From A to Z: Her Dark Curiousity by Megan Shephard

Dear Z,

Earlier this year I went nuts over the first book in this series, The Madman’s Daughter, and now I’ve finally finished the sequel. Her Dark Curiosity brings us back to Victorian England, in the cold of winter. Juliet has left her father’s island and has become the ward of an old professor who was once a family friend. She balances trying to be a woman of society again, trying to find a cure for her illness, and to understand why she is still curious about her mad father’s work. Her dark Curiosity admittedly starts out a little slowly, but about halfway through things pick up pace again in the wonderful way Megan Shepherd has of writing suspense.

Shepherd’s series is a re-imagining of suspense/ thriller classics and urban stories. Her Dark Curiosity is a play on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well as the Jack the Ripper legend. We as the reader get to explore Juliet’s London, England and her own illness as well as a deeper look at Edward Prince. The love triangle is still alive, though I didn’t waver in my ship (Juliet x Montgomery forever!). The tangled web of atrocities Juliet’s father committed becomes even larger and Juliet realizes she didn’t leave all the monsters on the island.

Shepherd in this series really attacks madness versus genius, love versus obsession, and what exactly makes a monster. All of these things are tackled by Juliet throughout the story. Her father was mad, but was also a genius, and where does that line lie exactly?. Edward is man and beast, but where is that line drawn? Overall in the setting of a cold, dark alley filled London we watch all the shades of grey of the human condition be played out by Shepherd’s characters.

Now here I sit eagerly awaiting the third installment (because of course the book ended with a cliff hanger) which is to be a re-imagining of Frankenstein. So if you enjoy romance, and historical fiction, as well as suspense and thriller definitely pick this series up, you won’t regret it.

Until The Next Read,

A

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From A to Z: The Madman’s Daughter

Dear Z,

Hey Zoe, I am writing this fresh off the reading binge I had today to finish The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd, so if I’m less than coherent its because my mind has been blown and my heart rendered to unidentifiable scraps. I’d heard of The Madman’s Daughter and the premise of the 2013 YA book, not to mention it’s gorgeous cover art, had enticed me for a while. So around Christmas when I went on a mini book haul, it was of course a title I picked up eagerly. And now after a busy whirlwind of January and February I have completed it. And let me tell you it has overtaken my soul! It has been a while since a book has been able to grab me so quickly and entirely.

I would say that The Madman’s Daughter is a sci-fi/historical fiction young adult novel. It is a re-imagining of the classic tale The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells. In other words the science is creepy and the tale wonderfully Gothic. Author Megan Shepherd loved the original classic tale as a teen and wondered how a young woman (of which their were no human girls in the original classic) would fit into this world. Therefore she created Juliet Moreau. Juliet’s father was accused as a mad man, a brilliant scientist who wrapped his family up in scandal. Juliet went from high class young girl, to a maid when he disappeared without a trace. Her one and only pressing question? What happened to her father? And was he the monster everyone believed him to be? Juliet definitely gets her answers, but never in the way anyone could have predicted.

Megan Shepherd keeps you guessing well into the final chapter of the book where she then rips your heartstrings from your breast. I admit at the end of this book I shed a tear for Juliet and her Montgomery (Ah love triangles, I both love and loathe you). Each character has a story and while you may guess part of it, its entire truth will blow your original inklings out of the water. Ms. Shepherd’s imagination takes the readers to the next level, and its a thrill ride I can’t wait to take again in the sequel, Her Dark Curiosity which hit stores a mere month ago to the day. It is currently already downloaded on my Nook awaiting my eager eyes to devour it whole!! MWAHAHAHAHA…*cough cough*….ahem. Anyway if you have loved such Classics as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dracula, Pride and Prejudice‘s love story and the mad science and adventure from all else we call Classic Literature today then this trilogy is for you. Juliet is a strong willed girl, who’s journey you must simply know the end of, not to mention who wouldn’t want to traipse around a dangerous jungle, or the Gothic streets of London chasing after scientific aberrations murdering the innocent? Oh its just too much! I can’t wait for more, so on that note I need to charge my Nook and delve right into the next book!

Until the Next Read,

A

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