Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

333 reviews

_teoeo's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

4.0

~3,75☆

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Body horror, and Incest

Moderate: Murder, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Cannibalism

lizzie24601's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

Very much its genre, so I feel like it'll be a hit or miss depending on how much you like gothic horror. Like most stories in this genre, the pace really picks up after the Big Reveal. Noemi is a very fun protagonist and Virgil and Howard are very creepy villains. It was cool to see gothic horror set somewhere outside, like, Victorian England. Definitely recommended for a fun, chilling October read.

If you like the body horror part of this, I recommend also reading Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Sexual assault

Moderate: Gaslighting, Body horror, Death of parent, Racism, Cannibalism, Child death, and Murder

Minor: Blood, Infidelity, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, and Injury/Injury detail

passionatereader78's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No

4.0

Perfect Fall read especially if you like creepy and weird but not horror stories. This book has so much happening in it. I had to go back and reread certain parts. I love the creepy mysterious feeling the book gives.   I loved the dark weird house that the story is set in. I love Noemi! I love the fight and strength she brought. I didn't like some of the plot, but the deliver was great.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Incest, Pregnancy, Cursing, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Murder

Family drama, Mystery, Gothic, haunted house, family secrets, dark thriller, snake, nightmares

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

bugaboobear's review

dark mysterious 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? No

3.75

For a book called Mexican Gothic it certainly is very European. I was pretty disappointed with that; I was really looking forward to the Mexican setting and characters.

The plot itself was good and the pacing picked up around the half way mark and kept me reading until it was finished. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Body horror, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Cannibalism, Racism, Xenophobia, Incest, Murder, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, and Sexism

Minor: Miscarriage, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Cursing, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Suicide

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

justinecm's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Infertility, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Vomit, Death of parent, Gore, Cannibalism, Genocide, Suicide, Body horror, Confinement, Gun violence, Torture, Child death, and Gaslighting

kathburke'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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Colonisation, Death, Confinement, Racism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Incest, Child abuse, and Gun violence

Minor: Infertility, Suicide, and Vomit

discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I put off reading this despite everyone raving about it because I’m stubborn and now I’m ANGRY WITH MYSELF, because there’s a reason this book is so popular!

I have nothing bad to say about it. This was a decadent sort of unsettling that had me guessing right up to the very end. I had such a blast reading it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Murder, Death, Blood, Body horror, Sexual assault, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Racism, Colonisation, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Death of parent, Vomit, Gun violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Cannibalism, and Child death