A Haunting Tale of Intrigue and Cultural Ambiance

Rating: 3.5 stars

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "Mexican Gothic" takes readers on a haunting journey into a world filled with mystery, suspense, and cultural ambiance. Set in 1950s Mexico, this novel offers a unique blend of Gothic horror and social commentary, making it an intriguing addition to any book club's reading list.

One of the strengths of "Mexican Gothic" lies in its atmospheric setting. Moreno-Garcia skillfully captures the essence of the Mexican countryside, immersing readers in a vividly described landscape. From the decaying mansion of High Place to the misty mountains, the author's evocative prose transports readers into a world that feels both enchanting and eerie.

The story follows the young and tenacious Noemí Taboada, who embarks on a mission to uncover the secrets hidden within the walls of High Place. The characters are well-developed, particularly Noemí, whose determination and wit make her a compelling protagonist. As she delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding the mansion and its inhabitants, the tension escalates, keeping readers engaged and eager to discover the truth.

Moreno-Garcia masterfully incorporates elements of Gothic horror into the narrative, including creepy rituals, unsettling hallucinations, and a pervasive sense of unease. These chilling moments are interspersed with a thought-provoking exploration of themes such as colonialism, misogyny, and the legacy of family secrets. The book club will find plenty of material to dissect and discuss, offering a deeper understanding of the societal issues tackled in the story.

While the book's atmosphere and themes are strong, the pacing occasionally falters. At times, the story feels slightly drawn-out, with slow progress towards the ultimate revelation. Some readers may find themselves yearning for a quicker pace, particularly in the middle portion of the book. However, the suspenseful climax compensates for the slower sections, delivering a satisfying resolution to the mysteries that have been building throughout the narrative.

"Mexican Gothic" is a captivating novel that successfully blends elements of horror, mystery, and cultural exploration. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's impeccable prose and attention to detail create a vivid and immersive reading experience. Although the pacing may not be consistently brisk, the atmospheric setting, well-drawn characters, and thought-provoking themes make this book a worthy choice for any book club looking for a unique and haunting tale.

Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this!

I loved the gothic horror atmosphere. The vibes were immaculate! Noemi speaks her mind no matter what others think hence why it took a bit warming up but i really grew to like this about her. I really loved the horror/supernatural element of the book. This was the first time i read this kind of horror infused book and i found it equally interesting as disturbing. Also i liked the themes that were explored in this book such as colonialism, rasicm and sexism. The mystery that was building throught out the book must be my favourite part of the book. At this point in the book i just couldn´t put it down. I just wanted to keep on reading and keep on reading.

Overall, i absolutely loved this book and will definitely read more of this author in the furture!

The atmosphere was amazing and the set up was fantastic. Mexican gothic tells a compelling story as it is character driven allowing you to absorb the story. The horror elements almost surprised me as the beautiful prose was the main attraction for me. However, this is most definitely a horror story and I can't recommend it highly enough for gore lovers.

Great resources for a book club. Specially the dress the doll one, maybe we'll try some more made by hand. Hope we can try it very soon!

Book Club Kit Mexican Gothic by Silva Moreno-Garcia



While I thought it was a nice add on to the book, I feel like it was just thrown together to ensure readers would be able to answer the questions that were very basic and covered a broad spectrum of answers.. There were great questions though specifically about the book that would engage the reader to remember that part of the story. Would I buy this, probably not but only because it seemed a tad bit YA with the dress up doll. However without the paper doll, I would say that this would be something that would help someone who may be trying to understand the Spanish culture that is talked about in the book better.

3 out of 5 stars

I just reviewed Book Club Kit: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL] This is a welcome edition to help with the discussion of this book.

📚Book Review📖📌
[ Spoiler-free review]
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓶𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓮𝓭 𝓫𝓮 𝓪 𝓬𝓾𝓻𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓬𝓲𝓻𝓬𝓵𝓮; 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓷𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓼𝔀𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓭 𝓲𝓽𝓼 𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓵 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓫𝓮 𝓷𝓸 𝓮𝓷𝓭, 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓪𝓷 𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓭𝓮𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰[taken from the book].

After Gods of Jade and Shadow, Mexican Gothic was my second book by the author Silvia Moreno Garcia.This book had an excellent storyline. Each chapter was perfectly paced. The story was so gripping that it kept me intrigued throughout.

