It is very difficult to make this review anything other than just sentence after sentence of “reader’s are going to love..”, each one seemingly different, but all saying the same thing: this book is something else. Mexican Gothic commands the feel of the best gothic horror (think Rebecca ), develops character and plot, and is one the biggest events in horror fiction this year.

The mention of DuMaurier, or I could’ve added Shirley Jackson or Tananarive Due, is not to say that this book is exactly like their writing. As I join in larger conversations surrounding literature, I cannot help but find hints of my favorites in other pieces of work. The house in Mexican Gothic is described in such a way that I felt Manderley all over again. The dread put me in mind of Jackson’s best work, and the abject horror plus magnificent writing caused me to think of my own experiences with The Good House by Due.

Moreno-Garcia has captured the heart of gothic horror and made it her very own. Eugenics, family, and more add to this unique tapestry. As a reader, the book simultaneously feels like coming home and an escape from norms. It has everything one might expect: creepy, older house, cranky occupants, a character with a mission who is drawn to the house, and more. I settled happily in, but as more secrets were revealed and the pace picked up, I forgot all else. There is no time to think as the author expertly lures the reader in and cranks up the horror.

I should talk about character and all the usual suspects in a book review now. Readers will discover a great cast of characters, a wholly unique set of experiences in 1950s Mexico, and some of the best damn writing I’ve read in 2020. The pacing is a little slow at first, but it picks up slowly, it creeps in the most insidious way. It fits the style of the book perfectly. Not a fan of “slow pacing”? No worries – the last half of this book is a whirlwind and I found myself caught up, unable and unwilling to look away.

If you’re looking for an amazing new horror novel to pick up this summer, try this one. Join me in Mexico, in the crumbling, dark hallways of High Place; we all need a little madness sometimes.

This book is incredibly creepy! Silvia Moreno-Garcia establishes a compelling set-up with Noemi going to High Place after her father receives an odd letter from Noemi's cousin Catalina, who recently married into the family. As it's set in the 1950s, features a creepy old house, and includes the word "gothic" in the title, I expected the story to follow a similar plot line to Rebecca or Laura or Bedelia, but the rest of the book incorporates elements of the grotesque, the supernatural, the horror. There are several dream sequences that left me shivering, and I felt so compelled to finish to see if Noemi escaped her nightmare.

I don’t normally read horror, but I loved Moreno-Garcia’s last novel, so I was curious what she would do with a Gothic story. I found the results both stunning and horrific. This is not a story for the squeamish, faint of heart, or easily offended, but I am glad I put my faith in the author and joined her on this disturbing journey.

I like how the author played with all of the typical Gothic tropes. I also admire how she incorporated racism, classism, sexism, the eugenics movement, and Mexico’s history into this fantasy set in 1950s Mexico in a mining town based on Real del Monte.

I love the author’s writing style, which is vividly sensual—sometimes beautiful and sometimes nauseatingly repulsive. The story grabbed my attention and would not let go. I think the author has a very good grasp of human nature, and while our heroine did not immediately appeal to me, I quite liked her by the end of the story.

Note that the book contains violence, death, and disturbing sexual content.

Thanks to Random House for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley, which I volunteered to review.

“It’s fine. Having no electricity is odd, but I don’t think anyone has died from a lack of light bulbs yet.”
Mexican Gothic was a really interesting gothic manor-type thriller that just dips its toes into supernatural territory. The plot builds slowly, almost agonizingly so. Still, it takes you on a wild ride as things continue to get more and more confusing in High Place. As things get more treacherous, Noemí grows more and more determined to rescue her cousin. The plot is well-developed, as Noemí finds herself increasingly questioning her own safety and coming to the realization that her cousin Catalina is not safe. The story takes many unexpected turns, but the shock is balanced well with the suspense. Mexican Gothic never tips one way or the other, and remains coherent while building the suspense. It all leads to a climax with a satisfactory ending, and a few more twists thrown in for good measure.
We spend most of the book following Noemí. Her character is very well-developed, and I never found myself questioning her actions or decisions. Everything that she says and does feels authentic, even her mistakes. At the very beginning of the story, she comes off as a bit of a ditzy airhead, but she grew on me very fast. Especially since every other character is either evil or insane. Catalina’s husband, Virgil, is just an absolute creep. This brings me to Francis (Virgil’s cousin), who I was drawn to immediately. Once again, there are so few friendly faces that you’re just automatically pulled to anyone who isn’t downright demonic.
Though the story is set in Mexico and Noemí is Mexican, we don’t really hear much about Mexican heritage or culture. Since Virgil and his family are European, and Noemí hardly leaves High Place, we don’t really hear much about the world outside this looming manor. For readers looking for a dose of Mexican culture, this book might fall a bit flat.
Otherwise, Noemí is a fancy lady with a sharp wit and a stubborn streak. While the story really stretches the boundaries of the believable, Noemí’s pride, courage, and heart breathe life into this story. Paired with smooth writing and a funky sidekick, Mexican Gothic is a gripping, if somewhat eccentric, read.

