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lizdaniii's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Mexican Gothic’s premise is intriguing enough. A beautiful young woman enters a crumbling mansion to check on her cousin at the bequest of her father and discovers a family’s ancient grotesque secret. At times it feels like a classic black and white horror film, but as the story unfolds it leans into gore and gruesomeness of a more modern variety.
To start, this book was not easy to get into. The first five chapters dragged, with a great deal of time spent setting the scene and describing the appearances of characters. Although the plot does eventually pick up, the book continues to remark on what certain characters look like in detail, often repetitively. For example, it seems impossible for the author to write a paragraph involving the men in the story without also mentioning what clothes they are wearing, their hair color, or how attractive they are.
The author’s detailed visual descriptions are thankfully not entirely limited to describing a man’s handsomeness or lack thereof. Certain passages conjure exceedingly grotesque images more than fitting of the horror genre, which although repulsive, do stand out in an otherwise unexceptional novel. One scene describing a diseased man on a bed made me want to gag in disgust, which I suppose could be a strength or deterrent depending on how committed one is to the feeling of immersion.
Unfortunately, a plot is not made off descriptions of bile and boils alone, and Mexican Gothic falls short in one crucial way. The story and characters, although initially promising, ultimately fail to be either engaging or likeable. When faced with the final chapters, I realized how little I cared about even the main characters whose fate I should be thoroughly invested in. Overall, for a story with such dark themes and imagery, there is little below the surface, leaving only distaste without any greater meaning.
Graphic: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Classism, Sexual content, and Incest
a_win_in_clear_rain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Maybe it’s just that I’m new to this genre and style, but this was amazing to me. The atmosphere was perfectly created, every time I picked up this book I felt like I was in High Place walking through the halls with Noemì.
And even though it was incredibly unnerving I somehow didn’t want to leave…
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Classism, Death, and Incest
Minor: Vomit, Child death, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, and Blood
star_sword's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexual assault, Murder, Body horror, Death, Incest, Sexual violence, and Classism
sophieamreacher's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicide, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, Rape, Violence, Incest, Confinement, Classism, Child death, Vomit, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Alcohol, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Gun violence, Death, Cannibalism, Blood, Medical content, Infertility, Gore, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent
jaydeecepticon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Incest, Child death, Gun violence, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Confinement
Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, War, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, and Pandemic/Epidemic
tamara_joy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Blood, Racism, Murder, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Gun violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Classism, Mental illness, Medical content, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide, Miscarriage, and Alcohol
alannad396's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Classism, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, and Pregnancy
mariabacterium's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Incest, Gore, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Misogyny
litoreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Confinement, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexual harassment
acrosstheskyinstars's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Body horror, Incest, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Pandemic/Epidemic, Chronic illness, Grief, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Murder, Gaslighting, Child death, Racism, Genocide, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Classism, Colonisation, Gun violence, and Suicide