Definitely a slow build getting into the horror aspect of the novel but Noemi is relatable and likable from the beginning, so it was enjoyable if you're a fan of slow burns. Not your average haunted house story, there is so much more to the family from High Place.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia does it again.

To my absolute pleasure, last year Gods of Jade and Shadow was one of the first ARCs I was ever approved for. It's a joy to be able to return. Mexican Gothic was everything I hoped it was.

Noemi embarks on a trip to visit her cousin, Catalina, who has written a concerning letter from her husband's home. There, she encounters the thoroughly mysterious Doyle family, their bloodstained history, and the haunting magic of High House.

The atmosphere was the shining star of this book. Moreno-Garcia created a setting so steeped in mist and mystery that I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of the story. Noemi was a delightfully compelling main character, and the Doyle's were incredibly creepy, in an uncanny valley kind of way.

This book reminded me of the movie Get Out in a lot of ways, and I believe it has the same major pitfall: a slightly too abrupt shift from the creepy buildup to the explanation and climax of the story. Noemi makes it a small part of the way to the answer, but in the end, the big twist must be explained to us by characters, which I found somewhat frustrating. I wanted to feel like I could have predicted the ending or for Noemi to stumble upon the answer for herself. It's the age old "show don't tell" adage.

I'm not typically a fan of horror, but I really enjoyed this book. It had very strong Rory Power vibes, so if you liked her two books, I would very highly recommend Mexican Gothic.

Mexican Gothic was a chilling and spooky gothic tale. Filed with horrific twists and turns, I tore my way through this book, eager to see what would happen to Noemí—and how she would fight back. I look forward to recommending this title to customers, and reading more of Moreno-Garcia’s work.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was like nothing else I've read this year. Set in 50's Mexico, socialite main character, Noemí Taboada is sent by her father to High Place after receiving a letter from her cousin, Catalina. The letter is urgent and odd, and Noemi is sent to check on her cousin's mental state.

High Place is a secluded, crumbling estate high in the hills on the outskirts of a small village. .Catalina is nearly catatonic and suffering from tuberculosis. Her husband's family is controlling and demands silence and is ruled over a geriatric, rotting patriarch. Talk about pushy, demanding. and controlling. It becomes crystal clear that her cousin has changed since her marriage. Catalina's husband, Virgil and his family fight to keep Noemí bringing in a doctor from the village or taking taking tinctures from a local medicine woman. What are they hiding from Noemi?

This book is very atmospheric and descriptive. I could vividly see the decrepit manor and the creeping mold in my mind. The last half of the book ended up taking a direction I was completely unprepared for and it will set it apart from other books in the genre. Noemi is a strong and compelling character. I loved the descriptions of the Noemi's outfits and her fiery and flirty attitude. Full discretion, my late grandmother's name is Noemi, so I couldn't help but be endeared by seeing the name. The cover of this book is gorgeous and will pop on any display. I haven't read any other work by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but I truly look forward to reading more of her work.

Thank you to Random House Publishing- Ballantine Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC.

The word “Gothic” is like catnip for me these days, I just can’t resist. So is it any wonder that I was all over this new novel by Silvia Moreno-Garcia? I mean, leaving aside the fact I’m also a huge fan of hers. All the books I’ve read by her have been so unique, wonderful and creative, I just couldn’t wait to see what new tale she’ll spin next.

In Mexican Gothic, readers follow young socialite Noemí Taboada as she lives it up in glamorous Mexico City in the 1950s. Everything is turned upside down, however, when our protagonist receives an ominous letter from her cousin Catalina. Recently married, Catalina used to be very close with Noemí until she moved away to live with her husband Virgil at High House, his family mansion. But according to the letter now, Catalina appears to be afflicted with a mysterious illness and her words are filled with worry and fear about living in her new home.

