Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

168 reviews

jordan_uhden's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexism, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Gore, Kidnapping, Suicide, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Racism, and Rape

saffrondrip's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Violence, Death, Incest, Racism, Murder, Physical abuse, Confinement, Cannibalism, and Sexual assault

lindseyas's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.25

This is another book that I read for my "Literary Hauntings" class, and you could tell that this author took the time and effort to research important history and the usage of gothic tropes in literature. There were so many direct inspirations from gothic works of the past and their most important characteristics, but the historical components were also so well-framed as well. We discussed in class how this book subverts some of the most gothic tropes, like making its main character, Noemí, a strong, confident female lead, and making Francis a meek, demure and shy male character (love interest?). It also incorporates something that is normally not discussed in the primarily white, European narrative: the horrors of racial eugenics and scientific racism, which are real-life, substantive horrors. The gothic, horror and mystery details were well-timed and present, and the final 75 pages or so were a whirlwind of all of the facts and feelings that had been recounted throughout the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, Gore, Racism, Body horror, Murder, Classism, Cannibalism, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Colonisation, Death, and Incest

andloveistoolong's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Violence, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Incest, Misogyny, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Vomit, and Murder

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Death of parent, Rape, and Gun violence

Minor: Miscarriage

professor_jango's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Rape, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, and Racism

badmom's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

Intriguing mystery set in 1950s Mexico surrounding a young woman’s cousin, recently married but suddenly disengaging from her close-knit family. As the main character, a bold & brash (for the 1950s) adventurer, investigates she discovers that her cousin’s in-laws are essentially white supremacists. She also begins to realize their home harbors terrifying & dangerous secrets, and she might be ensnared as well. 
The story is engaging most of tge way & written with soaring, sumptuous imagery at the start but unfortunately unravels once the secrets are revealed - the language ultimately feels more melodramatic soap opera than true, rich gothic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Confinement, Grief, Classism, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Gore, Suicide, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Sexual content, Car accident, and Medical trauma

lkjones19's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

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

heatherjchin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Racism, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Stalking, Terminal illness, Sexism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Gore, Rape, Blood, and Body horror

Minor: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Incest, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury

cadence99's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.0

Mexican Gothic slowly lulls you into its setting and then rapidly drops you into a fever dream. Though I normally am not a fan of the way that fever dream like books make me feel as a reader, this one really worked for me. Creepy and inspired by historical realities- I look forward to reading more from this author. 

4⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Gaslighting, Rape, Cannibalism, Child death, Mental illness, Sexism, Racism, Confinement, Gore, Physical abuse, Colonisation, and Sexual content

Minor: Classism and Infertility

rewrigh's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

Amazing read, but definitely mind the content warnings on this one. True to the Gothic and horror genres it gets quite dark and graphic. That said, it was unlike anything else I've read, with more of the intrigue that keeps pulling back to Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work. 

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Content Warnings

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