The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Synopsis: 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 H. G. Wells'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 thoughts: I’m drop dead and with my mind blank. Seriously. I have no words to describe the novel I’ve just read. Just…

OH MY F***ING GOD, THAT WAS AWESOME!

And now I just found out that it isn’t over and that it’s going to have sequels!! I’m so happy because the ending to this book left me speechless. It’s the first time this ever happened. I can truly agree to the fact that this book became one of the best books I’ve ever read in my few years on this planet. Well-written, beautifully describing, engaging conversations and characters with strong and deep features. This was the first novel ever to give me Goosebumps and butterflies in my stomach, but not from excitement, from for disgust and fear and… ok a little bit of excitement. What can I say? I like a little bit of blood. :P

I have nothing to say about this one. The ending, as mentioned before, and all the unfolding of this novel left me in utter shock and inner conflict. Juliet is a great character: strong headed, resolute, but also timid and profound, with a lot of layers underneath it. I mean, when your father is cast out of London accused of being a lunatic and heretic, all your wealth becomes ashes, your friends desert you and your mother dies when you’re young, it’s kind of obvious that she would built such walls around herself for protection.

I’m team Montgomery, the family butler’s son, all the way through. He’s a gentleman, sweet and seductive, but without leaving his wild – since he was raised in the middle of beasts, it’s expected. He was one of my favorite characters because he had secrets that made my chin drop to the ground, but you’ll have to read to find out what.

This book was based in an classic novel and I must say, compared to Splintered (view my older posts for this review), this book is hands down better. No unnecessary parts, everything fell into place as if it always belonged there. I can’t wait to read the book that gave base to write this one, as well as all the other volumes of this one! Highly recommended for everyone who likes some mystery and adventure, with a touch of blood and gruesome, passion and suspense.

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Divergent by Veronica Roth

Synopsis: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

My thoughts: Meh. This one was a little complicated because while it didn’t catch me very much, I finished this book in three days. So, it’s kind of a dilemma here. This book reminds me so much of Hunger Games, from the time when the story happens – in a post-War U.S. where chaos is so strong and balance so delicate that only with a “tyrannical” or a righteous government will survive – to the main character – a strong willed girl – but it still had some subtle differences: comparing the first novel of both – because that’s what I’ve read so far – HG, despite the gruesome part of the deaths of the tributes, isn’t as visceral as in Divergent, because in this time she sees all the blood and loss on her party – I’m not going to tell who dies that is related to her, but it is still pretty strong.

Also in comparison, I think that Divergent is much better written than HG. I’m sorry, but this one isn’t only about what is on her head, all the abstraction. It’s still there, but not so explicit as in HG; in Divergent there was more talking, more activity and dynamic, making this one not that tiresome. It gives you some insight that aren’t only for the book, but actually for the future. For example: don’t ever settle for one thing or another; don’t let people label you, you can belong and fell belonged anywhere you want; don’t let anyone influence on your decision, but whatever you choose, face the consequences, no matter what they are.

As usual, I liked the strong girl character. I think it gives a good image to stimulate girls to be strong and face their fears. I started to enjoy this book near the end; before that It was in a bit of a slow motion, even though it had some pretty fearsome parts: like, jumping from a roof into a gigantic dark hole and maybe death.

It was predictable at some parts – like, I already knew who Four was before Tris figured that out – but all-in-all it wasn’t such a bad thing. I liked the ending and I’m looking forward to read the sequel. My only worry is that because writers discovered this gold mine, this goose of golden eggs – because, guys, these books sold like water, especially to YA readers – they won’t try to innovate it, and keep the same modus operanti as the writers from historical romances do – especially the ones who likes to write about Jane Austen’s era. Please, please, don’t do that! Don’t kill another book gender because of greed!

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and a half