Concerned for her cousin, Noemí agrees to go check up on her and makes the journey to High House. Immediately upon her arrival though, she could sense something very wrong with the place. The mansion is old, dilapidated and unwelcoming. The servants within are listless and withdrawn. Virgil and his family members are cold and stern, obsessed with etiquette and following strict rules. In this stifling environment, Noemí can understand why Catalina would be unhappy, but one look at her cousin and it’s clear that something more happening here. The once vibrant young woman now seems confused, frightened, and not at all like herself. Refusing to believe it’s all due to illness, Noemí decides to do some digging around for herself, uncovering a disturbing history of madness and tragedy behind High House.

Needless to say, there’s a doozy of a mystery behind Mexican Gothic, and it’s one best left for prospective readers to find out for themselves. But just a heads up—this story goes nowhere fast, which is perhaps to be expected with the “Gothic” element in its equation. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily mean the plot itself feels slow, since the author uses that time to gradually and effectively to build up suspense and atmosphere.

Her descriptions of the setting, for example, are incredible. High House is written to feel like a bubble trapped in time, with its crumbling façade and residents restrained by antiquated rules and beliefs. Vivacious, larger-than-life Noemí, who comes from a life of glamor and glitz, feels like a flower transplanted into the wrong pot—which in fact is a metaphor used frequently in the book. Then there are the other people in the house: handsome and charming Virgil, who is clearly hiding something behind that perfect smile; his stony cousin Florence who keeps everyone in line; her son Francis, close in age to Noemí but is timid and sheltered to the extreme; and finally, the patriarch of High House himself, Howard Doyle, an aged man practically on his death bed. It’s all enough to give you the heebie-jeebies.

And if the atmosphere alone doesn’t set your heart a-pounding, then the things Noemí experiences certainly will. Whatever’s wrong with High House also plays tricks with the mind, making our protagonist doubt what she sees and hears. The reader is left wondering what’s real and what’s not, and that’s a mind trip that will surely make your skin crawl.

If you like rooting for a strong and capable heroine though, a clever protagonist who refuses to back down from adversity, then you’ll really enjoy this book. Without Noemí, this novel might have become too dreary and uncomfortable, but her personality is the spark this story needed to keep things sharp and entertaining.

Overall, I really enjoyed Mexican Gothic, and a job well done to Silvia Moreno-Garcia for writing another winner! She’s constantly amazing me with her talent and versatility, the way she seems to excel at whatever genre or style of story she’s telling. So whatever she writes next, you can count on me being there.

This eerie book is entirely engrossing- despite being a bit scared to finish it after dark I was too taken with this story and desperate to know what would happen that I pressed on. This book is cinematically lush with detail and readers will feel transported to the once elegant mansion filled with secrets, and the cast of characters are well described and intriguing. In the interest of not giving too much of the story away (I didn't know much about the plot going in and I think that worked well for me) I don't want to say much more- but this book successfully scared and enthralled me.

Noemí receives a "help-letter" from her cousin Catalina and she decides to visit her at High Place. When she meets Catalina's in laws and family, she realizes that they aren't ordinary people.
I won't go any deeper to avoid giving away the suspense.

MEXICAN GOTHIC was my first Moreno's read and it didn't disappoint!

Horror/gothic novels aren't my usual genre but I absolutely loved this book and finished it in two sittings!

I always enjoy learning new cultural aspects so I loved the setting in Mexico 1950s. The supernatural elements, haunted mansion, characters' weird/suspicious behavior and suspenseful plot made me have creepy moments. I was scared (in a good way) by the mystery behind the characters and the atmospheric world that Moreno built. The author's descriptive writing was utterly absorbing and I found myself immersed in her creation. While the pace in the first half part of the book was a bit slow, it was perfect to reveal the climax then the story was unstoppable.
Although this book is mainly plot-driven, the characters were well-crafted - I liked Noemí as a protagonist and thought that she was free-spirited and authentic. The characters were on point of being likable and hateful, however I did wish to know more about some characters' background and I could have savored 100 pages more. This novel is DARK and very smart.

