Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Mexická gotika by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Silvia Moreno-Garcia

132 reviews

ahmay's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Interesting concept, however, the execution was lacking. I get that it’s supposed to be mysterious and weird but a lot of things are just told and not shown or explained—the irony being that I find a lot of details to be over explained.

It’s just the way it is.

Boring. At times, awkward. It feels like the narrator is trying to be deeper than they actually are.

The book is set in the 50s, but the dialogue isn’t very characteristic of this time period, ruining the immersion for me.

Now, I’m a sucker for romance, so Francis and Noemí was mostly the only thing that kept me turning the page.

Also lots of grossness, very much horror ! But as I said, the over-explaining annoys me to no end.

I don’t get how Great Uncle Howard had so much influence on everyone else? I suppose they were deeply infected by the spores and whatnot, but the portrayal of him as a godly figure is lacking. To me, he’s just some creepy old guy. And I get that I’m an “outsider,” so I can’t completely understand. But I’m sure there was a much better way of showing his power and control.

I’m sure I have more to say (and a better way of wording my review) because I cannot shut up for the life of me, but that’s all for now. :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, and Incest

Moderate: Cannibalism, Xenophobia, and Sexual assault

Minor: Rape, Gun violence, Classism, Child abuse, and Colonisation

katemarie99's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

4.0

It's giving Saltburn. It's giving Wuthering Heights. It's giving Beloved. It's giving The Yellow Wallpaper. It's giving Get Out. It's giving Alice in Wonderland.

I'm spooked down to my very bones, but this is a good book. Do yourself a favor and check out TWs first, tho.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Rape, Incest, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Classism, Death, Murder, Child death, Colonisation, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, and Pregnancy

melanishka's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

4.5, rounded up 

This was.... not at all what I was expecting. Beautiful writing, absolutely terrifying setting and premise, and progressively spookier with every chapter. I loved the ending leaving a bit of uneasiness with you. I'd love to see this adapted into a film or Netflix series!

(.5 stars removed for the unnecessary baby cannibalism thing?)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Body horror, Miscarriage, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Child death, Child abuse, Cannibalism, and Blood

raybudbury's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I feel like horror is one of the hardest genres to write because I feel like an ending has to land for it to be amazing. 

I liked a lot of the setting, atmosphere, main character, etc. But the ending fell off for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, Child death, Violence, Drug use, Murder, Racism, and Rape

chaotic_tumbleweed's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I really enjoyed this book. However, towards the end there was a lot of explaining I didn't think was necessary. It felt like the action kept starting and stoping. Other than that I really enjoyed it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death, Body horror, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Gore, Classism, and Confinement

Moderate: Medical content, Cursing, Gun violence, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Sexual assault, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical content

trying_ceratops's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

My main problem with the book was the pacing. It was hard to get into but once it did, the mystery was great to unravel! It definitely felt like the gothic novels I’ve read before, so it is aptly titled. There is some character development, but it’s more about the story. I loved the reason for the mystery at the end and it was very new. 

Id recommend this book to people who enjoy a slow build and a touch of spookiness. I wouldn’t consider this horror by any means, but it can be creepy. I can understand the hype this book created and am glad I read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Misogyny, and Colonisation

Moderate: Mental illness, Bullying, Body horror, Confinement, Gaslighting, and Racism

Minor: Cannibalism, Body horror, Incest, Blood, Child abuse, and Rape

flamming_bluejeans's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Incest, Sexual harassment, Violence, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Rape, Suicide, Body horror, and Gore

Moderate: Suicide, Blood, Toxic relationship, Racism, Misogyny, Death of parent, Death, Cannibalism, Miscarriage, Gore, and Sexual assault

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Vomit, Cursing, Alcohol, and Medical content

beachyv's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Absolutely exceptional. One of my new favorites and a definite reread! 

Such a great introduction to Gothic Horror (with a small amount of Gothic Romance) for me. I will definitely be reading more Gothic fiction and more of Silvia Moreno-Garcia immediately!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Child death, Child abuse, Murder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Incest

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

ebp's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Rape, Misogyny, Child death, Racism, Classism, Violence, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexism, Colonisation, Confinement, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, and Body horror

Moderate: Terminal illness, Gun violence, Drug use, Blood, Suicide, Incest, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Cannibalism, Bullying, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Miscarriage

angelfireeast24's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Bullying, Child death, Violence, Slavery, and Murder

Moderate: Terminal illness, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Vomit, Alcohol, and Miscarriage

Had me on the edge of my seat. I both wanted to throw the book across the room due to the unsettling nature of the subject matter and read another page to know what will happen.

I like that in the end, there was no one person being the grand hero. Everyone had their moment. All I'm thinking at the end of the story is they better not have kids together. Cause I know that it will come again down the bloodline. Also, all three of their bodies better be burnt when they die