This creepy, disturbing gothic novel lives up to all the rave reviews!

Mexican Gothic takes place in 1950s Mexico. We first meet Noemi Taboada coming home from a fancy party. She’s the pampered, pretty daughter of a wealthy family, at odds with her parents who want her to marry well (and soon), while what she really wants is to enroll in university to pursue a masters degree.

As the story starts, Noemi’s father shares with her a disturbing letter from her beloved older cousin Catalina. Catalina recently married a man she’d only known briefly and moved with him to his family’s isolated mountain estate. In her letter, Catalina seems to be rambling and incoherent, talking about hearing things in the walls and begging for help. Catalina’s husband explains her ravings away as a side effect of tuberculosis, and insists that she’s getting good medical care. But Mr. Taboada is worried enough that he decides to send Noemi as his ambassador to check up on Catalina’s well-being and nurse her back to health — or bring her back to Mexico City, if needed.

Noemi’s arrival at the Doyle estate is shocking. High up an isolated, treacherous mountain road, the mansion, High Place, is shambling and neglected, shrouded in mist and in a state of disrepair. Noemi is greeted by Florence, cousin to Catalina’s husband Virgil, a domineering, strict woman who asserts herself in charge not only of the house’s routines, but of Catalina’s care as well.

The house is dismal, and so are its occupants. There’s a no-talking rule at dinner, Noemi is forbidden from smoking, there’s no electricity and cool baths are encouraged, and the place is altogether repressive and awful. The only bright spot is Florence’s son Francis, a young man about Noemi’s age, who appears to be sympathetic and supportive, eager to help Noemi and keep her company.

Noemi’s visits with Catalina are severely restricted, and Catalina seems to be kept drugged most of the time. The doctor who sees her once a week doesn’t think anything is wrong, and the family is dismissive of Noemi’s prodding to call in a psychiatric specialist or to get another opinion.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot, because man, is it good! The atmosphere is grim and creepy in all the best ways. Strange insular family? Check. Decrepit old house? Check. Windows that don’t open and mold on the walls? Check and check.

Like in any good gothic novel, the setting is mysterious and threatening, and our brave heroine has no easy means of escape as she’s drawn further and further into the sick and twisted family secrets that have entrapped her cousin and now seem to be pulling her in as well.

And those secrets? Well, gross and disturbing and menacing don’t even quite encompass what’s going on in that terrible house. I love the growing sense of terror, the sickness at the heart of the family history, the interplay between these wealthy English landowners and the people of the surrounding areas, and the desperation that drives Noemi as she comes closer and closer to finally seeing the truth.

The moodiness of the book put me in mind of Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and even Angels & Insects by A. S. Byatt. If you’re a fan of creaky old houses with terrible secrets, this book should be right up your alley. It’s not blood and guts horror exactly — more of the quietly creeping chill that turns into growing terror as more and more awful things happen.

Mexican Gothic is so well written, so dramatic and well-plotted. I loved it, even thought it completely creeped me out and kept me turning the pages in a non-stop anxious frenzy. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

I loved it! What a sensational, creepy story, that I read in one gulp, mushrooms and all. The story is totally compelling, and the mood and tone are pitch perfect. It’s a great novel from a master storyteller

Gods of Jade and Shadow was amazing and I’ve been looking forward to Mexican Gothic for months. And now that I’ve read it, I absolutely love it. But I may never sleep again. I regret nothing.

Mexican Gothic is a slow-burn gothic mystery that is atmospheric and beautifully written. It’s also absolutely terrifying. Mexican Gothic is not your typical haunted house story. But, luckily, Naomí Taboada is not a damsel in distress.

This book was absolutely impossible to put down. Each new twist or reveal only served to make me more invested in the story (and more worried about Naomí and Catalina). This book was much darker than I was expecting and is definitely more horror/psychological thriller than it is a mystery novel. That being said, Mexican Gothic is a brilliant mystery/horror book and, if you think you’re brave enough to venture into the walls of High Place, I would absolutely recommend this one.

*Disclaimer: I received an advance digital copy of this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Guardian describes Mexican Gothic as “Lovecraft meets the Brontes in Latin America,” which is rather apt. Moreno-Garcia has written a delectably Gothic, deliciously weird, and appropriately horrifying tale of a young woman tasked with rescuing her cousin, allegedly imprisoned in a dilapidated old mansion, potentially being poisoned by her husband’s family.

It is an homage to all kinds of classic Gothic tropes: the woman trapped in the attic, a creepy house that may or may not be haunted, villainous men who are also romantically alluring, incest, and family secrets, but Moreno-Garcia also throws in a Lovecraftian twist of truly weird cosmic horror. It’s not so much scary as it is incredibly creepy; Moreno-Garcia knows how to slowly heighten tension and build up dread. Her lush and eerie descriptors are buffeted by her elegant writing style, creating a dank, oppressive tone and a claustrophobic atmosphere. There is also something so very visual about Mexican Gothic; Moreno-Garcia’s descriptions are so incredibly vivid. Basically, I would sell my soul to see this adapted into a film!

While I love Gothic horror in theory, one of my issues with it is that it can be plodding and slow; happily, I had no such issues with Mexican Gothic. From the very first page I was hooked by Noemi’s narrative voice, and the story gets moving fast. The book doesn’t overstay its welcome nor does it waste its relatively short page time by meandering; words are certainly not wasted here. The mystery culminates in a gloriously creepy revolution that leaves nothing to the imagination, which I absolutely loved; few horror books wrap up loose ends so neatly, but I appreciate closure very much, so I thought the ending was incredibly satisfying.

In an interview, Moreno-Garcia describes Mexican Gothic as “trashy but classy” and compares it to Flowers in the Attic (though she says it isn’t quite as trashy as that). While I understand her assertion that this isn’t exactly high literature, and that it takes inspiration from trashy Gothic stories, I also think that, thematically, this is quite an achievement! In changing the setting to Mexico and placingwhite people in the position of inscrutable villain/monster rather than the dark-skinned Mexican heroine, Moreno-Garcia subverts traditional Gothic implications of the dark foreigner as Other. This is underscored by the frequent discussions of eugenics in the story, and the heroine’s positionality as a budding anthropologist who scorns her hosts’ eugenicist beliefs.

In short, this book is both brilliant and gratifying, in addition to being delightfully entertaining!

I got an ARC of this book.

This cover is so gorgeous. A full star is just because this cover exists and I am still excited by the cover. Though the wall paper is not green in the story, it is yellow. Like that really famous story. The really famous story that is CONSTANTLY referenced in a way that just felt super overdone and badly written. There are only so many times you can mention yellow wallpaper and that things in the wallpaper are moving before it just feels like this is a book ripped off of another. Almost got to that point honestly.

The book itself was well written. It was technically good. The issue was it was boring. I was put to sleep twice while reading. I ended up taking really wonderful naps. Naps that felt like more happened than in the entire book. I am not even trying to be rude, but when all of the action is in the last 10% of the book it is boring.

If this were a horror movie, I would have been googling what happened and fast forwarding. There were so many pages of building plot while nothing was happening. This did not need to be over 300 pages. It would have worked better as a novella. There was not enough substance to support the length. There was little to no character development to give me any reason to care about the characters.

The horror itself was subpar. It just wasn’t scary. This could have been a great horror story, but it just wasn’t. There was a reliance on sexual assault and rape, which I honestly didn’t expect. Though I really should expect it. The reliance on sexual assault and rape in horror media is so all consuming that I really should stop expecting women to be better than men in this. I should just assume that every lead female in horror will be raped or sexually assaulted (or at best, be devoid of clothing in a “sexy” way for no real reason). The ending was very much a Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Not even the good one, but one of the terrible sequels or one of the original ones where it was full of bad everything. The ending was disappointing in so many ways.

