Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Mexican Gothic - Mexikói rémtörténet by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

45 reviews

slvt4b00ks's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

If I could give this book more stars I would. I honestly don’t understand why this book has such low ratings. Maybe some just aren’t cut out for gothic tales. I was weary about this being set in the 50s but the time period didn’t seem it was as much of a contributing factor to most parts of the story. Of course there is racism and some bat shit crazy people who believe in eugenics and of course the misogyny but that seems to really be all that indicates a less modern setting. This book was incredibly atmospheric and creepy, though I wasn’t quite stuck sitting up all night like I thought I would be. I fell in love with Francis. He must be protected at all costs. Noemi felt incredibly relatable, her flightiness and inability to settle down is portrayed as a flaw but I found it endearing. I don’t think anyone should settle.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Incest, Infertility, Medical content, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Cancer, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Vomit, Violence, Sexism, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Classism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

kels24's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Violence

Moderate: Racial slurs, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, War, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexism, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Grief, and Gore

hannahbailey's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

It lost me in parts with the 3rd person narration. I didn't feel connected enough to the characters, although this could have been intentional. With the nature of the plot I feel like 1st person would have been a great opportunity for the readers to access Noemi's fear and horror.

Creepy enough that I couldn't read it before bed (two days in a row I had related nightmares), but overall a bit anticlimactic. The themes of colonialism and eugenics were done well and added much-needed depth to the narrative. Definitely worth a read for something different, and I'm glad I went out of my comfort zone to read this one.

TW: body horror, gore, sexual violence, death

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Confinement, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Violence, and Xenophobia

wandsoflight's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Gore, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Rape, Colonisation, Incest, Medical content, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, and Gaslighting

stellaauream's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Classism, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Body horror, Death of parent, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Racism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Infertility

Minor: Pregnancy

the_sapphic_witch's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Incest, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Genocide, Infidelity, Medical content, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Rape, Violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, and Torture

Moderate: Abortion and Medical trauma

becca_w_'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Incest, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Body horror

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Colonisation, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia

theirgracegrace's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Racism, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Misogyny, Torture, Slavery, and Fire/Fire injury

There are two instances of attempted sexual assault in this book but one is

later discovered to have been a dream

and the other is

fought off

.

kingsteph's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Classism, Murder, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Suicide, Medical content, Violence, Drug use, Racism, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Vomit, and Terminal illness

soundlysmitten'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

In a decadent, decaying manor, high above the rural town of El Triunfo, lives a strange English family. The year is 1950 and the mines the Doyles came to exploit have been in disrepair for decades, but still, the standoffish brood remains isolated a top the hill. Noemí Taboada, a socialite from Mexico City, is an unwelcome visitor. Having received a chilling letter from her cousin Catalina, who recently married into the Doyle family, Noemí arrives at High Place concerned for her wellbeing. The Doyles claim that Catalina is ill with tuberculosis and experiencing feverish delusions, but they are suspiciously controlling and prevent Noemí from spending more than a few minutes with Catalina at a time. As the days drag on, Noemí clashes with the family and feels increasingly powerless to help her cousin. When she starts having disturbing visions of her own, Noemí becomes even more desperate to sort things out and depart. But things get a whole lot weirder before the dark reality of Catalina’s illness and the house’s horrific secrets are finally revealed.

Mexican Gothic combines Latin American magic realism and historical suspense with mystery, horror, and a hint of romance. The narrative is told in third person. The beginning mostly details the dreary aspects of life at High Place. But then a series of abnormal events occur, and bizarre supernatural circumstances ultimately bring the story to a head.

This book is full of beautifully crafted depictions of unsettling things that freaked me out to the point of sleeping with the lights on. It might not be the best read for those who prefer a faster paced novel, but the writing is so atmospheric that I personally found even the instances of monotony engrossing. I did not so enjoy the most grotesque horrors, but I’m a wimp and I get sleep paralysis so I’m surprised I even picked this story up… still, no regrets.

Although most of the cast is unlikeable, I was rather fond of the main character. Capable, clever, outspoken, and flirty, Noemí is a strong heroine, but not in a stereotypical way. People underestimate her, but she challenges the standards that say to be feminine is to be weak and that a woman who fancies fashion and fun is just silly or slutty or shallow. As the author has pointed out, we don’t see many Mexican characters portrayed as anything other than maids and laborers in spite of the different socio-economic classes that exist. But Noemí comes from a degree of privilege, and her position also helps embolden her in dealing with the Doyles.

At the start, it seems like the Doyles all have relatively flat personalities. But what lies beneath the family’s austere demeanor is a sadistic ruthlessness. Shy, kind Francis is the only one with any redeemable qualities. Despite being raised up in a household of white supremacists with misplaced humanity, he does not see the world their way or behave like the rest of them. He stays passive far too long, but abuse is all he’s ever known, and it’s important to recognize how hard such things can be to escape.

In terms of messaging, Mexican Gothic contrasts the use of old gothic tropes with a modern discourse on the state of the world, broaching issues like colonialism, racism, and eugenics. The setting makes use of a less referenced part of Mexico's history. And while examining the limits of a woman’s autonomy in 1950s Mexico, the narrative also touches upon the violations women have faced across the world for millennia. I just wish it didn’t depend on repeated descriptions of sexual harassment and assault to get its point across. Certain parts felt a bit excessive to me and I’m not sure all of the graphic content was necessary.

The only other thing I wish was different is the exploration of Catalina’s character. I would’ve liked her to play a bigger role in the story, seeing as she was the whole reason Noemi ended up at High Place.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia

Minor: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Vomit