I was fairly hyped for the release of Mexican Gothic after seeing it around due to it's absolutely gorgeous cover. However, became wary upon realising it is a horror novel - a genre I don't usually venture into. But, wishing to expand my horizons, I decided to go with my gut and dive in. A brilliant decision, if I do say so myself. Mexican Gothic is a truly haunting, and incredibly written novel - like any good gothic horror, the horror of Noemi Tabaoda's story creeps up on the reader as it does Noemi: you know it's coming, but by the time it's truly arrived, it's already crawled underneath your skin. Moreno-Garcia will definitely be a must-read author for me from this point forward, and I would recommend Mexican Gothic to just about any reader - it's a sweeping story, with intriguing characters set in a haunted house, it's descriptions are vivid and off-putting, and I absolutely adored it from beginning to end.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I've voluntarily read and reviewed this copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This being my first gothic horror story, I had some reservations since I've never read horror and I get scared very easily. But after loving Gods of Jade and Shadow, I had to get my hands on Mexican Gothic. And I'm glad I did.

Mexican Gothic is a suspenseful, dark, disturbing and brilliant book. It's definitely a wild ride. The story immediately draws you in and just pulls you deeper into the dark depts of the world of High Place and it's creepy inhabitans. The writing is atmosphoric and builds the suspense up in a great way. The whole mystery of it all keeps you on your toes from beginning to end. The reveal is shocking, very disturbing but brilliantly written. And the ending was really satisfying. All in all, once again an amazing read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

It really saddens me to write this review. I really enjoyed Gods of Jade And Shadow, and I expected something quite on the same level. In all honesty, gothic as a genre never really worked for me. From Wuthering Heights to Monk to Rebecca, neither of them managed to become an all time favourite like I hoped. Somehow I expected this book to be different because my previous experience with this author was positive. But maybe I just need to accept that gothic isn't for me.
Like most of gothic novels that I've read before, Mexican Gothic has great ideas but not so great execution. There's this huge part in the middle when it got really boring simply because main character wasn't doing anything to move the plot forward. Except for drinking tea and walking, that is.
This book is also marketed as horror and a lot of people praised how atmospheric it is. But for me it didn't deliver on that either. for most of the book there wasn't anything that could be classified horror. Naomi has some bad dreams and some hallucinations. But that's about it. I just didn't get the creepiness that was supposed to come with this book.
Until the big reveal comes and yes it was really genius. But even the execution of climax wasn't that entertaining.
As for romance, it's nothing like the magical, heart-wrenching experience I had with Gods of Jade And Shadow. This book was just really meh in every level.
So 2 stars for great idea but poor execution.

Mexican Gothic is a mesmerising feminist re-imagining of Gothic fantasy, in which a young socialite discovers the haunting secrets of a beautiful old mansion in 1950s Mexico. High Place can be found nestled in the mountains and mysteriously possesses a mind of its own. Now, this in and of itself is enough to spook the reader. However, its odd inhabitants, strict rules, and dark secrets make this enigmatic house even more peculiar. Noemí, at once spellbound yet horrified, gradually unearths the long-buried secrets of High Place. After roaming the long hallways, encountering ghostly apparitions, and detecting disconcerting sounds, what she eventually discovers goes above and beyond our imagination.

Reminiscent of Wuthering Heights, Mexican Gothic comprises everything you want from a Gothic suspense novel: vivid nightmares, fits of delirium, and a damsel in distress. And yet, what stood out to me is that while Noemí at times resembles the submissive female characters typical of Gothic literature, she has a resilient quality that transcends the genre’s conventions.

What’s more, Moreno-Garcia combines her novel’s eeriness with themes of eugenics, colonialism, and class. These ideas, along with the plot, unravel slowly, but I was frantically turning the pages to discover how they all came together. Moreno-Garcia blurs the line between reality and fiction with her hallucinatory, haunting imagery. Some moments were so morbid that I can’t remember the last time a book made my skin crawl to the extent that this book did.

Brimming with suspense, twists and turns, you’ll spend hours trapped within the eerie walls of High Place, lost to Moreno-Garcia’s beautiful and unnerving storytelling.

Disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Mexican Gothic follows Noemí Taboada after her family receive a frantic letter from her cousin, who has recently got married and is begging to be rescued from her husband. She believes there are voices and ghosts in the walls of the home – High Place. Noemí Taboada soon makes her way to High Place – a remote mansion in the Mexican countryside, determined to discover what is upsetting her cousin. Soon she discovers there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place and as she digs deeper, she unearths stories of violence and madness.

rep: mexican characters, mexican setting

content warnings: rape, sexual abuse, violence & gore, cannibalism, incest, child death, horror, drug use/poison, talks of eugenics

initial reaction: what the fuckkk

Mexican Gothic was a wild ride, from start to finish. When you think it couldn’t get any weirder, it does. I am a huge fan of unusual, and especially gothic and atmospheric novels, and Mexican Gothic is definitely that. This story is a brutal, dark, and grotesque one. It truly drags you deeper and deeper into the toxic and poisonous story. It has that kind of sinister and suspenseful narrative and atmosphere that instils a sense of dread in you – sort of like a feeling of impending doom, like you are always waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for another strange and unpleasant secret to be uncovered.

‘They can make you think things, a voice whispered. She’d heard that voice before, somewhere in this house. They make you do things.’


Mexican Gothic focuses a lot more on the plot and the mystery rather than our characters or their dynamics, but it didn’t stop me really adoring our protagonist Noemí. She’s vain, rebellious, confrontational, honest, and also very stubborn and determined and curious which all worked well in her favour. I really enjoyed following her while she unravelled the mystery and really rooted for her to find the answers she was looking for.

It is a slow-paced novel, where little bits of informational are slowly revealed, so it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but once you hit that ‘what the fuck’ mark (you’ll know when you read it), things really do pick up and the pace really gets going, as does the heart rate. It is a book that does go really dark, so you might want to check out the content warnings above and tread with caution if any of those affect you.

Overall, Mexican Gothic is a gothic horror novel that is a deeply chilling and utterly riveting read.

I loved Noemí from the very beginning. She’s such a badass, won’t take no for an answer, and might as well punch you in the face just to light a cigarette the next second. I loved how determined she was, but also the complexity of her character and how she aims high despite living in 1950, in Mexico, a time and place where women were expected to just obey their husbands. She’s smart, talented and clever, and I kinda want to be like her when I grow up (shut up Cielo you already grew up).

The side characters played their part really well, I believe. The only Doyle I liked was Francis, and with the other ones like Howard, Florence and Virgil, the author succeeded at making them as unlikeable as I think she pretended them to be. The way the author created these characters to make a spooky full picture was perfectly executed; you’re always guessing what secrets they keep or why they act a certain way. I was only expecting to get more scenes with Catalina, Noemí’s cousin who I thought played a big part on the story, but it turned out not being like that.

The pace of the story is just perfect: not too fast neither slow. The mystery element is always there and most of the time, this book will keep you at the edge of your seat, but it won’t throw plotwist after plotwist your way nor confuse you. Moreno-García does a great job at giving you the information you need to know just at the right time, and I appreciated that because the story behind the Doyle household is complex and needed a good elaboration.

I also want to talk about the Mexican representation. While you don’t see much of it in High Place (being literally a piece of England in the middle of Mexico) you can see it in Noemí and the healer Marta Duval. While I’m not from Mexico, their culture has always been part of my life in certain way because of the things my family likes to see and listen so it was great to understand most of the references and even get to learn more about the country.

A doubt many people have on this book is how scary it can be. I’m not used to reading horror books (I’ve just read two, counting this one), so when I read the trigger warnings and the summary, I was kind of scared. But while it’ll definitely creep you out, it’s not something that I’d consider intolerable.

This is a story about a family that has lost touch with reality. About the ambition to live forever and the horrors that eternal life can carry with it. You have greedy characters, people that won’t wake up of their dream-like state, and people that will do anything to get what they want, at any cost (oh, you have no idea).

I had a good time reading this book and being out of my comfort zone for once. Moreno-García’s writing style is amazing and I look forward to read more books by her, especially Gods of Jade and Shadow because I’ve heard great things about it.