MEXICAN GOTHIC is memorable in so many ways and I can't wait to read other Moreno's titles.

Deliciously hypnotizing and atmospheric, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a gothic horror novel crawling in mystique and tension.


Del Rey
In 1950’s Mexico, Noemí Taboada, a young, outgoing socialite, receives an alarming letter from her newlywed cousin, Catalina. In the letter, Catalina asks her cousin to save her from a mysterious and vague evil. Armed with her wit and style, Noemí embarks on a journey to High Place — the aging and beautiful mansion that Catalina resides in.

There she meets Catalina’s in-laws—the Doyle family composed of various charming, illusive, and downright creepy white people who live in the countryside of Hidalgo, Mexico. English is the only language they allowed to speak, and the estate is crawling with dreary awe—like a fog of rotting decadence. Determined to get to the bottom of the issue, Noemí begins to have vivid, unsettling, dreams about the inhabitants of High Place. As the book progresses, her unsettling adventure takes a darker, more paranormal turn. Content warnings for sexual assault and violence.

This book is lush with gothic elements, influences and prose. Expect to see damsels in distress, gloom, doom, secret hidden rooms and more! As a Mexican American reader, it’s great to see another side of Mexico that we are not always given the chance to read in English-language literature. I love that this book was not written for the white gaze and instead examines the genre through a much-needed brown perspective.

In the gothic and horror genres, there is an idea of the “other,” the mysterious monster, or giant unknown that threatens the existence of the protagonists or their way of life. This book is centered around Noemí, who because of her brown skin and more indigenous features is a big “other” to the Doyles. (Moreno-Garcia makes note of it on a Twitter thread here.) I enjoyed that this book makes a point to show that Noemí’s “other” vs the Doyles’ “other” are different things.

Mexican Gothic also dissects the concept of eugenics through its plot. In Latinx communities, there is a concept of “mejorando la raza” aka bettering the race or marrying whiter people to wash the indigenous away from the bloodline. Moreno-Garcia takes this idea and dives deep with it, through a gothic lens. It’s unsettling and horrific because it’s based on reality, one that has plagued the community for generations upon generations.

Without spoiling too much, the incorporation of fungi growing on the estate grounds and generational almost regurgitated toxic behavior made for an unnerving third act—so if you get spooked easily, keep that in mind!

Mexican Gothic is as captivating as it is spooky, and I think readers will be immersed from start to finish.

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I devoured this terrifying book in the span of one night. This story was everything that I hoped it would be and more. The slow burn of the plot in the beginning definitely eased me in to a false sense of security, but then Garcia cranked up the creep factor and I could not turn the pages fast enough. (Side note, I do not recommend reading this when you are home alone and I still get a bit nauseous when I think of some of the scenes with Howard).

Also, can we take a minute to appreciate Silvia Morena-Garcia’s INSANE talent? Last year she took us on an epic, fantasy-filled journey with Casiopea and the Mayan God of Death in the Gods of Jade and Shadow. In Mexican Gothic, she switches gears - seducing the reader with a world full of glamour and high society, while a monstrous evil lurks right around the corner. She can write anything, and do so in a way that is completely original and captivating. I can not wait to see what genre she blesses us with next. Mexican Gothic is in stores today! RUN and get your copy!

If you’re a fan of gothic horror, you will love this book. I’m not a huge fan of the gothic novel, although I did enjoy Rebecca and I like seeing how other authors take on this genre. I read it mainly because it’s by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, who wrote the fantastic Gods of Jade and Shadow. I want to read everything she’s written.

Mexican Gothic is full of all the tropes of the gothic novel, — creaky mansion, forbidding housekeeper, wailing ghosts, even a decrepit old wedding gown. As you can surmise from the title and the gorgeous cover, what makes this book a bit different is that it’s set in Mexico, and incorporates issues of race, poverty, class, and colonialism.

