There are a lot of great things about this book club kit. First, the dark and moody playlist on Spotify. Second, the paper dolls, which have a sentimental meaning in the book. It was also very nostalgic for me, having spent a lot of time playing with paper dolls as a child. Another great piece in this kit are the articles, "How Gothic Romances became Domestic Noirs" and "The Real del Monte" both written by Moreno-Garcia. If you have regular book club members ask them to read both article before you meet. Thank you NetGalley for forwarding me a copy of this kit. I was happy to provide a review.

Can't wait to use this with my book club! Thank you so much, I think this will really help us to engage with the book and author

This is unlike any books I've read. Such a beautiful horrific captivating novel. I adore Noemi. The atmosphere and the action and the snappy dialogir.

I think this is really good kit to use while reading Mexican Gothic.
I enjoy read the author's interview, I really liked.

I didn’t realize this was a book club kit and not the actual book…therefore, I cannot give a fair or honest review since I have still to read the book.

First and foremost, a big thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Library Resources for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

The book club kit was incredibly insightful and interesting. The addition of the author's interview, as well as the discussions, questions, and answers, was very enlightening. The historical context added a nice touch to the kit.

This kit is well-thought-out, intellectual, and entertaining. It's an excellent complement and companion piece to the novel.

this is a very useful part for when you're about to read the book of Mexican Gothic, this is like a guide and has explanation and dresses that the character uses along the way, and explains a lot of concepts that are hard to understand when you're reading the book

This kit contains discussion questions, a curated playlist, a look into Real Del Monte, The Doyle seal, Noemí paper dolls, and a brief history of gothic novels. While I loved almost of these resources and could implement them in my classroom (particularly the discussion questions and the playlist), I found the paper dolls to be a bit juvenile. I have a hard time believing that high school students would enjoy playing with paper dolls. However, the fashion was gorgeous, and I think they would have worked better drawn out like fashion designs. While those still wouldn't appeal to a wide group of students, at least those interested in art and design would like them.

I loved this book, and found myself to think about it often in the weeks after reading it. I loved the gothic setting, the body horror is not something I come across often so it felt new to me. I have since picked up more books from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, this book got me hooked!

Can't wait to use this with my book club! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Library Resources for a copy of this book for an honest review.

The Book Maven’s Journal
Reviews for Word Connoisseurs

REVIEWER Joy Hunt
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

MEXICAN GOTHIC: Book Club Kit
By Silvia Moreno-Garcia

INSIGHTFUL, INTELLECTUAL and FUN

The Mexican Gothic Book Club Kit provides Discussion Group Leaders a succinct and comprehensive framework for the novel--its setting; place in time/history; and genre.

This particular kit is well-planned and intellectual, yet fun. It's a perfect compliment and companion to the novel. Although brief (approximately 25-pages ePub), the Kit information is insightful and thorough—with “something special” that should appeal to every reader.

Author Silvia Moreno-Garcia provides an engaging historical background on "Little Cornwall,” the former silver-mining town in Mexico's Hidalgo Mountains settled primarily by Colonial Britains where the novel is based.

Captivated when visiting the area, Moreno-Garcia said that the curious Mexican fog-drenched mountain vistas; the mouldering English cemetery and it's elaborate monuments; and the quaint British architecture remaining throughout the town embedded visions of distressed heroines in haunted mansions in her head.

Yet, this was not England like in Gothic books of her memory. This was Mexico. Soon seeds for Mexican Gothic were fertilized and germinated. Her story had roots (or perhaps spores?...) The result is her new suspense novel, Mexican Gothic, that will compel you, like heroine, Noemi, to stay long after you thought you wanted to leave.

Furthermore, in this Book Club Kit, for the literary and intellectually curious, Author Moreno-Garcia shares an intriguing scholarly comparative analysis of Gothic literature from its inception, to its nexus, and finally to its current evolutionary revival.

Book Club and Discussion Group Leaders can also rejoice because cogent, inspired, insightful and provocative Book Club Discussion Questions are provided. These will help you focus and guide your meetings and interactive dialogues with ease.

In addition, to familiarize and immerse readers in the 1950s fashions favored by Noemi, a cut-out paper doll picture pattern of her is included.

Every doll must have a wardrobe, and Noemi's (especially hers!) is no exception. Numerous colorful 1950s period outfits for her paper doll--with detailed explanations about the fashions worn at the time--can also be found in the Mexican Gothic Book Club Kit.

The Noemi Paper Fashion Doll and Clothes are provided to encourage two-way communication and conversations at meetings by allowing Discussion Leaders to show visuals that accompany Mexican Gothic.

This colorful and whimsical addition to the Kit is a surprising and entertaining teaching tool that offers levity to a serious subject. What an original and fabulous inclusion!

The MEXICAN GOTHIC Book Club Kit by Author Silvia Moreno-Garcia is made available from Publisher Penguin Random House Library Resources, effective 11 February 2021, as an ePub Reader Copy and is appropriately 25-pages in length.

This bookclub kit is ADORABLE and will be fun to take to our next meeting. Thank you for adding it to the gallery.

I requested this thinking it was the actual book but would be great for my book club. Cant say about the book club kit as I haven't yet read the book and did not want to read the whole book club kit for fear of spoilers!

Mexican Gothic lived up to all of my expectations. The slow burn was perfect, the story was great! I can’t wait to read more from Silvia Moreno-Garcia!

Okay my fault I thought this was the book plus the bookclub. I really don’t have a lot to say because this is just questions and information about the book.

I have noooooo clue why I thought this was an ebook of the book in addition to other extra stuff, I need to read the fine print more closely, but it was an interesting thing to have as I was listening to the audiobook of Mexican Gothic!

This books looks super interesting and can’t wait to use this kit once I’ve read it fully. Definitely a must read by the information the kit gives out. Can’t wait to get my hands on it!

This book was one of the weirdest books I've ever read. I loved that there was hints of magic and a ton of suspense mixed in with the real world. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is wonderful at world-building.

I actually asked for this thinking its the book but would be great for the book club. Honestly I dont really have much to say about the book club kit as I haven't yet read the book.

I actually asked for this thinking its the book but would be great for the book club. Honestly I dont really have much to say about the book club kit.