I adored this book!!! It starts off slow and then it just hits the ground running, turning into a gripping, chilling gothic adventure, rich in characters, setting and action.
The story starts with Noemi, a young woman in Mexico City, used to the attentions and spoke of her looks and her rich father, being sent to visit her recently married cousin Catalina after receiving a worrying letter from her. Catalina’s letter talks of voices in the walls and threats and horror and it’s Noemi’s job to persuade Virgil Doyle, Catalina’s husband to let her bring her home for psychiatric help. However, once Noemi comes to stay at High Place, the archaic, secluded home of Virgil, things aren’t quite what they seem ...
Honestly the atmosphere in this book was terrific, the house written as a character in itself, sinister and deceiving, and the Doyle family too were written in such a eery, haunting way that was just delicious to read. Noemi is a wonderful character, a character relentless in her uncovering of the truth, she’s strong willed, talks back and is utterly charming.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've been meaning to read <i>Gods of Jade and Shadow</i> by Silvia Moreno-Garcia ever since it came out, but I never did. When NetGalley provided me with the opportunity to review her new book <i>Mexican Gothic</i>, I jumped at the chance, and that was before I had read the description.

Noemí Taboada is a wealthy socialite in 1950s Mexico who enjoys being a social butterfly and daydreaming about going to university to study anthropology. Before her father will agree to let her go to school, she must first do something for him. Noemí's newly-wed cousin Catalina has written them a very strange letter in which she speaks of strange things happening at the High Place, the mansion in the Mexican countryside where she lives now, and pleads for their help. Worried for cousin, Noemí does not hesitate to travel to the High Place, determined to get to the bottom of things. The Doyle family are remnants of the past, a classic case of faded glory, and Noemí feels ill at ease among them. They claim that Catalina is simply suffering from a case of tuberculosis, but Noemí is not so sure about that. When she herself starts to experience strange things, she is even more determined to figure out what is going on with her cousin, and with this strange house, but things may be more ominous than she realises...

As the name suggests, <i>Mexican Gothic</i> has all the characteristics of a Gothic novel. Old, remote mansion? Check. Strange spooky British family? Check. Gloomy scenery? Check. Elements of fear and psychology? Check. Suggestions of supernatural happenings? Check, check, check! In that sense, the book is fairly predictable, but then that was to be expected. There were also some fresh elements and subversions of the trope, such as the character of Noemí, who is different from the typical Gothic heroine, as well as the Mexican setting. The book also gave me some serious Hitchock vibes, and I was reminded of those old black and white movies with Gregory Peck and Cary Grant, which helped in setting the tone and mood and firmly rooted the story in the 50s for me. The movie <i>Suspicion</i> is one that immediately came to mind and I couldn't help but picturing Cary Grant carrying that glass of milk as Catalina's handsome and razor-sharp husband Virgil Doyle. I was also reminded of the board game <i>Betrayal on the House on the Hill</i> which I often play with my friends as well as the movie <i>Crimson Peak</i>. The mood is certainly ominous and there is a pervasive sense of dread throughout.

My main gripe with the book is that while some of it is quite original, it is also pretty predictable; it does what it says on the box. Take a Gothic novel, but make it Mexican. It does feel a little bit like someone spun two wheels with adjectives on them and then wrote a story to combine this. Now, the author deftly weaves these two themes together, and is particularly excellent where it come to the Gothic side of things. These elements were handled very well. There is certainly a mystery and the gradual revelation of what is truly going on, Noemí slowly putting the pieces together, is satisfying to watch, but it's also... fairly predictable. As a former literature student, I have read my fair share of Gothic (inspired) novels, so this one did not bring much to surprise me. In large lines, I could see where things were going. Not the specifics of it, those are a pretty neat find and well puzzled together, but just the elements in general. Nothing about really surprised me and there was nothing about it that I would consider daring or deviant from the norm. I suppose that's what you get with genre fiction (and you certainly see this a lot in romance books or action / superhero films), so what mainly matters is that it's done well: and the author does it pretty well.

