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hayy6747's review against another edition
adventurous
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
xangemtheelibrarian's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This debut book is absolutely incredible! I found the story to be believable and it was so easy to listen to as an audiobook. I adore Beatriz, Andrés, and Paloma. All three of them deserve the world.
There's so much that I want to say about the haunted hacienda. About Rudolfo and Juana and Ana Luisa and the first Doña. The complicated relationships and the tragedies that happened in that house. And how the caste system played into so much of what happened in the book! I want to talk about it and how incredible reading this book was but I don't want to give away any potential spoilers!!
Just. Read it. It's amazing. And if Cañas writes anything else, I'm reading that too.
There's so much that I want to say about the haunted hacienda. About Rudolfo and Juana and Ana Luisa and the first Doña. The complicated relationships and the tragedies that happened in that house. And how the caste system played into so much of what happened in the book! I want to talk about it and how incredible reading this book was but I don't want to give away any potential spoilers!!
Just. Read it. It's amazing. And if Cañas writes anything else, I'm reading that too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Blood and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, and Alcohol
allie847's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death
Minor: Rape
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Really great for the haunted house/afraid of what lurks in the dark vibes. The overall story for me was quite slow to get through until towards the end.
It is multiple POV.
The reason the house is haunted was interesting, but it felt pretty slow to get to that point. I loved all the creepiness of it though. It was nice reading a gothic horror that wasn't set against an all white cast. The author also touches on class/classism and colorism/racism a little bit.
It is multiple POV.
The reason the house is haunted was interesting, but it felt pretty slow to get to that point. I loved all the creepiness of it though. It was nice reading a gothic horror that wasn't set against an all white cast. The author also touches on class/classism and colorism/racism a little bit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
jennshelfishlife's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Set in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, Beatriz has lost her home and her father. Determined to regain her status in society and to have a home of her own, Beatriz married Don Rodolfo Solórzano who has his own secrets. Beatriz resettles to the countryside in a beautiful but frightening hacienda. While residing at the hacienda, Beatriz is haunted by an evil and frightful entity. While fending off the evil, Beatriz also has to contend with Rodolfo's staff and sister who don't make life easy for her. Seeking peace, Beatriz seeks out the local parish for an exorcism and meets Padre Andrés who has his own mysterious past but agrees to help Beatriz.
The relationship between Beatriz and Padre Andrés is well written and developed but I found it to be a cliché. I loved the spookiness to the tale, definitely eerie and it did remind me of Rebecca or The Haunting of Hill House.
What I would have liked from the story, a more thoroughly fleshed out character development of Beatriz' family and the Mexican War of Independence. The budding romantic relationship between Beatriz and the padre didn't add anything to the story. Padre Andrés had a justified reason and interest in the hacienda without the romance with Beatriz. One last note, I would have liked a different ending for Juana.
Overall, a very creepy and spooky read that I would recommend to readers that enjoy Gothic horror.
The relationship between Beatriz and Padre Andrés is well written and developed but I found it to be a cliché. I loved the spookiness to the tale, definitely eerie and it did remind me of Rebecca or The Haunting of Hill House.
What I would have liked from the story, a more thoroughly fleshed out character development of Beatriz' family and the Mexican War of Independence. The budding romantic relationship between Beatriz and the padre didn't add anything to the story. Padre Andrés had a justified reason and interest in the hacienda without the romance with Beatriz. One last note, I would have liked a different ending for Juana.
Overall, a very creepy and spooky read that I would recommend to readers that enjoy Gothic horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Rape and Murder
caitbrat's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Rape and War
cassielaj's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The Gothic and magical realism elements of this book were impressively immersive — I didn’t ever want to stop reading! I also appreciated the context of the Mexican War of Independence: the insurgents, the casta system, the religious Inquisition. Cañas’ author’s note was a great way to end the book; I enjoyed reading about her intentionality regarding those aspects.
I wanted a bit more character development for the main character at times, but I really enjoyed the supporting characters.
TLDR: definitely worth the read!!
I wanted a bit more character development for the main character at times, but I really enjoyed the supporting characters.
TLDR: definitely worth the read!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Moderate: Sexual violence, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
toriwatson's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abortion, Death of parent, and War
volunteerpyromancer's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
There were parts that could be predictable. But my god. It was a solidly entertaining ghost story. And consider me a Padre Andres fan.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Rape and War
awebofstories's review against another edition
dark
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? No
4.0
When they claim that this book is a mix of Mexican Gothic and Rebecca, they hit the target. This is a good, old-fashioned gothic haunted house story with a menacing former wife.
I suppose describing it makes it sound formulaic, but it really isn't. There are enough details to enrich this tale and keep you guessing truly. Given its comps, I was looking for certain things, but Cañas smartly subverts expectations at key points. She also hits the mark on the atmosphere, creating a community brimming with secrets and things that come out at night.
If I had any complaint about this book, it would be that I would have liked the mercury on the spooky meter to go up just a bit. I don't think this book was especially tame, and I did get a chill now and then, but I was never truly spooked. However, I've been leaning into horror this spooky season, so my tolerance may be on the high side. Another reader might find this frightful (in the appropriate way).
This was an excellent debut, and I hope we get more from Isabel Cañas in the future!
I suppose describing it makes it sound formulaic, but it really isn't. There are enough details to enrich this tale and keep you guessing truly. Given its comps, I was looking for certain things, but Cañas smartly subverts expectations at key points. She also hits the mark on the atmosphere, creating a community brimming with secrets and things that come out at night.
If I had any complaint about this book, it would be that I would have liked the mercury on the spooky meter to go up just a bit. I don't think this book was especially tame, and I did get a chill now and then, but I was never truly spooked. However, I've been leaning into horror this spooky season, so my tolerance may be on the high side. Another reader might find this frightful (in the appropriate way).
This was an excellent debut, and I hope we get more from Isabel Cañas in the future!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Toxic relationship, and Blood