Lets start out with the good. It's a quick and fun read. Interesting story line. Now let's delve a little deeper. Just who is "a monster" in this book? Is it the innocent alligators who are either pawns of the humans, such as the ones held captive in someone's back yard, or kept as pets? Or is it the humans? Those humans who make their homes in the territory of the alligators?
The protagonist definitely has an issue with alligators. As long as they don't get too big, or harm humans, they might be okay, but they are still demonized and held in contempt. The biologist who studies alligators is "weird".
Respect for wild creatures is definitely something that is necessary. But contempt, especially when you surround yourself with them, is a form of anthropomorphism. I stick my hand in a tiger cage, and the tiger is killed. I let my dog run loose near an alligator pond and he is eaten - the alligator is killed. An alligator gets too big and, oh, no, time to kill him off.
Expecting alligators, or any other wild animal in nature, to live by the rules of man is misguided and cruel. Let the alligators live in peace. People, who are supposed to know better, are the ones that need to watch their behavior and be careful where they go and what they do. Not the critters who are just trying to live their lives. And keep you contempt and hatred of wild animals out of what could otherwise be an enjoyable book.