I guess I only have that one good thing to say about the cover, but I really couldn’t find anything else I liked about the book. I am really saddened by this. I wanted to love it. So many others did. It looks gorgeous, but it just fell so flat for me.

Noemi has been summoned to High Place by a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin, begging to be saved. She arrives to a very inhospitable home, where she immediately starts having odd dreams and the family is beyond weird. The only person who seems even the least bit welcoming and trustworthy is the families youngest son. He seems to want to help Noemi, but there are a lot of secrets held in this house, ones Noemi probably doesn’t want to find out about.

I do not want to write this review. I so wanted to love this book. I think a small part of it had to do with the fact that I read it while moving and I really should have been reading something I couldn’t put down. I would say up until 70% this book was going to get 2.5 stars. Once I hit 70% however, it was easily 4. I just felt like not a lot was happening in the first 3/4 of the book and then bam it was all happening. I know I am the unpopular opinion on this one, and I fear Jordy may disown me for this review, so I still highly recommend grabbing a copy and finding out for yourself!

4.5 stars!

Y’all. When I saw this cover on Bookstagram I was shook - it’s gorgeous and I immediately said “I NEED!” I was so lucky to join Boston Book Fanatic and Jordy's Book Club in June's Mystery Book Club where we read Mexican Gothic. And lemme tell you, this book is so much more than I was expecting. The short of it is, Mexican Gothic is horror, but it is so much more complex than that.

After receiving a cryptic letter from her cousin Catalina, Noemí Taboada travels to High Place, a remote house in a sleepy ex-mining town, to find out what is amiss. There, Noemí meets the family Catalina married into: the strange and creepy Doyle's, including Catalina's husband Virgil and Virgil's dad, Howard. As Noemí tries to figure out what is wrong with Catalina, she starts to see strange things, and begins to wonder if all the nonsense Catalina shared is actually true.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia weaves a story that is both creepy and emotional, layered and subtly simple. As a non-Mexican person, I really enjoyed the ways that SMG included Mexican history, culture and experience, and I am sure there were many intricacies that I missed. The descriptions of High Place and the surrounding town give the reader a sense of heaviness, weightiness that stays throughout the climax. I could imagine every room, bit of wallpaper, and piece of furniture because SMG's descriptions illustrate so cleanly for the reader to create. You start to question Noemí, Catalina, Virgil, Francis, and ultimately question your own mind. What is happening and is it real? I found myself wanting to find out the answers to High Place's mysteries but didn't want to rush to the ending. Overall, I extremely enjoyed this book but do feel that things ended a bit to easily for me and there were certain parts that were so complex I had to re-read (and neither of those things are bad!). This is my first SMG but it sure won't be my last.

Will be posted to Instagram on 6/30

I don’t normally read much in the way of horror, but when I read the synopsis for Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s new novel, Mexican Gothic, and saw the comparisons to gothic classics Jane Eyre and Rebecca, I just couldn’t resist stepping out of my comfort zone and giving it a try. I’m so glad I did too because Mexican Gothic is one wild and seriously creepy ride!

Set in Mexico during the 1950’s, the story follows Noemi Taboada, a stylish debutante who spends much of her time either going to parties or studying anthropology. She’s trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life when her family receives a disturbing and cryptic letter from Noemi’s recently married cousin, Catalina. In her letter, Catalina rants and raves, makes it sound like she’s being held against her will, and begs for someone to come and save her from a mysterious doom. Noemi and her family hadn’t heard from Catalina much since she moved away with her new husband so her letter comes as a huge shock. Fearful for both her physical and mental well-being, Noemi sets out on the long journey to visit Catalina and assess the situation.

As soon as Noemi arrives at High Place, the remote mansion in the countryside where Catalina is living, she can tell that something is just off. The mansion is creepy, rundown, and there are signs of decay everywhere, and the family themselves doesn’t appear much better off. Howard Doyle, the patriarch of the household, is practically on his deathbed, and all rules of the house are set up so as not to disturb him, with the ultra-stern housekeeper Florence enforcing them. Catalina’s husband Virgil is equally creepy and has a predatory vibe about him that Noemi immediately dislikes, and she quickly begins to understand why Catalina could be distressed by her living arrangements. Speaking of Catalina, Noemi is rarely allowed to see or speak to her cousin, and is told that she is recovering from an illness. The few times Noemi does speak to her, she seems agitated and not at all like herself. The longer Noemi stays in the house, the more she starts to sense that something is very wrong and that it may be starting to affect her as well.