There are some spooky elements to the book and these increase as the novel progresses. I could vividly picture the mansion and its strange inhabitants. While reading, I felt a pervasive sense of dread and like Noemí and Catalina felt suffocated and entranced by the atmosphere of the house. The author does a great job at putting the reader at the same emotional level of the main character, and I found Noemí both sympathetic and easy to identify with. I wanted to figure out what was going on just as much as she did, and was just as frustrated with the character around her as she was. I liked that she was pretty badass and smart, but also good-hearted. A great Gothic heroine.

One thing I was actually a little disappointed in is how little Mexican elements featured in the book. I would have liked to have seen more of this or have gotten a stronger sense of this. It's very possible that this is just me, but I felt as though the story could easily have been set anywhere but Mexico and I wouldn't really have noticed the difference. There are references to Mexican cities, Mexican dress styles, the speaking of Spanish, but nothing that really contributed to the world building for me.

Overall, this was an interesting read. It's something familiar, but still brings something new to the table, especially if you are not very familiar with Gothic literature. If you are a fan of old-timey horror games or stories or if you thought 'I wish Crimson Peak had been set in Mexico', I would definitely recommend this.

Rating: <b>3.5 stars</b>

<i>I was provided with a copy of Mexican Gothic through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>

A sumptuous gothic horror set in 1950s Mexico, Mexican Gothic draws you in only to ensnare you, in much the same way that High Place, the setting of the novel does.<br>When Noemi's cousin writes a worrying letter, accusing her new husband of poisoning her, society girl Noemi is sent to High Place to investigate, only to find an isolated old mansion, with no electricity and mysterious goings on. She discovers the Doyle family and their troubled history with scandal , deaths and murder.

This is a rich and vivid mystery in the vein of classic gothic horror novels - think Wuthering Heights or The Mysteries of Udolpho. Indeed the book references many examples, both English and Latin American, as well as some of the darker aspects of much loved fairytales. Moreno-Garcia also seems to be paying homage to the film genre - with aspects of the book recalling films like Crimson Peak. If you are a fan of this aesthetic, Mexican Gothic has it all.

Even better, the genre gets a modern update. Noemi is a glamorous but strong-willed and fiesty heroine, who is treated as a silly, frivolous girl, not taken seriously by those around her and targeted because of her race and gender. The novel has a dark and fascinating exploration of Noemi's sexuality at a time when this would have been utterly denied. At the same time, she refuses to be victimised, and fights for what she believes and her survival. Her character is perfectly pitched - she is intelligent and determined but not fearless; she has her doubts, which is a refreshing departure from the need for a strong female figure, and makes her truly relatable.

The action of the plot is perfectly paced, compelling you to read on and sure to make your heart race. There are passages which will give you goosebumps and have you checking dark corners. Sometimes in this kind of fiction the climax can be contrived, a let down from all that build up but in Mexican Gothic, the source of the mystery is so perfectly constructed, it all fits and is given a plausible background. Alongside the high-drama of the plot Moreno-Garcia explores really interesting concepts that go hand in hand with the gothic genre like psycho-analysis, scientific racism and degeneration, adding deeper layers to explore.

With high entertainment value, intelligence, a chilling gothic aesthetic and a heroine you won't forget, this surprisingly scary mystery horror will haunt you for a long time.

Mexican Gothic slowly, seductively drags you in and in no time, you’re pulled so deep within the story that you will never want to leave. Noemí Taboada, our heroine, a socialite is summoned home by her father only to be told that her cousin is not well and Noemí has to be the one to check on her.

When Noemí’s train drops her in a sleepy town in the Mexican countryside, she had no idea that this trip would be far from ordinary. At High Place, her cousin’s house, she comes face-to-face with the creepiest of families(with an exception) and the house.. well, if houses have a personality then this one would fall under the creepy category as well. Then starts the nightmares that border on obscene, weird obsession with eugenics, scenes that will leave you staring the pages in bewildered shock, Francis’s love of mushrooms, and the vast array of fungi all over the High Place. Are you scared yet? or, intrigued?

If you’re answer is NO to the above questions then be prepared as the twist will change your opinion. I expected that one of the twists was coming by reading the previous scenes but my mind could not have comprehended the depravity, or perhaps the ingenuity of it.

I always love Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing so it’s no surprise; I loved the gothic atmosphere, the Mexican culture, the inspiration from some gothic classics, and the biological context.

