A review by saucy_bookdragon
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

Mexican Gothic has a bit of a tonal issue going on. The first half of the novel is slow, like really slow. The protag Noemi just kind of walks around the house, complains, and has nightmares (she's just like me fr) (and in her defense her complaints are valid). There are spooky scenes in the first half, but I wouldn't have categorized it as horror. The second half takes a bizarre turn and is definitely horror. I think I would have enjoyed the book more had it better combined these elements, particular the first half should have been spookier.

I also wish there was a little more personality to the characters, especially given how much this book relies on their drama. The writing is excellent though and the atmosphere is on point. I also like how this tackled eugenics as a theme and incorporated it into the horror aspects. 
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