I really enjoyed the character of Noemi. She’s smart, resourceful, and quite brave. She went to that house wanting answers and she wasn’t leaving without them. She also refused to back down to anyone who got in her way, no matter how much they tried to intimidate or threaten her.

I don’t want to say anything else about the plot since the bulk of the book deals with Noemi trying to figure out what is going on in this house. I will say though that what Noemi finds blows her mind, and mine as well. Mexican Gothic is a dark, disturbing, utterly twisted and such a unique story that all of the big reveals kept me guessing. In addition to the uniqueness of the story itself, I also loved the gothic atmosphere of the setting, especially the rundown mansion with the creepy graveyard on the property. Everything about this story had me on the edge of my seat from the moment Noemi started poking around in the mansion. One of my favorite elements of the storytelling was that the author creates an environment where it becomes hard to distinguish what is real from what is illusion or perhaps an imagination run wild. I mention this in part because I do want to give a trigger warning for some graphic scenes involving a real or imagined sexual assault.

Circling back to touch on those comparisons to Jane Eyre and Rebecca, I think both of those are apt and I would also toss in a little V.C. Andrews’ Flowers in the Attic as well. If you’re craving a dark and haunting read, Mexican Gothic is sure to satisfy your appetite.

Wow wow wow! This book blew my mind. It was everything I was expecting and not expecting at the same time. Those last few chapters, I read so fast and kept me up because I had to know what was going on. Horror at it's best.
There is one scene, in particular, that was pretty unsettling. That's all I can say, cause I don't want to give anything away.


Noemi Taboada heads to High Place, an isolated house in the Mexican countryside after receiving a frantic letter from her recently married cousin, begging for help. Knowing little about her cousin's husband, she's not sure what to expect when she arrives.

She not afraid of her cousin's new family, no matter how unwelcoming they are. And soon the house starts to invade her dreams. With creepy images of the past and the house's ghosts talking to her in riddles.

Thank you so much to the publishers Random House for the ARC which I received via NetGalley

MEXICAN GOTHIC is a tightly crafted horror mystery that will leave readers on the edges of their seats.

In the words of her father, protagonist Noemí Taboada is "flighty," She changes life goals, her outfits, and boyfriends at the drop of a hat, and her parents would rather she follow the debutante path to marriage in 1950s Mexico City. Noemí's current dream is to receive an MA in anthropology from the National University. After receiving a distressed letter from her recently married cousin, Noemí's father promises that he will let her pursue her studies after she visits Catalina. She travels to El Trionfo, an area filled with forests, ravines, and impenetrable mist.

Catalina married Virgil Doyle, the son of a British former mine owner. Virgil claims that her cousin is suffering from tuberculosis but Noemí believes there are more sinister forces at play at High Peak, the decrepit and fungus-filled Victorian home. Determined to uncover why her cousin is so fearful, Noemí gets wrapped up in the Doyle's tainted history. Where Virgil, his father Howard and aunt Florence are sinister adversaries, she finds an ally in Virgil's cousin Francis. Yet as her stay stretches on yielding no answers for Catalina's illness and distress, Noemí starts to question her own sanity.

MEXICAN GOTHIC presents a fascinating lens into Mexico's post-colonial and post-Revolution history. The Doyle family represents European capitalists who abused the bodies and labor of Mexican workers for their own financial gain. Virgil Doyle's father bombards Noemí with eugenic talking points as soon as she arrives at High Peak. Despite being wealthier than the Doyles, Howard and Florence emphatically declare that she is lesser because she is not part European. None of them (with the exception of Francis) learned Spanish or cared about the troubles facing their former employees after the mine's closure. I would encourage readers to do a cursory search on Mexican history of the time period (~1950s) to get a greater sense of the geopolitical and economic concerns that form the background of the novel's horror.

As author Silvia Moreno-Garcia has said, MEXICAN GOTHIC is Gothic horror. Some reviews compare it to "Jane Eyre" and "Rebecca" but I most immediately thought of "Crimson Peak." As a relative scaredy-cat, I felt perfectly comfortable during the first three-quarters of the novel. Once the major twist was revealed, reader, I was hiding behind my metaphorical covers. I do wish that I had read some content warnings before started the book to brace myself, so I am leaving those below.

