Book Review: Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd

Title: Her Dark Curiosity

Author: Megan Shepherd

Series/Standalone: The Madman's Daughter Series (Book #2)

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Romance

Pages: 422

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Year Published: 2014

Format: Audiobook

"To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island- and the secret she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau's horrific legacy- though someone, or something hasn't forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father's creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again. 

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer- Juliet will be lucky to escape alive. 

With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we'll go to save them from themselves."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This story wasn't what I expected it to be. I will say that there is no reason that you have to continue with the series. If you felt content after the ending of The Madman's Daughter and you don't want to continue you definitely don't have to. This one felt a little disjointed from the first. For me, that might be because of the change of scenery that we see and after reading the description I see that she was getting inspiration from another classic dark thriller, so that makes sense. I think if I can get my hands on the next book I will continue the series, but I don't think this is a series that I will purchase as an all-time favourite. I did really enjoy seeing some characters in a different setting and the exploration of different characters in London. I loved the dark themes and thrilling aspects. Some parts that weren't my favourite were romantic relationships. I loved that the author spoke about sex, and sexuality from a modern woman's perspective. I just didn't feel like the romantic relationships between characters just didn't feel genuine to me.

I would recommend this series to anyone who likes classic, dark thrillers and who are looking for reads inspired by those classics. The audiobooks are great as well and may be available through your library if you're looking for alternative reading options.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Title: The Madman's Daughter
Author: Megan Shepherd
Series/Standalone: The Madman's Daughter (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Retelling
Pages: 420
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Year Published: 2013
Format: Audiobook and Paperback Copy (Own It)
First Line: "The basement hallways in King's College of Medical Research were dark, even in the daytime."

"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.

Inspired by HG Well's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect."

My Rating: 4.25/5 

This story was deeply frightening. It includes a girl who thought she had been orphaned and/or left behind trying to make her way in the world. It shows how she discovers her father is alive and confronts the rumours that put him on the run in the first place. And it follows her along her travels through and around a tropical island. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but what I will say, is if you are a chicken like me, maybe don't read this at night. I think that Megan Shepherd did a great job of writing suspenseful atmosphere and conversations without making it feel over the top. I also think that the characters were complex and we might not even know just how complex upon completion of this first book. I will say that the ending just didn't do what I hoped it would and therefore I don't think it provided the ending I had hoped for. I am interested in continuing with the series and would recommend for anyone looking for a Gothic Thriller I would strongly recommend this first book!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny