Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

93 reviews

linzlee's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Murder, Death, Grief, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, War, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Animal death

noshakira's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I absolutely loved this book. It's equal parts spooky, empowering, and romantic. It perfectly captures the feelings, both good and bad, when you walk into a space that feels like it is living. Typically, I dislike period pieces, and would have avoided a book set in the 1800s like this one, but the storyline didn't feel as dated as many others and focused more on the timeless human and haunting aspects. Beautifully written and read like a movie in my mind. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Sexual assault, War, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Racism, Classism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Colonisation, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Violence, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

baearles's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Minor: Cursing, Racism, Vomit, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Murder, Abortion, War, Rape, Alcohol, and Death of parent

alychee's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

almost perfect, it was such an amazing read, amazing horror house, the themes of colonialism, and i learn a lot about the history of mexico and i found that i'm actually very interested in it and the whole casta system they had at the time of the revolution

i LOVED beatriz, such a badass and cool woman with strong ideas and such a kind heart i was afraid

she would die a the end, seeing how the book started

but i'm glad it ended this way, the right way (padre andrés you'll be forever loved)

i strongly recommend it for people looking for "sentient" houses, strong characters that go through exceptionally hard times but still find the strength to survive, and for the forbidden romance lovers 👀 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Racism

Moderate: Death of parent, War, and Death

Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol

tahsintries's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Gaslighting

Minor: Rape

veeples's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

This is such a delightful read. Cañas quickly draws you in with Beatriz’s wit and charm and resilience. I couldn’t help but feel so much for Beatriz and her fear as she faces the horrors of the house. Her stubbornness to survive, to live, despite everything is what endears her most to me. Andrés’s internal struggle with himself, who he is, what he wants, and his conviction to help are also wonderfully charming and provoking.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood

Minor: Sexual harassment and Rape

cesca_natalia's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.75

An amazing and beautifully written story about a young woman, Beatriz, whose lives about to change when she become the new pátron of Hacienda San Isidro. 

I can't believe how brilliant & talented Isabel with The Hacienda. Truthfully, when I started to read this book, I expect nothing beside a knowledge that the content inside will be dark & twisted much like the cover art. But few chapters in, it taken me into a journey of suspense & horror I've never imagined (the scene where the skeleton crawled on the stairs almost make me launch my phone to the wall) 

Character-wise, Beatriz had taken the whole space of my heart with her bravery, ambitious, toughness personality. Girl know how to put on a fight until her last (almost) dying breath, she knows what she wants & how to get it, her blind ambition & fixed mindset makes me think that she's a 100% Capricorn. Mixed with Andrès's compassion & gentle personality, together they create this edging yet fascinating chemistry. 

Furthermore, with how detail and descriptive every scene & Isabel, as Mexican-American author put lots of Mexican reference from food, drinks, culture or words, kind of give this sense of grounded into the story & makes it more imaginable. The plot, eventhough it's easily guessed, doesn't mean it's carelessly written. 

Despite all of this, in my opinion, the forbidden love story trope especially with religious figure involved, could become a dangerous topic to thread on. Though it creates a heart-breaking situation but I don't think it's fair especially for people whose in those said religion & actively practice it. 

Anyway, I do recommend The Hacienda if you're looking a book that could make you jump and scream out of fear (I did it twice, each of it) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Blood, and Murder

teddie_valetine98's review

dark mysterious slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Grief

Minor: Death of parent

lisa3315's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Death, Colonisation, Blood, Classism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abortion, Rape, Racism, Physical abuse, and War

ktv's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I’m so glad I keep coming back to this book and trying to finish it bc it was soooooo good. It kept me on my toes the entire time. I rly love a good gothic horror. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Alcohol, Classism, Body horror, Colonisation, Gore, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Cursing, Rape, Sexual violence, War, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Child abuse