Protagonist Noemí is charismatic and you will root for her each step of her journey. Aesthetically the novel would make a stunning TV show or movie; the descriptions of mushrooms and peeling wallpaper were nothing short of spectacular, Overall, Moreno-Garcia's prose was fantastic and MEXICAN GOTHIC was truly a page turner.

***
CW: incest, gore, sexual assault, suicide, discussions on eugenics/white supremacy, colonialism, cannibalism

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is published by Del Rey, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group and it was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. I am nothing but ecstatic to say that this novel delivered above and beyond my expectations. Mexican Gothic is a work of gothic horror detailing the excursion of socialite Noemí Taboada to the home of her newly-wed cousin.

The historical backdrop of this novel is 1950s Mexico and Moreno-Garcia pulls no stops and thrusts readers into a world rich with culture. She takes readers to the historically accurate El Triunfo, a former mining town, where the haunted house of High Place rests. From landmarks like Palacio de Hierro, an upscale retail store, to cultural and religious norms of the area, the novel explores and weaves it seamlessly. From the mention of China Poblana in the first chapter, the traditional style of dress expected of women in Mexico to the fact that Noemí went to a Catholic school where she learned English from nuns, and a man who is described as a young-looking Pedro Infante, one of the best golden age actors in Mexico, this is a Mexican story. Themes that are typically explored in Mexican Folklore, such as rebirth and decay are also present within the novel. As a Latinx reviewer, the representation that is organically written into Moreno-Garcia’s narrative is not only enlivening but also a must when the modern western landscape of horror is lacking with Latinx stories by Latinx creators.

In an ominous letter, Noemí’s cousin Catalina details that High Place has ghosts and that she is in danger. Like most haunted house stories, the novel is atmospheric but subverts this with its self-awareness. Mexican Gothic has constant references to classic gothic literature from authors Mary Shelley and Emily Brontë and reading Moreno-Garcia’s full embrace of the camp and romanticism in her exposition was delightful. The residents of El Triunfo leaves High Place and it’s occupants alone. The family that resides there, The Doyles, has stern rules that isolate visitors from the real world. They request that Noemí not go into town, ask her to not speak to any of the housekeepers, and consistently keep her away from Catalina, despite the fact that Noemí is only there for her cousin. To make matters worse, there is no modern electricity in the house at night. This allows the atmosphere to quickly develop as readers experience the same anxieties and fear Noemí has each night at High Place.

What drives and sets Mexican Gothic apart is how Moreno-Garcia writes Noemí. She is feisty, sassy, well-spoken, and inquisitive. She wants to be an anthropologist, wishes to flirt with men at high-end parties, and asks them to kiss her at the end of the night. Her career aspirations are inspiring and it is nice to read about a female character who sees relationships as fun instead of rushing to find romance. Despite the fact that Noemí has limitations put on her for simply being a woman in 1950s Mexico, people are drawn to her sense of progressiveness and personality. So, when she encounters the strange house that Catalina is inhibiting with her husband, Virgil, she challenges it.

There is so much resistance from Noemí to conform to the Doyles’ house rules where they have strange habits like no smoking in the house, no speaking at the dinner table, and no leaving the house unoccupied. For a woman who is as independent as she can be, the wants of the patriarchal Doyle family leave Noemí feeling not only uneasy but also determined to get to the bottom of whatever dark secrets they are hiding. This is when Moreno-Garcia’s brilliant, pointed writing sucks readers in.

Tensions begin to rise as the head of the Doyle house describes their English background. They were colonizers who came to Mexico and seized the local laborers of El Triunfo. They used and abused the workers until most of them mysteriously died. Their bodies were never claimed, left to rot as the Doyle’s neglected and dumped their bodies. Noemí is so easy to feel empathy for because as she hears about the horrors of colonization in her homeland it mimics how readers feel. I felt such uneasiness reading how this historical context can not only be commented on but amplified within the horror genre to critique it.

