Scan barcode
A review by whatjamieread
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
What a wild ride. If you’ve already read this book, you understand what I mean when I say that I think I might have trouble looking at a certain edible plant the same way again after reading this book 🥴
First things first, Silvia Moreno-Garcia could (and should) teach a MASTER CLASS in descriptive writing. From the very start, I could imagine exactly what High Place looked and smelled like. She is so good at giving you so much detail that your senses take over to the point where I was feeling like I could SMELL the words she was writing, especially during the gross scenes where she not only describes what the MC is smelling, but she steps on the gas so hard that at one point I had to pause and regroup. For that alone, I deeply appreciated this book because the care she took in being so descriptive was truly jaw dropping.
In terms of characters, I felt like Noemi was only a somewhat likeable MC. She was fine but at no point did I ever connect with her. I was more worried about Catalina up until the very end when the story took a dive off a cliff. The Doyle family on the other hand was utterly unlikeable, especially Florence who literally terrified me. I had a hard time accepting Noemi’s love interest because I truly found the whole Doyle family so rude and condescending that I couldn’t fathom why anyone might develop feelings for a member of it.
The story itself was good until the big reveal. The premise was very strange and if I’m being honest, somewhat unbelievable. It felt like the author was pushing us in a different direction and when we learn the truth of the situation at hand, it’s difficult to accept. The story lost me at that point and never pulled me back in which made the last seven chapters of the book feel a little “meh” 🤷🏽♀️
I’m giving Mexican Gothic 3.75⭐️ because I really appreciated Moreno-Garcia’s descriptive style. It lacked a strong finish which is really what prevented me from loving it. It was a truly spooky story and it would be the perfect October read if you like horror. I don’t think this one requires more than one read but if you haven’t picked this up yet, you should so we can chat about it!
First things first, Silvia Moreno-Garcia could (and should) teach a MASTER CLASS in descriptive writing. From the very start, I could imagine exactly what High Place looked and smelled like. She is so good at giving you so much detail that your senses take over to the point where I was feeling like I could SMELL the words she was writing, especially during the gross scenes where she not only describes what the MC is smelling, but she steps on the gas so hard that at one point I had to pause and regroup. For that alone, I deeply appreciated this book because the care she took in being so descriptive was truly jaw dropping.
In terms of characters, I felt like Noemi was only a somewhat likeable MC. She was fine but at no point did I ever connect with her. I was more worried about Catalina up until the very end when the story took a dive off a cliff. The Doyle family on the other hand was utterly unlikeable, especially Florence who literally terrified me. I had a hard time accepting Noemi’s love interest because I truly found the whole Doyle family so rude and condescending that I couldn’t fathom why anyone might develop feelings for a member of it.
The story itself was good until the big reveal. The premise was very strange and if I’m being honest, somewhat unbelievable. It felt like the author was pushing us in a different direction and when we learn the truth of the situation at hand, it’s difficult to accept. The story lost me at that point and never pulled me back in which made the last seven chapters of the book feel a little “meh” 🤷🏽♀️
I’m giving Mexican Gothic 3.75⭐️ because I really appreciated Moreno-Garcia’s descriptive style. It lacked a strong finish which is really what prevented me from loving it. It was a truly spooky story and it would be the perfect October read if you like horror. I don’t think this one requires more than one read but if you haven’t picked this up yet, you should so we can chat about it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Sexual assault