A victorian science fiction novel based on the risks of scientific experimentation and humans playing God. I enjoyed how it really dug into the ethics, the cultural and spiritual taboos of experimentation on animals, and the horrifying processes and outcomes of this (think Nazi scientists). How much is too much and the nature of the animal's pain, fear, and understanding? This is my second H.G.Wells (my first being the invisible man) and I enjoyed it a lot more, the writing was more uniquely Wells, it was descriptive and impactful often moving between lyrical and jarring quickly. It had the feeling and atmosphere of a cross between Lord of the Flies, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and The Hound of the Baskervilles. The gothic horror vibes were present even while based on a Mediterranian island. But please go into this understanding it is a product of its time, it is not PC in any way with casual racism/colonization/slave ownership references and triggers around violence and death to animals