Overall, I would highly recommend this beautiful adult horror novel! Even if you are not a fan of the horror genre, I recommend you try reading Mexican Gothic.

Thanks to the publisher for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

TW: Sexual Assault, incest, body horror

Mexican Gothic is a quintessential Gothic novel. The novel has all the classic elements: a haunted house, stormy weather, isolated location, secrets, a world of decay, a passionate and strong willed main character, and much more! What makes Mexican Gothic stand apart is its discussion of colonialism, female characters within the genre, and racism (eugenics).

Noemí is a character who is put through a lot and throughout the novel the reader experiences her strength and determination all while sympathizing. The themes of feminism run deep within the fabric of this novel. There are discussions of ownership of women’s bodies, minds, and their role besides motherhood. The obsession the Doyle family has with purity is representative of colonial ideas, and what they do in order to protect those ideals is truly horrifying. The Doyles are extremely creepy, especially the patriarch and his son. Honestly, all the scenes with them made me extremely uncomfortable.

Mexican Gothic is not for everyone, but it provides a twist to the Gothic tradition by presenting feminist and post-colonialist themes. I enjoyed it despite the first half. Noemí’s character—her determination, stylishness, and passion—was definitely my favorite aspect of this novel. SMG creates amazing characters and discusses themes that are left out of the Gothic literary tradition, yet gives the reader all the tropes found in Gothic novels. If you are looking for a book with an amazing main character, themes of post-colonialism in a horror setting, or just creepy vibes you should pick up Mexican Gothic.

Well wow!
Mexican Gothic was a read that lured me in with its creepy vibes that started of intriguingly mysterious then as the storyline begun to unravel the intensified Shirley Jackson Gothic feels shined through the pages
Silvia has created the perfect novel that sets up the perfect atmosphere against a backdrop of paranormality and scifi - one where the setting of High Place holds its own ghosts with a heart of darkness.

A fast-paced Gothic story that takes all the classic tropes of a haunted house, nightmares, weird vibes, and being stuck in this hellhole, but mixes everything well into an atmospheric & mysterious plot driven on the strong shoulders of a fierce woman who won't bow down to any horrifying occurrences, while the bad and the good side characters contribute enough to either make this experience worse or show a ray of light respectively. Excellent writing and brisk narration set the tense voice so perfectly, it's a pleasure to read this horror—even though High Place doesn't have an ounce of anything pleasurable within its walls.

I was never one to feel the full effects (or any in some cases) from Horror Media (Movies, Books Etc) but Mexican Gothic has a subtle horror element the slowly creeps up on you as the story goes along. You don't even what's happening until you're feeling the full effects of unease.

With the writing style that is very reminiscent of older gothic fiction books, a setting that added to tension in ways I didn't imagine, and the fact that even though Noemí is a like-able character and we want to trust her, we're not sure if we can rely on what she knows and sees, it all comes together to form a really eery atmosphere in the book and adds to the tension. The delivery of the clues really added to the mysterious element of the story, mainly because clues are usually given in the midst of scenes where readers aren't quite sure if they can trust anything that's going on.

Even though I didn't get to know Catalina and Francis first-hand, as-in we mostly got to know them through Noemí's opinions of them, I still cared for them, they didn't fall flat. Even though it was Catalina's letter and her questionable mental state that really got the plot moving, she never felt like a plot device.

I loved Noemí as a character way more than I thought I would. She felt very realistic, her personality was very refreshing as it eased some of the tension in the book. I also loved the fact that bits of information that she knew because of past aspirations she had, helped her figure things out.

The formatting of the book was another positive when I think about this book, mainly how backstory was fragmented and sprinkled throughout the story in a way that never felt like the main story wasn't being put on hold to add information. The supernatural aspect, while a bit unexpected at first, fit perfectly into the story.

Another thing that really stood out to me in this book, is the way that racism was included in this book. It was a major element in this book but not in the way that you would expect. I think I should also mention that the antagonists were far from cartoonish or two dimensional, they brought out real feelings (negative feelings, but very real).

I think the book wrapped up really well, I got to see bits of Mexican culture that I assume was accurate. Don't take my word on that as I am not Mexican, but the author is so I'm sure those little details were accurate. I highly recommend this book.

