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Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'
Mexická gotika by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Silvia Moreno-Garcia
38 reviews
cottontail's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
What this book is:
Atmospheric. This book gives an excellent gothic atmosphere. Enjoyable characters. Not all of the characters are complex, but the experience of peeling back the layers on the characters is really fun. Whimsey. It's hard to describe this without spoilers, but this book employs a lovely balance between grounding in reality and high concept whimsy. These whimsical elements also tie in wonderfully thematically to the plot and themes. Themes. This book's atmosphere isn't just aesthetic but is also entangled with its themes. This book has a lot of interesting themes that will keep you thinking.
What this book isn't:
Mexican. Despite the title, setting, and main character all being Mexican don't expect any Mexican culture. I picked this up after reading a book with Mexican leads and gaining an appreciation for learning about Mexican culture in a fictional setting. But the majority of characters in this book are white and the POC behave exactly like the white characters. The only Mexican culture here is an exploration of colonialism and eugenics from the white male perspective. Also, the main character is very passive. She's set up being headstrong and canny, though her personality is consistent and enjoyable she's a lot more passive than the setup would suggest. This is because unlike most modern novels this book is plot-driven instead of character-driven. Though the characters act according to their personalities and motivations, they don't actively drive the plot but rather unwrap the mystery. This gives the book a slow pace which actually works for the benefit of:
Conclusion:
This isn't my usual book because of its slow pace and plot-driven style. When I first read it I wasn't sure if I'd finish it because I thought it wasn't for me but the mysterious gothic atmosphere had me feeling like there was always something crawling just beneath the surface and I'm glad I kept reading [even if it was just for the dank gothic vibes] because this is now a got to reread for me. The reveals, whimsical twists, and masterfully hidden themes and subtext woven into the atmosphere make this novel even more enjoyable on a reread. Once the secrets were unveiled it only left me more excited to go back and read it all over again. I would highly recommend for someone who likes a good mystery, enjoys a melancholy gothic atmosphere, and loves a bit of whimsey.
Atmospheric. This book gives an excellent gothic atmosphere. Enjoyable characters. Not all of the characters are complex, but the experience of peeling back the layers on the characters is really fun. Whimsey. It's hard to describe this without spoilers, but this book employs a lovely balance between grounding in reality and high concept whimsy. These whimsical elements also tie in wonderfully thematically to the plot and themes. Themes. This book's atmosphere isn't just aesthetic but is also entangled with its themes. This book has a lot of interesting themes that will keep you thinking.
What this book isn't:
Mexican. Despite the title, setting, and main character all being Mexican don't expect any Mexican culture. I picked this up after reading a book with Mexican leads and gaining an appreciation for learning about Mexican culture in a fictional setting. But the majority of characters in this book are white and the POC behave exactly like the white characters. The only Mexican culture here is an exploration of colonialism and eugenics from the white male perspective. Also, the main character is very passive. She's set up being headstrong and canny, though her personality is consistent and enjoyable she's a lot more passive than the setup would suggest. This is because unlike most modern novels this book is plot-driven instead of character-driven. Though the characters act according to their personalities and motivations, they don't actively drive the plot but rather unwrap the mystery. This gives the book a slow pace which actually works for the benefit of:
Conclusion:
This isn't my usual book because of its slow pace and plot-driven style. When I first read it I wasn't sure if I'd finish it because I thought it wasn't for me but the mysterious gothic atmosphere had me feeling like there was always something crawling just beneath the surface and I'm glad I kept reading [even if it was just for the dank gothic vibes] because this is now a got to reread for me. The reveals, whimsical twists, and masterfully hidden themes and subtext woven into the atmosphere make this novel even more enjoyable on a reread. Once the secrets were unveiled it only left me more excited to go back and read it all over again. I would highly recommend for someone who likes a good mystery, enjoys a melancholy gothic atmosphere, and loves a bit of whimsey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Terminal illness
Moderate: Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Cannibalism, Mental illness, Confinement, Drug use, Racism, and Panic attacks/disorders
A lot of these tags pertain to either surreal/metaphorical dream sequences or nongraphic scenes. The body horror is described in a lot of detail but is not extremely gruesome. The sexual assaults also are tame in their violence/aggression but are detailed as detail is the nature of the writing style. I could have honestly tagged this with twice as much however so much of the potentially triggering content is so underwhelmingly written I don't believe they would be triggering for many people that even have these as triggers and the book never frames any of these issues in ways harmful to the reader. However, if you are triggered easily maybe avoid this one.erin819's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Incest, Gun violence, Confinement, Child death, Death, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
addieslibrary's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is one of the first, if not the first, horror book that I have read. I did enjoy the horror parts, but unfortunately it was not enough and it was a little too late. About 200-250 pages in it finally started to get creepy and scary. Before that, the novel focused on nightmares and suspicions of creepiness. I understand that the author needs to set the scene and work up the emotions of the character. However, I feel like I got most of the information I needed in the first 100 pages and second 100 pages were just extremely repetitive and unfortunately boring. I found myself skimming through these just so I could get to the part where it all comes together and the expected creepiness comes out.
With all that being said, I still found this book quite entertaining. I experienced emotions and reactions that I have never felt reading other books. The horror and creepiness of the content is new to me and I can confidently say that I liked it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence
sarahaf712's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
readingwithkelso's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
REVIEW: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia
So this book has been all over #bookstagram since it’s release in July and has received a lot of mixed reviews. I personally loved it and finished in less than a day. Personally, I didn’t find this book to be outright scary, more haunting and suspenseful. In some ways it reminded me of Rebecca. It contains otherworldly elements and is very atmospheric and richly detailed.
