The Island of Dr Moreau
- 168
- Pages
- about 3 h
- Reading time
- Film 1996 +2
- On screen
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Our view
“The Island of Dr Moreau” is a short, unnerving classic that has lost none of its grip. A castaway tells of a scientist who carves animals into near-humans, and under the adventure Wells asks about cruelty, responsibility and where the human begins. Its 168 pages read fast, but pain is the subject, and readers who shrink from vivisection should know that beforehand.
The view of the BookRank editors, written from readers’ ratings and comments. It does not affect the score or the book’s place in a ranking.
About the book
The Island of Doctor Moreau is an 1896 science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells. It was published on 1 January 1896. The novel is set between 1 February 1887 and 5 January 1888. The text of the novel is the narration of Edward Prendick, a shipwrecked man rescued by a passing boat. He is left on the island home of Doctor Moreau, a mad scientist who creates human-like hybrid beings from animals via vivisection. The novel deals with a number of themes, including pain and cruelty, moral responsibility, human identity, human interference with nature, and the effects of trauma. Wells described it as "an exercise in youthful blasphemy."
On screen
This book has been adapted for the screen 3 times — from 1932 to 1996.
Adaptation data: Wikidata · On screen →
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.2 across 448 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 75% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Classics average of 7.7. That is how 7.3 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 7.4 | 53 | 12% |
| Hardcover | 7.1 | 395 | 88% |
Frequently asked
How long is The Island of Dr Moreau?
It has 168 pages — shorter than 98% of the ranked books in Classics.
In this book
Themes this book shares with others — each leads to the best books on it.
If you liked this
Same shelf — Classics — with scores between 7.2 and 7.8, closest to this book.