Noemí Taboada is sent by her father to check up on her cousin Catalina after receiving a worrisome letter from Catalina that says her new husband is trying to harm her. As soon as Noemí arrives in the enigmatic and mysterious High Place - the house of Catalina’s new husband’s family, the Doyles - Noemí knows something isn’t quite right. Determined to help her cousin and get to the bottom of what’s happening, Noemí finds herself increasingly unnerved by the strange behaviour of the Doyles and High Place’s history, all the while being drawn to a quiet and gentle boy who seems scared for her.
Mexican Gothic is a slow burn horror with elements of fantasy that’ll make anyone think twice about sudden love and what it means to be a family.

Mexican Gothic is my favourite read of 2020 so far. The story completely ensnared me - it consumed my waking thoughts. I found myself come morning having dreamt of High Place and what was happening. I wanted to talk about it to everybody and anybody to share my theories about what was going on. I just want to run up to everybody and shout “you have to read Mexican Gothic!! It’s BRILLIANT!”

I admired protagonist Noemí so much because she had depth - whilst she’s raised and acted like a materialistic socialite on the surface, there’s a lot more to her. She’s astute and clever, and I desperately wanted her to succeed in her plans and survive whatever was happening in High Place.

Moreno-Garcia’s writing is exquisite and captivating. The only way I can describe how effective her writing is, is that satisfying and really glorious feeling of a cool beverage going down your throat on a hot summers day. I didn’t just see the mist rolling across the grounds, I could feel it. I could feel it’s cold caress - that’s how powerful this book’s imagery and immersion was for me. Not to mention how tantalisingly good the writing made the desire to uncover the mystery was.

”And Noemí couldn’t help but think that even though nothing was exactly wrong, something was definitely not right.”

The atmospheric nature was truly divine - one of the best I’ve read because of how immersive it was. It was gothic through the aged yet mysterious High Place house, it was eerie through the Doyle family’s behaviour and the atmosphere was enriched further with the possibility of deadly romance. I was so invested in how it would all end, I couldn’t put the book down, and if I had to, I was beyond eager to get back to it.

Please know that Mexican Gothic is a slow burn. It’s rewarding because Moreno-Garcia uses it to build and build the atmosphere and the suspense so well, for it to be truly haunting. But I want readers to know it’s a slow burn so they don’t pick the book up when they’re not in the mood for slower building stories.

Mexican Gothic is a well developed horror, that at the height of the story feels disturbing, stomach churning and otherworldly. I loved every moment. I loved how the ending was a combination of a light at the end of the tunnel for the reader... yet there’s lingering questions that may make chills go down your spine. Honestly, Mexican Gothic possessed me and has consumed my heart by how much I loved it. It was the easiest 5 star rating I’ve gave, and I can’t wait to reread the story in the future. It’s perfect for fans of the movie Crimson Peak and fans of Laura Purcell’s work.

Thank you Moreno-Garcia for writing this masterpiece, and thank you to Quercus for allowing me to read an ARC of it.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes exquisite prose and weaves amazing stories and worlds, seemingly, effortlessly. When Noemí arrives at High Place to find her cousin Catalina taken ill, after receiving such an alarming letter from her some weeks before, she is immediately suspicious - as are we, the readers. What follows is an expert lesson in the Gothic full of intrigue and suspense in a remote 1950's mould-ridden mansion in Mexico, inhabited by some very peculiar characters in the Doyle family. A family obsessed with England and holding on to some very racist and misogynist ideals in an overly strict household that 'no one leaves'.

Without giving too much away, Mexican Gothic will have you guessing from the start as to what is really going on at High Place. Where Noemí's nightmares may take you one way, her conversations with the various Doyles will take you another, and all the while we wonder what is really behind Catalina's sickness? This is a great book from a brilliant writer and a must-read for any Gothic Horror fans.

For me, the Gothic genre is not quite my thing and I found the first half of the story a little slow, which is why I’ve given it 4 stars instead of 5. The final third of the book flew by and will certainly ensure you remember to watch what you eat in creepy strangers’ houses.