The utter brilliance of this pops out as The Doyle’s begin to ask Noemí about race and skin tone. The comments from Virgil and his family are uncomfortable and struck a deep chord in me. As a Latinx person whose’s skin color fluctuates deeply, the questions of hereditary, racial, and ethnic purity have followed me around since before I could even comprehend it. The discussion of pure bloodlines and proper skin tones are brought forth in this narrative and I am glad that Moreno-Garcia tackles it. She utilizes science-fiction elements to enhance the innate evil of the eugenics of the Doyles. This evil is presented by the mold growing in High Place, it enters your system and causes intense, visceral dreams that enable a person to create symbiotic relationships with the ghosts of the house. This is how Noemí can tap into the colonizers’ pasts to see exactly how the family has kept their bloodline pure for 100’s of years and it makes her sick to her stomach.

The idea of mold is already frightening. Moreno-Garcia’s decision is to utilize it with the distinction of how it creates symbiotic relationships between the mold and the consumer makes the sci-fi a well-utilized tool for her to make a detailed account of how the Doyles have used colorism as a weapon against the locals of El Truinfo. Through this, her exploration of themes found in Mexican folklore are also apparent. The past shows the decay of Mexican people, of laborers, of Doyle family members wishing to break the cycle of horror they are trapped to in High Place. Noemí represents the rebirth that could happen if she escaped the house. She is the beacon of hope and renewal for those of High Place that she can take with her.

The realistic social horror is coupled with intense dream sequences that Noemí experiences. The unsettling nature of the wants and desires of the Doyle family seeps into Noemí’s sleep. There were scenes that were so atmospheric that I forgot that I had to take a moment to look away and then continue to read. There are nightmares of body horror, gore, incest, and assault. Since the mold creates symbiotic relationships between the family’s history and the consumer, Noemí’s dreams are exacerbated fears and desires. The scene of her assault from a member of the Doyle family may only occur in a dream, but it feels wholly real to Noemi. The feeling of shame, exposure, and weakness is tackled well. The way that Moreno-Garcia continues to build tension allows for the last third of this novel to mix dreams and reality for a thrilling escape from this family’s horror house. The science-fiction aspect sets it apart and offers an amazingly original addition to the genre.

There are still some standard tropes that are explored such as forbidden love and fairy tales. However, I find these aspects are built up strongly but fizzle quickly during the ending. The characterization of Noemí’s romance interest is the usual shy, quiet, soft man found in horror. The exchanges between Noemí and him are so fun to read. Noemí’s quick wit and strength makes him an endearing man who can’t help but be dazzled with her. The slow build of the first two acts sets up a wonderful relationship dynamic. However, I wish that Mexican Gothic was a chapter or two longer so that the romance that occurs is built up stronger. It was a slow burn to get these two characters to end up together but the pay off is contained only within the last chapter. The ending feels wrapped up tightly with a neat bow and seeing as there was a lot of originality, I would not have expected such a genre-predictable ending.

Despite my one critique, Mexican Gothic was crafted with expertise. It is a dark and tantalizing tale with an atmosphere that is heavy and dreadful. The intricate usage of Mexican folklore themes, history, and racial issues grounds this haunted fairytale to the horrors of racism, misogyny, and colonization. Wait until it gets dark, light up a few candles (or an oil lamp), and set the mood for a gothic horror adventure that will leave you feeling strange and wanting more.

I have complicated opinions on this book. One, it's by a favorite author so I really wanted to like it and I was upset that this book didn't work for me. Two, I 100% know that the subject matter and setting of the book is WHY it didn't work for me. So this book was just not for me. And that's totally okay.

Let's get one thing straight, I really don't like historicals At all! I hate them. But I wasn't paying attention to the summary with this one because I really like this author's books. So being a period piece, this book bored me a lot. I also just felt like it was really slow until like 60% of the book. Then it really rammed up with all the weird magical realism. That's when things got interesting, but at that point the book had kind of lost me.

I think another reason why it didn't work for me was that I HATED everyone in this book except for Noemi and Francis. I definitely think this was by design, and you are supposed to hate everyone else because they are truly evil, but at that point I didn't really care.

I will say that once the book gets into what it really happening that was interesting and a cool tale to weave. I think SMG is a great author and she's good at telling these type of tales. I think I just need to stop reading ones she sets in the past or come at a more historical lens, because they just don't interest me. This was definitely a personal preference issues and not that the book is bad. I was just not the right reader for it.


