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sonaea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I really liked the first half (4+ stars) though there are a lot of problematic things in there (esp. in the later half) that aren't handled very well/believably (~2 stars).
At the start there's not a lot of plot but rather a lot of just the vibes of dark, creepy houses, though the plot picks up at about the middle. I was surprised by the solution to the puzzle as I did not expect
I really liked that Noemí is headstrong, intelligent and doesn't let people run her over. That made an interesting protagonist and the setting was quite nice too as I haven't read many books set in historic Mexico (though that wasn't really in the focus of the story).
What could have used a bit more work is the pacing (at the first half of the book next to nothing happens, it's just all vibes and setting and only the slightest hints, while in the second half it's reveal after reveal). I would have liked that to be more stretched out in the book.
Also the action scenes at the end were not written like action scenes but rather just the same as the scenes about the setting (short descriptions, all the sentences about the same length, no focus on anything. There was next to no suspense in the writing. The only bit of suspense came from the plot though that wasn't a lot because
!!! Also there are a LOT of pretty heavy topics in this book, some CNs would have been appreciated!!!
CN r*pe:
That's a part where I think some character work would have been necessary. Her reacting shocked and then continuing as if normal really doesn't fit the situation.
CN c*n*balism:
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Incest, Sexual assault, Murder, Classism, and Racism
Moderate: Terminal illness, Suicide, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Vomit and Miscarriage
There are A LOT of problematic things happening. Most are mentioned, the description style of the book isn't one that goes into detail much. I tried to find most things that should have a CN, but I certainly didn't get every single one. So do be careful when reading this book! (Also I added 'toxic relationship' by which 'toxic family-relationship' is meant)moonlightjuju's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Firstly, I longed for more depth into the character of Catalina, the cousin at the center of the tale. While glimpses of her backstory and personality were provided through flashbacks and Noemí's commentary, they proved insufficient. Strengthening the narrative could have been achieved through dual perspectives, offering insights from both Catalina and Noemí or by dedicating several chapters—perhaps 5 to 10— to Catalina's experiences post-marriage, leading up to her pivotal letter to Noemí.
Additionally, greater insight into Francis would have enhanced comprehension surrounding his motivations, particularly concerning his
Overall, "Mexican Gothic" delivers a captivating narrative with echoes of classic literature, but the potential for deeper character exploration leaves room for improvement.
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexism, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Stalking, Racism, Death, Suicide, Sexual assault, Murder, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Incest, Gore, Gaslighting, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Body horror
slavic_bookworm'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? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Violence, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Gun violence, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Sexism, Mental illness, Gore, Torture, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Stalking, Death, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Incest, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Cannibalism and Rape
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
cavefly's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Moderate: Murder, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Death, Domestic abuse, and Stalking
xiggy'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, Gaslighting, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Terminal illness, Violence, Body horror, Sexual content, Gore, Incest, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
heatherjchin's review against another edition
- 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
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
msonoda's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Rape, Trafficking, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Stalking, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
briarsreviews'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? It's complicated
5.0
This book is a wild, roller coaster of a ride full that I couldn't put down. I'm highly impressed with Silvia's incredible writing style, her ability to make the book feel so fast but also move at a pace that only gives us a bit of information at a time. There is foreshadowing galore, and if you're smart enough you'll be able to pick up on the subtle hints the book throws at you...
Overall, this is one of the greatest books I've read in a very long time. It's spooky, it's weird, and it's wild. I absolutely love it.
Sure, it's gorey. And has incest. And has sexual harssment/assault. And a lot of other bad things... But this is the type of fantastical horror I expect out of an incredible gothic writer.
Five out of five stars.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Gore
Moderate: Infertility, Body horror, Stalking, Murder, Violence, Suicide, Slavery, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Incest, and Drug use
Minor: Cannibalism, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
spooderalec's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Stalking, and Sexual violence