But this book. I loved reading Gods of Jade and Shadow last year and Moreno-Garcia's writing is just getting better and better. This book is dark and creepy. It's got intense characters. It has all the gothic tropes told in the best best ways. And then a completely different setting. It was SO GOOD.

The setting: 1950s Mexico. Socialite Noemí hasn't heard from her cousin Catalina since her marriage, until she receives a mysterious rambling letter. It seems someone is out to get her and that the walls of her house are closing in. Noemí is sent to investigate - she's close to her cousin and needs to take some responsibility now she's grown up. The house she arrives at is isolated, drab, decaying and shrouded in mist. It's also shrouded in mysteries  - a family that all looks the same, the same symbol all over the place, mould and spores and fungi and dreams that just keep getting worse...

It probably really helps that I just love the gothic genre. There's that creeping feeling that things aren't right, that something is watching you. That there's something a little supernatural out there that you can't control. And there's a house that creaks in your sleep. Dreams that won't go away. A family that exerts control and an atmospheric setting that makes your skin crawl. THIS BOOK HAD IT ALL.

Not to mention it captured the very best of the genre - stories like Wakenhyrst, Melmoth and Jane Eyre all rolled into one. (Also that cover is to die for, please can have dress).

Gothic stories can feel far-fetched or over-worked, but this had that gorgeous slow build, lots of tension and plenty of surprising reveals. I felt that I knew how it should have ended, and I got everything I was wishing. Definite gothic satisfaction.

There was so much I loved that I can't even begin to list it all. I'm really looking forward to treating myself to a physical copy of this book - and I don't say that often!

trigger warning
<spoiler> miscariagge, suicide, rape, incest, gaslighting </spoiler>

Noemí Taboada is asked by her father to visit her cousin, who recently married and now lives with her husband. Noemís father is concerned because the letters are getting more and more worrisome; the cousin is ill and probably needs psychiatric care.

The story is mostly set at The High Place, as they call the victorian manor they build somewhere in the Mexican mountains; British immigrants who own a silver mine that flooded decades ago.
Said building's inhabitants keep to themselves, they even have their own doctor who tends to them.

The cousin who goes by the name of Catilina says there are voices in the walls, and there might be a ghost that roams those dusty and moldy halls.
Noemí picks up sleepwalking again, which she hasn't done in years, and from the night she first sleeps there has vivid nightmares.
We have all my favourite tropes from this genre in one place.

I'd never have guessed the twist to this, though in retrospect, it makes much sense and seems very obvious. From then on it's a question of can she get out, and can she take anyone with her, save them?

The next thing I'll do will be adding more books by the same author to my tbr because I have an inkling I will enjoy them, alone for the prose, but then we have atmosphere, three dimensional characters, an intriguing plot - all you could wish for.

I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

REVIEW

I hate review spoilers so I am treading carefully here. Noemi is a young socialite, college student from Mexico City. She is intelligent, flirtatious, fiercely independent and not afraid to challenge status quo. She receives a troubling letter from her newly wed cousin Catalina and travelling to Catalina’s new home, High Place, a once beautiful mansion in the Mexican highlands Noemi seeks to rescue her cousin from the imperious, British, Doyle family.

From the moment Noemi leaves the bright lights and glittering parties of 1950s #MexicoCity, you start to feel layer upon layer of clinging, creeping unease. Throughout the story Noemi’s strong independence never falters, she constantly challenges both the antiquated rules of the strange Doyle family and the rules of the festering house. However like the decay and mould that infects High Place, the growing dread in Noemi is palpable and even she begins to struggle to determine nightmare from reality.

The language of the book is rich and drips in homage to Lovecraft. I love the touches of #Mexicanfolklore that blend with the colonial European mysteries at the heart of the book, these at times are bonkers but leave you wanting more. I love the characters, Noemi is an outstanding, modern heroine. I guess you could say I LOVED it ALL and it definitely sets a new bar for the gothic #hauntedhouse story.

Dripping with lush gothic darkness. A horror triumph ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of five
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When I stumbled across Mexican Gothic several months back, my first thought was definitely: I have to read this. Okay, it was probably more like, is it possible to marry and have babies with this cover? But the immense need to read it was a close second.

