A review by lorisparkles
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

dark mysterious medium-paced

2.5

Sigh. I wanted to like it, but I just didn't. I think there's a lot that's good about it (the end is suspenseful and fast-paced and the right kind of gross) but there's also too much filler for me. This felt like a really good novella that was padded into a novel. 

How many times can a character smooth the folds of her taffeta skirt? How many times does she need to remind me that the skirt is too dressy for the occasion and that its color is so vibrant against the surrounding gloom? How many potentially suspenseful scenes do I have to read that turn out to be dreams? The last 75 pages or so were great, but if not for all the award buzz, I probably would have abandoned the book before I ever got there. 

I also thought the premise was confusing - the dad doesn't approve of his daughter going to college, but he'll send her alone on a cross-county trip to investigate a potential abuse situation? I don't buy it. 

There's a good story in here, but you really have to wait for it. I think trimmed down to 100ish pages, this would be a great novella or novelette.