It’s set in High Place, a creaky old mansion in the remote town of El Triunfo, an old British mining town. It’s the 1950s, though I’m not sure I found that particularly relevant, since the house is completely out of time – they even use gas lamps. Socialite and anthropology student Noemí has traveled from Mexico City to this remote house to check on her friend Catalina. Catalina married recently and sent Noemí’s father a most disturbing letter about hearing voices in the walls. Noemí finds her friend seriously ill in a house where the inhabitants couldn’t be creepier, and Noemí is treated more like a prisoner than a guest.

What makes this book stand out is Moreno-Garcia’s vivid, dreamlike writing. You really feel like you’re there – and you definitely don’t want to be.

Horror fans will really appreciate the beauty of the writing and the disturbing nature of the story. It reminded me quite a bit of Slade House, in that the house is truly the main character in this story. And like Slade House, it takes creepiness to whole new levels. I’ll warn readers that there are some scenes that touch on rape that I found particularly disturbing. This book touched a few nerves for me — for me, the scariest kind of horror is where one character can be controlled by another.

This book is definitely frightening, but it’s not a heavy read, if you’re looking for something to take you away from the issues of the day. The characters and the issues are not particularly deep; this is an action-driven story that would be perfect as a film. I personally found Gods of Jade and Shadow much more enjoyable, but as I noted, gothic horror isn’t necessarily a genre I seek out.

Note: I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley and publisher Del Rey. The book publishes June 30, 2020.

Growing up, I spent a lot of summers with my extended family in Panama. The months my brother and I were not in school were also the rainy season in the tropical climate, so much of my time was spent reading. My favorite kind of books were the ones that made me feel cold, or frightened, or in an otherworldly place. In Chiriquí, with the rain pattering on the roof of my abuela’s patio, or when we went to the ocean on a sunny day, I loved a ‘beach read’ that I could get lost in—but not too lost; I needed to be able to look up and know I wasn’t in Hannibal Lecter’s cell or in the house with rooms that were bigger inside than outside. I love a book I have to set aside at climactic moments in order to calm my heart rate; I tend to get enveloped by a good book’s atmosphere. I love that feeling, and my nostalgia for it was gleefully awoken by Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic.

In 1950s Mexico, we meet Noemí Taboada, a college student from a well-to-do family with a bubbling social life. She’s electric as soon as she’s introduced, exiting a costume party with her handsome date, and dismissing him easily though she knows he’s a catch. She’s got bigger things on her mind than courtship, and it mainly has to do with convincing her father that she should get her masters degree in anthropology. Her father says he will allow her to continue her schooling (though he wants her to marry), if she investigates why he’s been receiving ominous letters from her cousin Catalina, recently married to a British man in the Mexican countryside.

Noemí’s sparkling demeanor and wit is the perfect contrast to what she finds in her cousin’s dark and gloomy family home. It’s a huge house elevated on a rocky mountainside. When Noemí arrives, not only is there something amiss with Catalina (she’s sickly and must rest constantly), but the whole extended family of in-laws she lives with feel as damp and moldy as the house is described. The Doyles are an old British mining family, purveyors of a long since closed silver mine. Her introduction their house, named High Place:

“The house loomed over them like a great, quiet gargoyle. It might have been foreboding, evoking images of ghosts and haunted places, if it had not seemed so tired, slats missing from a couple of shutters, the ebony porch groaning as they made their way up the steps to the door, which came complete with a silver knocker shaped like a fist dangling from a circle.”

High Place seems like a character itself, a rundown Manderley in the gothic tradition, but Noemí is nothing like du Maurier’s meek narrator. Noemí is the light in a house that has no electricity, and in my mind her beautiful dresses and jewelry popped against the faded wallpaper as she walked through the eerie house. Moreno-Garcia’s descriptions have the power to evoke such cinematic imagery—and her words will put a spell on you.

