A review by gilbertbg1
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

4.0

I've had an eye on this book since I read Mexican Gothic last year, and it did not disappoint! the horror begins almost immediately upon Dońa Beatriz's arrival at Hacienda San Isidro and it never lets up. This book almost abandons the 'creeping' horror of gothic haunted house horror entirely, giving Beatriz a glimpse of its terror and then immediately setting on the Hacienda's quest to devour her within its depths. The writing is gorgeous; I felt like I was inside the Hacienda, watching it inch its dark tendrils out to grasp our heroine as she fought to save herself and the home she had longed for, smelling the smoke of the copal that she desperately clung to. The characters are so beautiful and so well crafted, the way the author crafts suspicion around every person lent an air of helplessness that truly brought the reader into Beatriz's state of mind, and then to feel the same palpable relief she feels when Andres finally crosses the threshold into the Hacienda. I listened to the audio book and went through 60% in a day, unable to tear myself away. I adored every second of this book and already have Vampires of El Norte, the authors next work, on my TBR, and have suggested this to a friend. I will be telling more friends about this book, and will only have wonderful things to say.