Reviews

The first half was pretty slow. Then it was pretty predictable. Perfect fall read. I wouldn't recommend the audiobook. I thought it was pretty monotone.

mandymorebooks's review against another edition

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3.0

2.75 rounding up.

Somewhere between mystery, fantasy and horror, Mexican Gothic has a unique blend of themes throughout the book that create what could have been a great book. The scenic descriptions are on point but the characters are bland and the story is a bit slow at times. The ending seems rushed to wrap everything up. I know Hulu bought the rights to a mini series which I would watch because I think the potential for graphics is awesome.

cloaknquill's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

2.5

For a book everyone PRAISED about, I expected far more an a combination of Crimson Peak & What Moves the Dead

rachelbram's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

5.0

kaylo88's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.5

I loved this book. After hearing about it for ages, I honestly wondered if it would live up to the hype, and for me, it 100% did. I went into it knowing very little beyond the title and blurb, and I have to say, it wasn’t what I expected at all. Without giving too much away for those who haven’t read it, I thought vampires might play a major role, but I was pleasantly surprised as the story unfolded.

The pacing is slow and eerie, which at times made me want things to move faster—though only because I was enjoying the suspense and intrigue so much.

I had a love/hate relationship with almost all the characters. The exception was Noemí’s father, whom I really disliked, despite not knowing much about him. Imagine bribing your intelligent daughter to chase after a relative’s letter, using her education against her. What a jerk!

Noemí herself isn’t always likeable and has some traits that make her feel flawed, but that only makes her more real and human to me. I loved her sass, her refusal to back down, and her determination to stand up for what she believes in, even when surrounded by more powerful people.

What I enjoyed most were the mushroom references and the scientific discussions woven into the story. They added a unique element that fascinated me.

My only criticism is that the ending felt a little underwhelming—it seemed to fizzle out rather than end on a strong note. That said, I still loved the book overall. A solid 4.5 stars for sure!

papillina's review against another edition

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3.0

It was a good read but it didn't spark anything for me, unfortunately. I feel like I went in with high expectations and felt disappointed in the end. I don't know how to describe it fully, but if the author didn't mention certain details of the environment and people, I would forget this was supposed to take place in Mexico (I kept visualizing the places in Twilight). I don't know what that says about me, maybe I just lacked the visualization of a gothic horror story, or maybe I was hoping to relate with the protagonist a bit, either way, I finished it. I will try SMG's other books with a different mindset for sure.

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