The Island of Dr Moreau - HG Wells

Originally published 1896.
Audiobook released by LibriVox 06-02-2014. Narrated by Bob Neufeld.

Well, it seems that audiobooks have been easier to get through lately!

This classic science fiction novel is a fairly dark story, telling of Edward Prendick, a shipwrecked survivor who ends up stranded on the titular island where Dr Moreau is experimenting on animals, turning them into humanoid beings through a combination of extreme surgery/vivisection and hypnosis. The creatures are able to talk and reason (to a degree) and consider themselves humans, living by a series of strict laws to try and keep them from reverting to their instinctive animal behaviour. As time goes on, however, it seems that all of the animals will indeed inevitably lose their 'humanity.' 

Wells seems to naturally gravitate towards the darker elements of humanity in his work, and this is no exception. Moreau - who is, to be fair, treated with some degree of horror by Prendick - sees himself as having become a better scientist by learning to ignore the pain of his test subjects, and is obsessed with perfecting his creations. Prendick, too, has parts of his journey take on an unsavoury tone, with an early scene after being shipwrecked suggesting he would have succumbed to cannibalism if it would have saved his life - perhaps a commentary on the blurred lines between beasts and mankind. There seems also to be an attempt at commenting on the origins of religion in a humanistic sense, with Prendick being forced to invent some religion-esque elements for the beast-folk to believe in order to avoid them turning against him.

It was an interesting book to listen to. But probably not one I'd revisit.

Bob Neufeld's narration didn't help either. He was an okay narrator, but fairly 'one-voice' in his narration, meaning at times it could be hard to tell which character was which.

Completed 5 October 2021.

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