Who, What, Where?
Set in 1950s Mexico, the story follows a young socialite named Noemi. After receiving a troubling letter from her newly married cousin, Catalina, Noemi travels to High Place, a crumbling, English-style manor in the countryside, to check on her. Following her arrival, it doesn’t take long for Noemi to realise there is something off about not only High Place but the cold and mysterious family who live there. Her only ally is Francis, the shy and kind youngest son with a fondness for fungi. Determined to find answers about Catalina’s failing health, her cousin’s new family, and the weird occurrences in the house, Noemi sets out to dig deeper into the past and its secrets.

A+ for Atmosphere
The setting of this novel is easily one of its highlights. If you’re fond of misty, craggy moors ala Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights, you’ll feel right at home here. I really enjoyed the concept of an English style house dropped onto the edge of small-town Mexico and the interesting mixture of cultures and imagery it created. High Place itself gives off this wonderfully eerie feeling which is perfectly suited to a novel of this type. With its moulding books, peeling wallpaper, strange noises, and foggy grounds, you can definitely see the gothic influence here. Where is the Addams family when you need them?

Multi-Thread Mystery
The plot of Mexican Gothic has several mystery elements which cover Catalina, the family’s recent and older history, High Place, and the town. They’re all woven together into a confusing ball of unknowns which Noemi has to unravel. I liked this side of the story, particularly the questions surrounding the family mine and death of Catalina’s sister in law. My curiosity for answers is definitely what pushed me through this book, especially with its slower pacing in the first half or so. However, I can’t help feeling like these plotlines fell somewhat short of their potential in that the actual investigating and clues were very limited before Noemi was given the answers in the climax.

Nightmares & Visions
The incorporation of Noemi’s dreams and visions inside the house was interesting and really added to the sick, haunted feeling of High Place. I also thought it was a great way of supplementing Noemi’s learning about the family history with additional details that it would take time to decipher. I will say though, I wish that the information presented had been clearer for the reader to understand, especially considering its importance.

Socialite to the Rescue
As far as protagonists go, Noemi is a likeable character. She’s stubborn, confident and resourceful, but also this flirty, spoilt party girl who’ll doll herself up just because she can (which I kind of loved). More importantly, she’s willing and able to go toe to toe with others in intellectual debates, and what can I say? I love smart female characters. This aside, I would have appreciated a more noticeable character arc for her and wasn’t a fan of several scenes which forced her into a helpless position for very little reason.

Err…What?
The big reveal is where things got rocky for me. I have to give the author points for creativity and taking a direction I would never, ever have guessed. Yet, at the same time, I had trouble finding it believable, mostly because it’s…really weird and I’m still foggy on the nitty-gritty details of how it all works. This direction for the story’s climax felt fairly disjointed with the earlier, slower and more spooky parts of the novel, transitioning it from suspense to all-out horror. I really wish I’d gotten the answers to the major questions with more graduality and build up than just all together in a final rush to the finish line.

Chemistry Lite
The romance element of the book was, for lack of a better word, okay. I liked Francis, I liked Noemi, but I couldn’t see any particularly strong chemistry between them. This was especially the case for Noemi, who seemed to like Francis but never gave off a deeper romantic connection with him. She enjoys his company, finds him comforting and thinks he’s different from other men she’s met, but she’s always thinking about the fact that he’s unattractive and awkward. Still, I did enjoy some of their sweet interactions with one another.

Flat Characters
Other than Francis and Noemi, the characters here felt disappointingly underdeveloped. Despite Virgil, Catalina’s husband, showing up frequently, I know little about him besides him being attractive and a rape-y asshole. The family patriarch, Howard, whilst given some backstory and page time to espouse the value of eugenics, isn’t present enough to act as the threat he’s supposed to be. Catalina, meanwhile, is the catalyst for the entire story and having finished the book, I have absolutely zero feelings towards her whatsoever. And then we have Florence, Francis’s mother, who again, I understand nothing about beyond the fact that she’s completely awful.
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Overall, there were some things I enjoyed about this one but a lot of others that I wish had been done differently. While it may not have been the read for me, I see horror genre lovers finding something new and interesting in Mexican Gothic.

2.5 STARS

**Thank you to Quercus Books who provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a review.**