As Noemí tries to acclimate to High Place and the family, she begins to have odd dreams and starts sleepwalking. At times can’t tell if she’s having a nightmare or she’s awake—often, the reader can’t tell either. But this is where I got goosebumps, where Moreno-Garcia slowly builds the tension and unfurls the surreal horror of Mexican Gothic. When Noemí feels out of control, where the descriptive imagery deepens the mystery, were also the parts I had to set aside the book out of fear, or to take a breath. There are moments of beauty turned into wretched ugliness, disturbing sexual encounters, and visions of utter revulsion. The filmic writing makes sense; apparently Moreno-Garcia named her heroine after Mexican filmmaker, Carlos Enrique Taboada, whose horror movies I haven’t seen, but now I intend to seek out. Mexican Gothic’s imagery often brought filmmakers to mind: Noemí’s detailed dresses evoked the memory of Edith Head’s sumptuous designs for Hitchcock heroines, and the creepy visions had a similar feel to David Lynch’s horror-bent exploration of reality versus dreams in Mulholland Drive (as well as the 2017 season of Twin Peaks). It’s not that Mexican Gothic needs to be turned into a movie: it’s that the descriptions are so good and immersive, like you’re already watching it on a 30-foot screen. The reader begins to feel the claustrophobia of High Place, the madness that is seeping into Noemí in which she doesn’t even know if she can trust her own mind. An example of her (possible) delusions:

“The door swung open, and Noemí saw a man on a bed. Only it wasn’t truly a man. It was a bloated vision of a man, as if he’d drowned and floated to the surface, his pale body lined with blue veins, tumors flowering on his legs, his hands, his belly. A pustule, not a man, a living breathing, pustule. His chest rising and falling.”

I often felt the rising of bile while reading, but determined to continue—I needed to figure out what was happening in this awful house, where the truth lay hidden, and to assure myself that Noemí would be okay, since I’d grown to like her so much. In her waking hours, she explores while her cousin rests, from the cemetery out back to the musty library filled with books about eugenics. Her hosts are not shy about their interest in the topic. Almost immediately after meeting the old, decrepit patriarch, Howard Doyle, he makes note of her darker skin in contrast to her cousin’s and continues:

“‘What are your thoughts on the intermingling of superior and inferior types?’ he asked, ignoring her discomfort.
Noemí felt the eyes of all the family members on her. Her presence was a novelty and an alteration to their patterns. An organism introduced into a sterile environment. They waited to hear what she revealed and to analyze her words. Well, let them see that she could keep her cool.”

Moreno-Garcia threads the historical spectre of colonization throughout the book, dealing in overt bloodline discussion and the obvious white supremacy of a family that moved to Mexico in order to wield power with little intrusion. The reader learns that the Doyle's abandoned mine was the site of constant sicknesses that wiped out its Mexican workers. I was reminded of Yuri Herrera’s A Silent Fury, a nonfiction account of a mine fire in Pachuca, Mexico that killed 87 workers, in which no one was held accountable from the U.S.-owned company. The historical comes through when I thought of the mass grave that the mining company dug for the bodies, and then here in Mexican Gothic: “They said that in the last epidemic, around the time the Revolution started, the Doyles didn’t even bother sending down the corpses for a proper burial. They tossed them in a pit.” Horror does not just lie in the unexplained mysteries haunting Noemí, but in the true history of Mexico and its colonizers as well.

The narrative of Mexican Gothic builds slowly, the tension rising as Noemí begins to understand more. It culminates in a brilliant payoff. Upon learning the truth of the Doyles and High Place, I wanted to reread the book again. Mexican Gothic has gained prominence on my shelf as one that I could give to anyone looking for a scare, or a transportive beach read (especially if they're fans of Jeff vanderMeer, Carmen Maria Machado, hell, Stephen King). As the heat of summer descended on my part of the world, Morena-Garcia’s heroine and dark journey kept me good company. I was glad to look up and find sunshine and vivid colors around me, but I know I’ll return to Noemí and High Place when I need a shiver.

