The Daughter of Doctor Moreau

How does Montgomery Laughton evolve as a character from his first visit to Yaxaktun to the end of the novel? What does he find compelling about the estate and its strange inhabitants? What does he dislike about what he finds there? Why does Montgomery agree to accept the position as mayordomo?

How does Carlota’s attraction to Eduardo Lizalde and Montgomery differ? In what ways does her relationships with them contribute to her character arc and underscore the novel’s thematic exploration of Innocence and Experience? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

Does Moreno-Garcia paint Doctor Moreau as a sympathetic character? What drives his quest to create hybrids? Do his motivations change over the course of the novel? In what ways does Doctor Moreau’s view of himself as a creator and god-like figure within the world of Yaxaktun underscore the novel’s central theme of Power and Domination Over the Vulnerable?

Compare and contrast Carlota’s relationship with Doctor Moreau and Eduardo’s relationship with Hernando Lizalde. In what ways does Moreno-Garcia use the relationships between parents and children in the novel to explore the theme of Parental Abuse and Oppression?

What is the impact of Montgomery’s tortured past, self-loathing, and alcohol addiction on the plot of the novel? How do these factors shape his character arc? How do Montgomery’s experiences with his sister and estranged wife shape the way he sees Carlota?

How does Carlota’s view of herself and her father change when she learns that she is a hybrid? Why has Moreau been able to conceal this secret from everyone at Yaxaktun? How do other characters, such as Eduardo, Montgomery, and Ramona, react to this discovery? What does Moreno-Garcia’s portrayal of hybrids suggest about the line between human and inhuman in the novel?

The novel intertwines historical fiction (drawing on events in 19th-century Mexico) and aspects of science fiction. How does the historical context underscore the fantastical events taking place at Yaxaktun? Why do the Indigenous rebels become potential allies for the hybrids? If the historical context was less tumultuous, how might the plot events be different?

What is the role of love in Moreno-Garcia’s novel? Does the narrative represent its impact as life-giving or destructive? In what ways does the novel’s engagement with various forms of love—romantic, friendship, familial, etc.—contribute to its exploration of what it means to be human? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.