I feel awful that I am not going to be able to give this book the full credit it deserves. I read it during a busy review month, I was sick and it was so cold that my kids couldn't get outside to play and ended up screaming beside my head most days. This all resulted in my reading it in small bursts, sometimes mere paragraphs at a time. The story passed by me in a blur, and I wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I could have. 
 Despite my being distracted, it was obvious that the writing style was solid. Shepherd took a classic science fiction novel, The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells, and made it her own. She kept the same moral and ethical debates flowing, but adding in a whole new perspective: that of Juliet, Dr. Moreau's daughter. Due to unfortunate circumstances, she is forced to seek out her father's isolated island, but instead of finding her beloved father and the comfort that she so desperately needed, she found an all too familiar set of problems. Maybe the rumors were true... 
 Setting is oh, so important with historical novels. I need to be able to visualize something that I could never possibly see with my own eyes, and Shepherd definitely achieved that! She keeps it as historically accurate as possible, considering the science fiction twist. She utilizes all five senses to provide the reader with a full experience, the sights, smells and touch of a different time period. Well done! 
 The romance is really subtle for the most part. The creep factor was usually front and center, but there was still some well placed sexual tension. It is completely clean, all very proper. I was almost a little annoyed that there was a love triangle forming, and I believe that it will carry over into the sequel. Juliet was so distracted by her feelings for two men that she often lingered on the drama, rather than focusing on the obvious danger staring her in the face. 
 The sequel, Her Dark Curiosity, takes us back to England, where Shepherd conquers another classic: The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde. I can't wait to see how she works it! :D