This book had a very classic feel to it. The description were heavy with eloquent language. The novel was an extremely slow build. I knew what the plot consisted of, but I felt that it took a while for it to unfold and I found myself dragging and questioning what was going on. When I reached the last third of the book, my mind was blown. It was very vivid to say the least. I definitely wish that I had more knowledge of Gothic horror and fantasy before reading this one. I can, without a doubt, appreciate Moreno-Garcia's writing, I'm just not sure if this one was for me.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is *chef’s kiss*

A dark, eerie & glamorous beauty of a book that I think you should all read! It’s just what my little heart needed. It’s so haunting, mesmerizing and has just enough horror. Full of cultura Mexicana that I love to see. It’s perfect and I highly recommend it, specially for horror & gothic fans!

Definitely a high 5 star read for me!

Thank you @randomhouse {#partner} & @delreybooks for a free copy of one of my most anticipated reads for 2020!!🖤 Happy pub day to MEXICAN GOTHIC: By Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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I’ll definitely be picking up a finished copy asap! This is one of those books that the cover perfectly hints at the beauty & intrigue within the pages. Mexican Gothic is just that. A haunting historical fiction weaving through 1950’s Mexico. Full of mysterious elements and horror! This Gothic novel had me questioning every plot twist and was a book that built on itself every chapter. Noemí is the definition of a Chingona! Dressed to the nines, she’s all elegance, beauty, and steel. After an agreement with her father to secure the future she wants for herself, she sets off to a mansion hidden in the countryside to retrieve her newlywed cousin Catalina. High Place is ran by Catalina’s new strict English in-laws, and what Noemí finds is dark. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Delusion or reality? The family secrets that Noemí uncovers are unthinkable!
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I love Moreno-Garcia! She definitely did it again for me with this book! She takes this chilling, creepy horror novel and tackles big topics like eugenics, colonialism, and feminism. I love horror. There’s a part of me that’s dark and twisty, and this book is spine tingling! It releases today! June 30, 2020! Go pick it up now!
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This was absolutely fantastic! I read the most of this in TWO sittings. Granted they were long sittings but the fact that I kept reading past my balloted "okay one more chapter then I'll take a break" It isn't fast paced in a traditional sense where so much is going down from the get go, HOWever, I felt the need to keep reading because I was so worried that something was gonna happen because Moreno-Garcia knows how to build tension.

The best part of this book (there's a lot to praise though!) is how Moreno-Garcia builds tension. There were so many smaller building moments that made me so anxious about the safety of our main character. I just felt like something absolutely terrible would happen. And the book really paid off at around 65/70% That is when I absolutely decided I couldn't put this book down until I finished it.

There was also some little romance sprinkled in that I think I should mention because I thought it was well done. I usually don't care for romance when it doesn't ~need~ to be there but it was fine and some might even like it a lot.

The twist was also so unexpected I loved it. And I loved the book overall. Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in advance for the release.

*has already been posted to my goodreads*

I thought this book was so creepy in the best way. The house is so very detailed as was the town that it made for a highly atmospheric read. You feel like you are present in the book itself. This book had me hooked from the very beginning, I loved the 1950s Mexican setting which also added many details to the book. As you start to read you can feel something more sinister is going on... you are just never going to be able to guess what it is! There were plenty of OMG what just happened moments which really drive you towards an action packed ending. This book is mesmerizing, creepy, suspenseful, and completely engrossing. I felt like the story was so original and I honestly highly reccomend this book, it was one of my favorites this year!

