Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Meksikos gotika by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

290 reviews

romie_chat's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-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? No

5.0

October 2023

yeah, still adored it. and I still think the last paragraph is one of the best I've ever read, and I'll keep o rereading it every once in a while when I need a bit of hope.

October 2020

I know this book isn't for everybody, because it's slow and very descriptive, but to me, these things added to the uncomfortable atmosphere and made me love this book even more. it's an incredible book that talks about eugenics and, in a way, white supremacy as well as colonialism. it's brutal, it's horrific, but it's also hopeful. I simply adored it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Cannibalism, Incest, Murder, Body horror, and Colonisation

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

mari1532's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

5.0

I have had the copy of this book for way longer than I care to admit and the fact that I did not read this book sooner frankly makes me want to ask my past self what I was even thinking for not reading this book immediately. Although I have this book on my Kindle I decided to check the audiobook out of my local library and did not want to stop listening. 

Marino-Garcia paints a vivid and dark world full of intrigue. Noemí leaves her life of studying anthropology by day and attending high society parties by night when a strange letter from her cousin arrives. Having recently married an Englishman, Catalina now lives in an isolated mansion and appears very ill when Noemí arrives. However, as Noemí attempts to figure out what exactly may be the cause of her always-healthy cousin's illness, Noemí begins to experience strange things in the house. Little does she know it is only a matter of time before she will have the answers she's looking for, but they might lead to even bigger problems. 

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Marino-Garcia's writing was fantastic! Not only is her writing beautiful it is vivid and you almost feel as if you are watching a movie rather than reading/hearing words from the page. There were so many instances throughout the book when I felt exactly as Noemí must have at that moment. 

Highly recommend this book! It's one of my new favourite books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Murder, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Rape, Sexual violence, and Body horror

Moderate: Alcohol

The patriarch of Catalina's new family is a eugenicist.

beeminor's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

A good spooky read. Grotesque at times and wilding enchanting, like a fairy-tale turned fever dream. I love the imagery and symbolism. I love how at times the lines between dream and reality blur. 

 I think Moreno-Garcia’s pacing and delivery of spooks and information as well as plot development are spot on. It’s a great concept which was executed excellently. Besides the outright horror aspects, the scariest thing for me while reading is the controlling, abusive white man dynamic. 

Mexican Gothic is a testament to the rage and suffering of women at the hands of abuse, violence and misogyny. 

It was a near perfect read. Very clever. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Cannibalism, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Suicide, Gun violence, Incest, and Murder

zombie_loves_books's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

I love a good gothic novel and this hit the mark in more ways than one. At first it felt like a great homage to the classics. I quickly found myself engrossed in the story and the people. Then in the last 80 pages I had to remind myself to breath. Even though I predicted some things in advance it didn't diminish my enjoyment one bit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Genocide, Incest, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, and Death

Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Cannibalism, Child death, Gun violence, and Violence

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

xhochi's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Death, Colonisation, Suicide, Murder, Gun violence, Cannibalism, Body horror, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Rape, Violence, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood

theliteraryteapot's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.75

I wanted to try the horror genre and I have to say I didn't feel there was much horror in the first 200 pages. And then lol.

This was a page-turner and it's been so long since I didn't have to force myself to read. Because of its genre, I knew there'd be lots of trigger warnings but I enjoyed the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Racism, and Cannibalism

Minor: Colonisation and Genocide

megs1328's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This was a well written book, but it made me queasy, which I suppose could show that it was well done. I came into this pretty blind, and did not expect where it was going. The resolution seemed a little rushed, but overall it was a good gothic story. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Confinement, Incest, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Death, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia

lola218_'s review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Incest, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Colonisation, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, Racism, Murder, Rape, Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Gore