Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

97 reviews

ebp's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Miscarriage

sonaea's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I really can't rate this book. One could argue for every single possible rating.

I really liked the first half (4+ stars) though there are a lot of problematic things in there (esp. in the later half) that aren't handled very well/believably (~2 stars).

At the start there's not a lot of plot but rather a lot of just the vibes of dark, creepy houses, though the plot picks up at about the middle. I was surprised by the solution to the puzzle as I did not expect

it to be some kind of supernatural thing going on, I actually thought the plants in the greenhouse were poisonous and the family poisoned the cousins

. What it turned out to be was a bit irritating at first but once I got over that, the rest of the read was quite enjoyable.
I really liked that Noemí is headstrong, intelligent and doesn't let people run her over. That made an interesting protagonist and the setting was quite nice too as I haven't read many books set in historic Mexico (though that wasn't really in the focus of the story).

I also liked how she slowly gets to know Francis and I think their relationship to each other is really interesting.

Also, I feared they wouldn't burn the house down but then they did so I'm glad, that was absolutely called for.

What could have used a bit more work is the pacing (at the first half of the book next to nothing happens, it's just all vibes and setting and only the slightest hints, while in the second half it's reveal after reveal). I would have liked that to be more stretched out in the book.
Also the action scenes at the end were not written like action scenes but rather just the same as the scenes about the setting (short descriptions, all the sentences about the same length, no focus on anything. There was next to no suspense in the writing. The only bit of suspense came from the plot though that wasn't a lot because

the way the book was set up, the way that books work, it was kind of obvious they'd make it out of it alive

). So that could have made the book a lot better.

!!! Also there are a LOT of pretty heavy topics in this book, some CNs would have been appreciated!!!

CN r*pe:

Also there are a few scenes where Virgil (nearly) rapes Noemí and that seems to have next to no emotional impact on Noemí?! At first I get it because she thought it was just a dream but then she figured out it wasn't and Virgil continues his doings?! So how the hell can she just act as if all that didn't happen?
That's a part where I think some character work would have been necessary. Her reacting shocked and then continuing as if normal really doesn't fit the situation.

CN c*n*balism:

also wth why is this mentioned in a side sentence and then just totally ignored? How does that not have any effect on the protagonist's psyche? I get that the psyche wasn't the center of the book (though why? Isn't Neomí actually really interested in that?) But the characters learn about that and it has literally NO IMPACT on any of their actions!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Miscarriage and Vomit

There are A LOT of problematic things happening. Most are mentioned, the description style of the book isn't one that goes into detail much. I tried to find most things that should have a CN, but I certainly didn't get every single one. So do be careful when reading this book! (Also I added 'toxic relationship' by which 'toxic family-relationship' is meant)

angelfireeast24's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Vomit, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Had me on the edge of my seat. I both wanted to throw the book across the room due to the unsettling nature of the subject matter and read another page to know what will happen.

I like that in the end, there was no one person being the grand hero. Everyone had their moment. All I'm thinking at the end of the story is they better not have kids together. Cause I know that it will come again down the bloodline. Also, all three of their bodies better be burnt when they die

celery's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

arirs's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

The imagery and atmosphere throughout are fantastic. I found it to be a little slow at times and personally wish the author had fleshed out the romance a bit more but that didn't stop from enjoying the unique story told. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Racism, and Rape

Moderate: Drug use

sophieamreacher's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Dark and disturbing fantasy that grossed me out. Interesting setting, plot and characters but a little slow at times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

emma_b_rhodes's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I wanted it to be more about sisters but it's kind of a flat hetero love story w a haunted house. Too many gross rape/SA scenes imo

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Cannibalism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Eugenics

bookish_growler's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Gaslighting

ninahuynh's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

What a story! I liked the character development within Noemí. She was already a tough person, and in the face of the Doyle's manipulation, she stayed true to her values and protection of Catalina. This would be a great film or show. All the imagery.

I was suspicious of Francis for most of the book, but pleasantly glad that he was not Virgil or Howard Jr.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

thoseoldcrows23's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was exactly what I wanted it to be. It's rare that a horror novel actually manages to gross me out, but man oh man did this manage it. It also managed to evoke such visceral anger in me that I had to put the book down and walk it off. The characters were well crafted, the atmosphere was unnerving, and the plot gave me all the gothic vibes I was looking for. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism