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H.G. Wells was definitely a literary pioneer. Born in 1866, he introduced readers to science fiction even before the turn of the twentieth century. His first novel, The Time Machine, published in 1895, was in instant success. And even though Wells wrote in a time before what we often see as modern science, his novels are still widely read (and studied by tortured schoolchildren everywhere) today, over a century later.
But enough of the book report already -- let’s talk about the book. The Island of Dr. Moreau (which, incidentally, was also made into a poorly-rated movie starring Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer in 1996) is a super-quick read that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking. The story is told by Edward Prendick, a shipwreck survivor who is taken onto a ship that brings him to a mostly-deserted island, which is occupied by Dr. Moreau, his assistant, Montgomery, and some unusual creatures.
Before long, Prendick realizes where he’d once heard of Moreau. He’d read the name in a scientific journal that told of Moreau’s unorthodox scientific experiments that caused him to be shunned by the scientific community -- and forced him into exile on the island, where he could perform his experiments in peace. Prendick comes across several of Moreau’s experiments -- strange creatures that are part-human and part-animal.
If you made it through school without reading this book, pick up a copy. You’ll finish in no time -- and it’s definitely an interesting read. And besides -- it’s a classic! And if you did read it for some English class years ago, pick it up again -- you’ll most likely appreciate it more now that no one’s making you read it.
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