I would generally agree that this is a slow burn. Most of the action takes place in the last 50-100 pages of the book. That being said, I found the authors writing intriguing and suspenseful. All in all, I thought Mexican gothic was the perfect October read. I can’t wait to see what they do with the Hulu series
So this book has been all over #bookstagram since it’s release in July and has received a lot of mixed reviews. I personally loved it and finished in less than a day. Personally, I didn’t find this book to be outright scary, more haunting and suspenseful. In some ways it reminded me of Rebecca. It contains otherworldly elements and is very atmospheric and richly detailed.
I would generally agree that this is a slow burn. Most of the action takes place in the last 50-100 pages of the book. That being said, I found the authors writing intriguing and suspenseful. All in all, I thought Mexican gothic was the perfect October read. I can’t wait to see what they do with the Hulu series
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, and Incest
kylajaynebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Incest, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Gun violence and Suicide
theengineerisreading's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"The world might indeed be a cursed circle; the snake swallowed its tail and there could be no end, only an eternal ruination and endless devouring."
Diving into this book without any clue is my first mistake. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN better because this book creeped me out. (side note: I finished this at around 2AM)
I am not sure if I remember it right but I think this is the first time I read a gothic novel that delivered. Horror? Hell yeah! Fictional element with a sprinkle of mysterious deaths? Yas! A dash of romance? Of fucking course! But before that, here's what this book is all about.
When outgoing Noemi Taboada received a letter from her newlywed cousin, Catalina, asking for rescue, her father tasked her to visit the latter in El Triunfo.
But her cousin's family in-law is not the ones Noemi expected. The way the house and the Doyles appear, they are mysterious and secretive.
Eager to find out why Catalina sent her a letter with a haunting message, Naomi is set to unveil everything - from her cousin's mysteriously charming husband and to the hearsays about the Doyle's history.
Noemi is a likable character. I adore the way she sees every situation and how she does not easily back down. Noemi is cheery, fierce, playful, and knows how to flirt. It is also notable how adaptable she is bouncing from her merriment in Mexico City to the gloomy life in El Triunfo, Naomi showcased that she is definitely in the story to play.
The Doyles, on the other hand, are well-crafted in terms of being annoying. I acknowledge the fact that the Doyle are horrible creatures, not people, with the way they handled everything in and out of their family but reading their characters, especially libidinous Virgil and ingracious Florence, is just enjoyable. It's like reading fictional DDS but their loyalty is to their secret family power and not of you-know-who.
The pacing of the book is divided since the first half has a slow narration showing how Naomi adapts in her cousin's in-laws while the second half keeps on giving the answers to all my questions in a fast-paced manner.
I love the way how Silvia Moreno-Garcia engaged the reader by picking the right word to visualize the horrendous situation the character is in. The author's writing style is super convincing I keep on glancing on the walls to check if it's also beating.
Seriously, if you're looking for a read that will creep the fuck out of yourself and make you ask yourself, 'What the hell did I just read?' then this book is surely up your galley.
RATING: 4stars
P.S. This book changed the way I see mushrooms and it will be a long time before I eat them again.
Diving into this book without any clue is my first mistake. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN better because this book creeped me out. (side note: I finished this at around 2AM)
I am not sure if I remember it right but I think this is the first time I read a gothic novel that delivered. Horror? Hell yeah! Fictional element with a sprinkle of mysterious deaths? Yas! A dash of romance? Of fucking course! But before that, here's what this book is all about.
When outgoing Noemi Taboada received a letter from her newlywed cousin, Catalina, asking for rescue, her father tasked her to visit the latter in El Triunfo.
But her cousin's family in-law is not the ones Noemi expected. The way the house and the Doyles appear, they are mysterious and secretive.
Eager to find out why Catalina sent her a letter with a haunting message, Naomi is set to unveil everything - from her cousin's mysteriously charming husband and to the hearsays about the Doyle's history.
Noemi is a likable character. I adore the way she sees every situation and how she does not easily back down. Noemi is cheery, fierce, playful, and knows how to flirt. It is also notable how adaptable she is bouncing from her merriment in Mexico City to the gloomy life in El Triunfo, Naomi showcased that she is definitely in the story to play.
The Doyles, on the other hand, are well-crafted in terms of being annoying. I acknowledge the fact that the Doyle are horrible creatures, not people, with the way they handled everything in and out of their family but reading their characters, especially libidinous Virgil and ingracious Florence, is just enjoyable. It's like reading fictional DDS but their loyalty is to their secret family power and not of you-know-who.
The pacing of the book is divided since the first half has a slow narration showing how Naomi adapts in her cousin's in-laws while the second half keeps on giving the answers to all my questions in a fast-paced manner.
I love the way how Silvia Moreno-Garcia engaged the reader by picking the right word to visualize the horrendous situation the character is in. The author's writing style is super convincing I keep on glancing on the walls to check if it's also beating.
Seriously, if you're looking for a read that will creep the fuck out of yourself and make you ask yourself, 'What the hell did I just read?' then this book is surely up your galley.
RATING: 4stars
P.S. This book changed the way I see mushrooms and it will be a long time before I eat them again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Incest
sofiaxaguilar's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and Xenophobia
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