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A review by mirrormir
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I realized one thing while I was writing this review: this is not even the best Gothic book I've read this year*, and the gothic elements are by far the best thing about this book.
If you're looking for something with classic horror: that is not what this book is.
If you're looking for magic realism: that is not what this book is.
What this book actually is: fantasy fiction, gothic psychological horror, visceral body horror, and a slow burn romance. Also, this book should come with trigger warnings for
I was a little bit disappointed by this book given that there's been so much hype for it. After reading Gods of Jade and Shadow though, I have to say I'm not that surprised- that one was a truly awful book. I thought this one might be different, and while I did enjoy it significantly more than Gods of Jade and Shadow, it still felt a bit flat in some areas.
What I did like:
-the premise: the idea of this book is good (in actuality it falls short)
-There are a TON of gothic tropes in here. This book really leaned into that and I'm happy it did, it was at least an interesting read.
-The trope of the house as a character- house horror is one of my favorite genres and while I don't think this book really explored that trope to the fullest, it has a good little creepy house in it and for that I am glad.
-There are a TON of gothic tropes in here. This book really leaned into that and I'm happy it did, it was at least an interesting read.
-The trope of the house as a character- house horror is one of my favorite genres and while I don't think this book really explored that trope to the fullest, it has a good little creepy house in it and for that I am glad.
What I did NOT like:
-The book takes agessss to get going. The first 100 pages are so boring I almost did not make it through.
- The characters are really flat, there's very little character development
- The rushed ending. All the action happens in the last 50 or so pages of this book.
- The "twist" is so underwhelming, I missed it. I literally read the whole book and went, "wait, what? Where's the rest..." because I was expecting there to be some "aha!" moment that never came
- the romance between Noemi and Francis was both unnecessary and unappealing. They should have just been friends!
I wish Noemi and Catalina had had more depth to them- and for a book whose premise is "my cousin mailed a strange letter I need to go make sure she's okay" the cousins in question rarely interact. Catalina might as well have been called Plot Device. Noemi herself is also a very unlovable main character. Like most characters in this book, she has almost no character development and almost no depth to her. Its difficult to like her, and I'm not sure what Francis sees in her to be honest (but I also don't know what she sees in Francis, so they're meant to be I guess).
There were also many difficult scenes to get over, the book really grossed me out, and I'm not really a squeamish person. See the trigger warnings above for context.
And while the book is called Mexican Gothic, the only thing Mexican about this book is the pueblito Noemi gets to visit a couple of times and the unfortunate Revolutionaries that were massacred. I was hoping for more depth into Mexican culture than the typical racist remarks and eugenics commentary made by some of the British characters but sadly there was just not enough there. It might as well be called British Gothic.
It is not my favorite book I've read this year, and while I think it has many faults, I think fans of Crimson Peak and Wuthering Heights will enjoy this one.
*For the best Gothic book I've read this year see Gideon the Ninth
- The characters are really flat, there's very little character development
- The rushed ending. All the action happens in the last 50 or so pages of this book.
- The "twist" is so underwhelming, I missed it. I literally read the whole book and went, "wait, what? Where's the rest..." because I was expecting there to be some "aha!" moment that never came
- the romance between Noemi and Francis was both unnecessary and unappealing. They should have just been friends!
I wish Noemi and Catalina had had more depth to them- and for a book whose premise is "my cousin mailed a strange letter I need to go make sure she's okay" the cousins in question rarely interact. Catalina might as well have been called Plot Device. Noemi herself is also a very unlovable main character. Like most characters in this book, she has almost no character development and almost no depth to her. Its difficult to like her, and I'm not sure what Francis sees in her to be honest (but I also don't know what she sees in Francis, so they're meant to be I guess).
There were also many difficult scenes to get over, the book really grossed me out, and I'm not really a squeamish person. See the trigger warnings above for context.
And while the book is called Mexican Gothic, the only thing Mexican about this book is the pueblito Noemi gets to visit a couple of times and the unfortunate Revolutionaries that were massacred. I was hoping for more depth into Mexican culture than the typical racist remarks and eugenics commentary made by some of the British characters but sadly there was just not enough there. It might as well be called British Gothic.
It is not my favorite book I've read this year, and while I think it has many faults, I think fans of Crimson Peak and Wuthering Heights will enjoy this one.
*For the best Gothic book I've read this year see Gideon the Ninth
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Drug use and Fire/Fire injury