MEXICAN GOTHIC BY SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA

11/24/2020

While I thought Mexican Gothic was good, it didn't live up to the hype for me. I thought the beginning was strong and towards the middle all the way to the end it was too bizarre for my liking.

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: June 30, 2020
Genre: Gothic Horror. Historical (the 50s)
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 334 pages
Format: Hardcover from the Book of the Month Box.

An isolated mansion. A chillingly charismatic aristocrat. And a brave socialite drawn to expose their treacherous secrets. . . .From the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes “a terrifying twist on classic gothic horror” (Kirkus Reviews) set in glamorous 1950s Mexico.

After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region.

Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her

cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.

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READ MY BOOK REVIEW

My Rating: 3 Stars
Genre Gothic Horror | Suspense

While I don’t read a lot of horror novels, I do enjoy the genre immensely. So, when I saw this MEXICAN GOTHIC within the book of the month subscription box, I knew I had to have it. I mean how cool is it that this is a 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟, 𝗚𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗖 𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗥 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗟 that takes place during the 50’s in Mexico? So cool! Unfortunately, this one didn’t deliver as I would have hoped. While I did enjoy the story, there were many things about it that didn’t resonate with me as a reader. You can find out what I loved, and what I disliked below.

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗜 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞

👻 It FELT like a Gothic novel. The setting is superb: a dark, isolated, and foreboding mansion on the top of a mountain overlooking a small town in disrepair. A house that is old, ramshackle, dated, and has an odd mold living within the walls. Eerie, foggy grounds that hold mass graves and a cemetery. All of it was the perfect backdrop to Mexican Gothic and I could practically see the setting as if it were real.

👻 The main character, Naomi. While she didn’t truly feel like a woman of the 50’s (she was far too bold) I did appreciate her toughness. She’s a no-nonsense woman who does what she feels is right despite the things holding her back. She’s also a superwoman of sorts as she was able to fight back against an evil that has existed for centuries. I really liked her!

👻 This was a quick read, and I certainly like QUICK reads. Sure, there were parts in the middle that dragged for me (that seems to be a reoccurring theme for me though and not necessarily the authors fault), but overall this is a fast paced read that I blew through. It kept my interest, gave me some creepy crawly feelings, and allowed me to feel as though the story was happening in technicolor right before my eyes. It’s clear the author is a pro at writing dark and eerie tones, and I fully enjoyed that aspect.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜 𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗡'𝗧 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞

👻 The “horror” part of the novel was quite bizarre and not really my cup of tea. There will be many readers who loved the pieces that made this a horror novel, but it just felt weird for me. I was hoping this would be a regular haunted house read and it’s everything BUT that. Sure, what is happening is sinister and scary, but it felt strange to me and I wouldn’t have picked up the book had I known it would have had a bit of a sci-fi feel to it (that’s not my thing). Now, just because I didn’t like this doesn’t mean YOU won’t. I recommend reading it for yourself and seeing if it’s something you would enjoy.

👻 The family: I understand that readers won’t fully get why I am putting the FAMILY under my dislikes until/unless they read the story. So, without spoiling it I’ll give you a small example why I disliked them so much; each and every one of the people that lived within that house was CREEPY. And not in a scary way either. Had they been scary, I would have liked them. Unfortunately, I found them to be akin to a creepy uncle who smiles at you from across the room and gives you weird vibes **shutters**

👻 There were many parts of the story that felt underdeveloped. For example, the entire reason Naomi went to High Place is because her cousin sent strange letters to her home making it seem as if she were going crazy. But said Cousin was a miniscule part of the story. I think she should have had more time between the pages as it would have been more powerful. Also, had I traveled all that way for a sick cousin, I wouldn’t have let others walk all over me and stay when they only allowed her MAYBE 5 minutes a day with her. It was odd. Another thing that felt underdeveloped was the ending. The author should have written an epilogue or something because it ended so abruptly after a screeching climax. We should have had some more insight into what happened next. That is, unless the author doesn’t plan to stop the story here?

All in all, this is a solid read, one that I enjoyed for the most part, but found faults with. I think I read too many reviews before grabbing this one because readers who have raved about it made it seem like something MORE than it actually was. That’s my opinion of course, and everyone experiences stories differently, but this one didn’t live up to my expectations. Read it for yourself though to see if it’s something you may love!

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