*I received a review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was INTENSE and CREEPY and then when the mystery begins to unravel itself it gets MORE INTENSE and MORE CREEPY!!! I yelled out loud twice while reading, and gagged a couple of times as well. This book was horrifying, which is what the author was going for, and she outrageously succeeded. The story began incredibly slow, with a lot of emphasis on the very old and very freaky atmosphere of High House, but without a lot of really crazy things happening. But this slow-burn intensified the upcoming action, because when things start to go down, oh my goodness, they went DOWN. Everything went crazy and once that ball was rolling it felt like things had sped up significantly. It became a mighty whirlwind of OH-MY-GOODNESS-NO and SHHH-THEY-CAN-HEAR-YOU and RUN-YOU-FOOL-RUN-FAST!! I definitely would recommend this to horror lovers!

CW/TW: Incest, body horror, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, bad interactions with doctors (I think that is it, but if I think of more I will add them)

This book blew me away. As soon as I met Noemí, I instantly loved her. She is strong-willed, posh, and a little bit of a bitch, which is something I love in characters. I also love the contrast between the way she presents herself (see above) versus her deep concern and care for her family and her resourcefulness (which actually kind of goes hand in hand with the way she presents herself...hmmm). Her family receives a letter from Noemí's cousin Catalina begging her to come save her from her husband and his family. After her father shares this letter, Noemí sets out to High Place, the residence of the Doyle family, to answer Catalina's distress calls.

Things start off a little slow, as do many horror books, however the descriptions of the house and the people are vivid and will will take root in your mind. This story is a slower Gothic tale, heavy on description and focused on small events leading up to a big event. I tend to prefer my horror/Gothic stories to have this sort of narrative arc. I feel like it adds to the creepiness and anxiety felt while reading. Speaking of that, the atmosphere of this book was top tier, from the eerie feelings in the house to the creepy fog of the cemetery.

I loved Noemí and Catalina and Marta and Francis (at times lol). Truly, I loved Marta and I wanted more of her! I think their character arcs were fascinating to watch unfold. Oh, and I very much despise Virgil.

I don't want to spoil anything because it's so much better to go into this book knowing nothing so I will stop myself here. But I highly recommend this book!

I absolutely loved this book! Brilliant, creative, beautifully written! I can't stop talking about this one.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this gothic horror eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

This be fifth book I have read by the author and me fifth five star read.  I have said before that what I find amazing about all of the author's books is that they feel so different from each other.  The first was a vampire story with stunning vampire culture and history.  The second was a Mayan fairy-tale set during the Jazz age in Mexico.  The third was a romance with a hint of fantasy set in the Belle Époque era.  The fourth was a coming-of-age thriller set in Baja California in 1979.  This was a gothic horror set in 1950s Mexico.  I adored this book!

The story follows Noemí, a 20-something socialite whose night out partying is cut short when her father receives a strange message from a newly married cousin.  Noemí is sent on a mission, to find out what is going on with her cousin, not only because her father cares about family, but also to avoid a scandal.

To quote Matey Imyril's excellent teaser:

"Moreno-Garcia wears her inspirations proudly: cousin Catalina is an orphan, who grew up telling Noemí fairytales and reading the Brontës. Catalina is a hopeless romantic: of course she fell for the handsome Englishman with the tragic family history and a remote estate decaying in the mountains. Why yes, it does look an awful lot like he married her for her money. And now she thinks Virgil Doyle is trying to poison her, and Noemí’s father can’t decide if Catalina’s got psychological problems or a bad case of melodrama."

Sounds excellently gothic right?  Well of course strong-willed and independent Noemí is going to go and save the day.  Of course everything goes wrong and Noemí is in over her head from the moment she arrives at High Place estate.  And of course, Silvia Moreno-Garcia makes me love every delicious second and every shiver that runs up me spine.

The atmosphere of this novel is brilliant and wonderful.  The modern city girl goes to an estate where there is no electricity, no conversation allowed at dinner, and old-fashioned rules about proper decorum.  The house is falling apart and seems almost sinister.  The gothic elements are so nicely swirled with the more modern viewpoints that I kept second guessing many of the mysteries of the house and its inhabitants.  I didn't really love Noemí but she still didn't deserve the High Place.  And of course the ending was bittersweet but also kinda perfect.

I absolutely love Silvia Moreno-Garcia and can't wait for whatever she writes next.  Arrr!