Finished 06/18/20

Mexican Gothic beckons you with it's stunning cover and storyline set in a house of horrors • Open the book and Silvia Moreno-Garcia weaves a web of chilling revelations that will have you completely engrossed in the twisted history of the family who resides in High Place

Set in 1950's Mexico, Moreno-Garcia's novel has a classic feel • The slower pacing and atmospheric details pull you in until the story surrounds you • With socialite heroine Noemí pushing the boundaries for her gender, culture and time period you have an unexpected rescuer for her cousin Catalina • Catalina, who writes of her husband's attempts to poison her and something living in the walls of High Place, claims to be captive under the guise of illness • The Doyle Family resides in the far removed estate, an English family who bled a silver mine dry in a small town, using the residents in nefarious ways • Unwelcoming to guests, the Doyles soon have Noemí under strict rules and are unwilling for give her much time alone with her cousin • The longer Noemí remains in the house, the more her experiences there began blurring the lines between reality, imagination and her dreams

Mexican Gothic will have you cringing as the story of High Place unravels • You may even find yourself questioning what you have read • Moreno-Garcia takes you to places in her writing you won't see coming and may wish she hadn't, even as you're desperate to keep turning pages • Be forewarned, this is not your typical "haunted house" novel - it is a story full of deeper themes and symbolism which will have Mexican Gothic in your mind for a long time to come

This is one of those books that I would classify as "unputdownable'. Moreno-Garcia pulls the reader in right away and then the ride begins. Page after page, I just wanted to know what was going to happen next. Our socialite, Catalina, was so perfect in her imperfections. And the villians were even better! I loved that High Place turned into it's own chilling character. I am quickly adding more horror to my reading list. I highly recommend Mexican Gothic and put Silvia Moreno-Garcia down as a go-to author while you're at it!⁣⁣

Mexican Gothic was a creepy ride...at times, a long creepy ride but still….

I liked Mexican Gothic for the most part. I do feel like there were some slow prolonged parts in the story because the real action didn’t truly start until like after 60% of the book. But I got what this author was doing. She was building up the creepiness that is Mexican Gothic...the horror. Still I wanted the story to move along a bit faster. What works for this story is the house itself here. The slow terror that almost swallows Noemi and her cousin but they fight literally to a horrifying ending that I’m still trying to process. I don't think I'm going to look at a mushroom normally again....

Still Mexican Gothic is a fantastic edition to the world of Gothic horror. Old creepy houses, people in period clothing and a story-line that is as old as time itself….who belongs in this world and who doesn’t. And what some people will do to keep what they deem superior bloodlines pure...even at the expense of one's own family.

I'm a huge fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and this book right here solidifies my fandom. Add to your TBR quickly.

Many thanks to Random House for the gifted copy of Mexican Gothic.

“She thought that men such as her father could be stern and men could be cold like Virgil, but women needed to be liked or they’d be in trouble. A woman who is not liked is a bitch, and a bitch can hardly do anything: all avenues are closed to her.”

I am not a fan of the horror genre. I could count the amount of horror books I’ve read in my lifetime on one hand. So I held a lot of skepticism about how much I would actually enjoy this book. That skepticism was pushed aside immediately as it was clear that the novel was focused on colonialism, eugenics, and feminism, and all of that was tied together with a heroine that will continue to be admirable through the ages.

Noemi Taboada ventures off to help her cousin, Catalina, after receiving a distressing letter making both Noemi and her father question Catalina’s safety. Noemi travels to High Place, a mansion owned by the Doyles which sits on the outskirts of a rural town in the mountainous regions of Mexico. Virgil Doyle, Catalina’s husband, and his family greets Noemi with coldness and are strict about their household rules, especially with monitoring her visits with her cousin. The mournful estate also gives off creepy vibes which causes Noemi to have nightmares and question her sanity. Noemi takes it upon herself to uncover the Doyle family’s past while devising a plan to rescue herself and her cousin from the clutches of High Place.

I absolutely loved Noemi. While she might appear as a woman who cares too immensely about her socialite status, readers see her strength by going against the societal norms of women in the 1950s. Noemi remains truthful throughout the novel, even when she begins to doubt herself when it appears that the Doyle family and High Place are playing tricks on her mind. Moreno-Garcia also kept me on my toes at the end of every chapter. I couldn’t predict how any of the events would unfold and was constantly surprised. She also compiled the right amount of nightmarish imagery to not overpower the overall storyline. Mexican Gothic is a haunting story that all readers can love.