Reviews with content warning for Rape - Mexican Gothic

* A creepy and poetically dark mystery *

Mexican Gothic had me hooked from the beginning not only because of the mysterious premise but also the style of writing. The style of writing reminded me a little of something from Mary Shelley. (Although it's been a while since I've read Frankenstein.) The style of writing is very poetic and dark with a nice hint of embedded narrative. This was my first ever Audiobook so I really enjoyed the narration by Frankie Corzo as well, her voice was very soothing and went well with the tone of the book.

Noemi Taboada receives a letter from her cousin Catalina that insists that her newly wed husband is trying to kill her. This immediately gives a sense of urgency and intrigue as Noemi travels outside of her home to help her cousin. Upon arrival she finds her cousin is sick and with her sanity in question. Not only does Noemi seek to help her cousin but also questions just who are the Doyle's, the family in which Catalina has married into so suddenly.

I automatically connected with the protagonist Noemi and found her to be very likeable and sassy. I knew instantly that going through the journey of this mystery, with this character, was going to be entertaining and refreshing. The setting is in 1950s Mexico, the way of life was far different then now, so the topics of racism and sexism held importance within the story. Just these topics alone sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions, with me having to remind myself that back then woman were viewed differently and acted differently as well. This was my first gothic novel in years, so I definitely had to adjust. Not only did those types of topics emerge but also some with much more disturbing natures, such as body horror, gore, incest and assault. So this is a warning to those that might be a little more sensitive to those types of topics and themes.

After adjusting to the raw, yet poetic, nature of the story, I found myself invested deeply into solving the mystery that is the Doyle Family. The novel is extremely character driven which is fascinating yet can drag on at times. This book is definitely a slow burn read, but has a thrilling and exciting, well worth it, ending. If I could change anything I'd like to see more of the facts and folklore of the story that was a bit rushed towards the end, to be fleshed out more in the middle of the story. I feel this would add more to the mystery of the Doyle family and the dark atmosphere the story held.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading my first Gothic and era driven novel in years. I would definitely recommend this story to others and I am looking forward to seeing it's Netflix adaptation.

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raybudbury's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I feel like horror is one of the hardest genres to write because I feel like an ending has to land for it to be amazing.

I liked a lot of the setting, atmosphere, main character, etc. But the ending fell off for me.

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garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The first big reveal was kind of an obvious one, but they took it in an unexpected direction. It was interesting and well written.

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deetabz's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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mochipooja's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.5

This definitely has that same feel of the gothic novels we had to read in advanced lit classes, almost like Wuthering Heights-style. Except this is horror with a spunky Latina lead. While it’s written fairly well, it takes way too long to get to the point and I got bored partway through. Doesn’t really pick up in pace till a little over halfway into the book. But once we see the mystery unveiled, the horror element becomes super creepy. I could honestly see this getting adapted as a movie.

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trying_ceratops's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

My main problem with the book was the pacing. It was hard to get into but once it did, the mystery was great to unravel! It definitely felt like the gothic novels I’ve read before, so it is aptly titled. There is some character development, but it’s more about the story. I loved the reason for the mystery at the end and it was very new.

Id recommend this book to people who enjoy a slow build and a touch of spookiness. I wouldn’t consider this horror by any means, but it can be creepy. I can understand the hype this book created and am glad I read it.

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