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kelly_e's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Genre: Gothic Horror
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: June 30, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Edgy • Atmospheric • Creative
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When her father receives a frantic letter from his niece begging someone to save her, he enlists Noemi's help, sending her to High Place in the Mexican countryside. Trading her glamourous lifestyle for amateur sleuthing, Noemi doesn't know what to expect when she arrives. She certainly isn't afraid: not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemí’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.
Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Of course, I'd seen and heard all of the hype surrounding Mexican Gothic when it was originally published a few years ago. Honestly, I had no interest in picking it up until it landed on the 2023 Canada Reads shortlist. Even then, I was hesitant as it's not a genre I gravitate towards. In my opinion, it was a rather odd pick for the shortlist. Nonetheless one of my reading goals each year is to read all five contenders ahead of the debates, so I decided to give it a go. I was pleasantly surprised until I got about two-thirds of the way through and it took such a disturbing turn and lost me.
What I like:
• the writing. The writing is phenomenal. So engrossing. So cinematic. So mysterious. So atmospheric.
• the house. The house is its own character and I cannot recall ever reading one quite like this. In addition, the historic setting helped create an unsettling feeling that something wasn't quite right.
• the beginning. Through the first 50%, I was pleasantly surprised and entertained by the narrative. There was more tension and mystery building that anything else.
• the audio. The audio is very well done, and adds an extra layer to the atmosphere.
What I didn't like:
• the second half. The plot started getting weirder and weirder (when it didn't need to). There was significantly more gore and grotesque subject matter. And the story lost me at this point. I don't even think it needed to go the places it when in order to be successful. In fact, I think it would have been better if it hadn't gone that route at all.
• the pacing. The pacing felt extremely slow to begin with (which I was fine with), and yet somehow when I got to the strange twist it felt like it came out of nowhere and the pacing shifted gears to the point it felt rushed.
• the twist. Ugh. It felt unnecessary. And some of the scenes where incredibly unsettling to the point I don't even think they served the story at all. It left me with an icky feeling (which is probably the point), but I read to enjoy myself and it just wasn't enjoyable at all.
Overall, Mexican Gothic is an incredibly creative and disturbing story set in an old house and filled with family secrets. There are certainly some underlying social commentaries on racism and colonialism, but I didn't necessarily find the novel overly thought-provoking or perspective shifting in that regard. In fact, I think it went places it didn't need to go simply to add shock value. It's quite clear I am not the intended audience,, but if gothic horror is your thing than you'll probably love this book.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who like secluded settings
• fans of haunted houses
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"After all, nothing in this place was what it seemed."
"The future, she thought, could no be predicted, and the shape of things could not be divined."
Graphic: Sexism, Blood, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Torture, Confinement, Child death, Misogyny, Gore, Toxic relationship, Death, Body horror, Xenophobia, Rape, Child abuse, Murder, Racism, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Infertility, Cannibalism, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Colonisation, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Vomit
vaguely_pink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Classism, Gaslighting, Murder, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Racism, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Cannibalism, Blood, Colonisation, Gore, Incest, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Body horror
Minor: Miscarriage, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, War, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Animal death, Vomit, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, and Mental illness
allena_inwonderland's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Haunting of Hill House meets The Invitation (movie) but add body horror.
I waited til the hype died down because I was very skeptical. I also read this without much background info!
I thoroughly enjoyed the eire writing style and details. I wouldn’t say it was gothic style. Noemí was a character I immediately felt intrigued by. This book is set in 1950s Mexico and Noemí receives a frantic scattered letter from her newly wed cousin. Upon her arrival to the house where her cousin is, she begins to experience things that make her question reality.
The house itself was the star. Last portion of the book kept me on my toes, I was second guessing my suspicions. It had me on edge; in the best way.
There are some heavy Content warnings:
Sexual assault, body horror, cannibalism, incest, suicidal thoughts, murder, drugging
There was discussion of racism, colonization and classism
Graphic: Cannibalism, Body horror, Sexual harassment, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Colonisation, and Classism
lkjones19's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Incest and Body horror
Moderate: Cannibalism, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Racism, Suicide, Rape, Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Medical content, Violence, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Death, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
yourstrulytay's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Mental illness, Suicide, Classism, Gaslighting, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, Colonisation, Sexism, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Incest, and Medical trauma
rewrigh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Body horror, Rape, Incest, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Cannibalism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Confinement, Blood, Alcohol, Child abuse, and Child death
alreinwarth's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Gore, Religious bigotry, and Body horror
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Suicide attempt
alyssasaurus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Cannibalism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Vomit, Child death, Murder, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt
emmalouisereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
It’s a really strange story (that I enjoyed mostly for reasons that would be spoilers and I can’t mention). It certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
I’d love to see this made into a gothic film.
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual assault, Vomit, Rape, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Incest, Self harm, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Miscarriage
santinasimile's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Graphic: Blood, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Murder, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Torture, Terminal illness, Slavery, Death, Chronic illness, Drug use, Suicide, and Mental illness