The story begins with Noemi Taboada and her father receiving an urgent yet suspicious letter from Noemi's newly married cousin Catalina stating how she fears the house she lives in is haunted. In the letter she tells how she experiences weird things happening in and around the house. Noemi's father sends Noemi to find out how Catalina is and what really is troubling her cousin.

Upon reaching High Place (the house where Catalina lives with her in laws), Noemi soon realises there is something really wrong with the house and she suspects what her cousin had mentioned in the letter might all indeed be true.

There are so many plot twists that keeps the readers hooked to this book. I found the family living at High Place really wierd. I was so worried for Noemi and Catalina while reading this book. This is a standalone and the book signs off at an ambiguous note which makes the reader want to know more (or atleast that was how I felt after reading it) . I would definitely pick up it's sequel if the author decides to bring out it's sequel in the future.

I also found some parts of this book very disturbing, I ended up hating a particular character in the book (Virgil) so much, but that doesn't mean I did not enjoy reading the book. I loved it. This book is so well written, it's definitely one of my favourites.

This book kit had discussion questions, letter from the author, and a playlist. Super fun book. I need to check out more of these book kits!

Thank you NetGalley for this book kit arc.

After finishing this short but sweet kit, I feel it added to the reading experience and provided lots of topics for discussion among readers.

The author's interview is really great. Silvia Morena-Garcia's ability to write a mystery-filled book with a scary setting and gory occurrences, and I loved the insight into her writing process.

The other elements in the book club kit, such as the playlist, further book recommendations and recipes, would be perfect for an in-person book club. The extra book recommendations were great too as when I finished Mexican Gothic, I was looking for similar books. The reader questions opened up a discussion about the characters, plot and setting.

The only thing that may not be successful is presuming people are attending in-person book clubs when in reality, social media and virtual book clubs are more popular and prevalent in the book community, especially since Covid-19. The digital space among readers has exploded, so I think targeting the online community is very beneficial.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Library Resources.

I love Mexican Gothic, so I was so excited to find this book club kit!! This kit has a letter from the author, discussion questions, a PLAYLIST!!!, tidbits about inspiration for the book, the one and only Doyle Family Seal, and last but not the least, a paper doll. I love that they added a Noemi paper doll because, first, it brings back childhood memories and, second, she was such a badass character!

This is a cute supplement, but presumably this is a trial of an item to be sold. The supplemental materials are cute, but that's not what's on offer here.

The questions intended to guide discussion need to be a lot more specific to this book. Instead, they're so general they could be asked of any book. There's no depth to them, nothing about this book in particular.

I like the idea, but if I had paid for this, I would be disappointed. The extras do not make up for the non-delivery of the guided reading/discussion questions. Needs beefing up.

Really good and all-rounded kit for the book clubs. Gives a lot to think and rethink about based on the story itself.

Really helpful book club resource. The questions are thoughtful and can lead to some very interesting conversations.

This is super cute and fun. I didn’t realize what it was until I opened it up. It gives more info into the author and has a Q&A section. This is a wonderful tool for a book club and worth it if you are reading Mexican Gothic with a group.

I will count it as a cheating. There shouldn't be books as an snapshot of the actual books. I requested it based on the description of the book but this was utter nonsense. NetGalley must ban such acts. We're here for books not just their synopsis..

Snagged this book club kit for a buddy read. Very well put together, included a super cute set of paper dolls showcasing outfits. I enjoyed the additional materials for reference and the questions, however the playlist by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia is my favorite part of this kit. Looking forward to reading and listening!

Mistakenly assumed this was the actual novel, but it's pretty fun otherwise. I'm a fan of authors creating a body of work alongside their novel; the playlist, Noemi's fits, and also that history of the gothic genre. Really useful! Using this to guide my understanding of the book as I read it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

Thank you for letting me read this kit, It was nice to get more insight from the author of the book..

I originally requested this book thinking it was the book. I was surprised upon opening it that it was the book club kit. I did however enjoy reading the letter from the other giving a bit of Mexico's history. I also really enjoyed the history on gothic novels. The paper doll set was just icing on the cake. I always loved paper dolls as a child and really enjoyed seeing the periodical fashion and a bit of history on it. I think it is a wonderful kit to accompany the book.

A mind boggling book that made me question a lot of things throughout the read. The main character was likeable and rational