Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Мексиканская готика by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

208 reviews

crodgers90's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Rape and Domestic abuse

tsoutham's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Mexican Gothic is, well, gothic! However there is a serious turn towards dark magic and the supernatural. Jane Eyre on fire!  I'm not sure I loved the cooperation of nature and humans for the most sinister end game. Why does every novel, even the ones with seriously strong female characters, have to turn towards the trope of sexual violence and overpowering white patriarch? Why can't the magic be for the good, nature cooperating for healing? Like Weyward. Fabulous book. I was hoping for something like Weyward. Don't tell me that's boring and, by the way, we're in serious need of both good and healing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

jessy4550's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Death, Blood, Child death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Violence, Pregnancy, Suicide, Chronic illness, Genocide, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Gun violence, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Colonisation, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Vomit, Alcohol, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

lostinthelibrary's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.0

I always love the concept of transplanting a gothic novel to a new setting and time period and I thought this book did a great job of creating the creepy gothic atmosphere while maintaining a sense of place and time that still felt very 50s. Noemi was a fantastic lead, I loved her stubbornness, drive and fashion sense! 

This book was genuinely scary! The imagery was very vivid and the plot unfolded in a very satisfying way leading up to a nail biting finale. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, Gore, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Incest, and Domestic abuse

enyltiak'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? No

5.0

Truly a perfectly gothic novel. The atmosphere is intense and vivid, the characters (well, Noemí and Francis, anyway) are delightful and you can't help but root for and admire them. Every element of the mystery unravels in a disgusting and fascinating way. I think I'll be thinking about the girls of this novel for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Blood, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Gun violence, Cannibalism, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Confinement, Violence, Child death, Physical abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Vomit

ghost_story's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Body horror

rhiannon814r's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Confinement, Sexism, Body horror, and Racism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Incest, Mass/school shootings, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Kidnapping

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Cursing, Gore, Cannibalism, Gun violence, and Suicide

ravenpuff's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I was really looking forward to an immersive gothic atmosphere but I never really got that. The main character was so smart throughout the book but made some frustrating choices towards the end. 

There wasn't a ton of character development but I understand why. Most of the characters feel empty, but I feel like they're supposed to given the plot development in the second half of the book.

The book did a good job of reflecting the time period, especially the racism, sexism, misogyny, and the really gross way Howard views "purity". 

The mushrooms themselves felt like a metaphor for colonization and toxic family hierarchy. To support the patriarchal figure of the family, women, children, and indigenous people are literally sacrificed so an old man from the UK can preserve himself and his gross views that only benefit him. Historic events have shown that colonization is a selfish and horrific thing, Mexican Gothic depicts it as such.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Racism, Sexism, Misogyny, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Suicide

eliscout's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I read the back half of this book in one sitting. Beautifully written, excellent foreshadowing throughout, stunning imagery. The last chapter could have been a little more drawn out, but that's my only complaint 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Incest, Child death, Miscarriage, Cannibalism, Blood, and Body horror

Moderate: Abandonment, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual assault

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Suicide

bookswithbethx's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Gore, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Body horror, Murder, Misogyny, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Violence, Racism, Incest, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Death, and Colonisation

Moderate: Confinement