an island where her father lives, they meets Edward who's barely live after being stranded on the sea. Edward follows them to the mysterious island. 

Juliet proudly wants to present herself, now a lady to her father without knowing what reaction should she anticipate from her father.

I never read the classics The Island of Dr. Moreau so I could not give my opinions about this inspired story. But I definitely love The Madman's Daughter. Despite being so unsure, so insecure about her unladylike behaviour, her doubts towards her own father, I love Juliet's determination and strength to discover and stop her father's madness. 

At first I was afraid if it was a horror story since I was no good with one but I was wrong. The Madman's Daughter is full of darkness and suspense. All the plot twists weren't totally foreseeable when I was reading this book. I kept on thinking and doubting myself if the twists could happen. The author has her own ways to draw the readers to intensely reading this book. I would love to read the second and third book but my pocket money was already gone for BBW :(

It's a nice pick for a YA Gothic thriller ;)

Till then.

Wassalam.

note: I should thank my friend Iza who gifted me this book. Thank you and I love you!