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flordemayo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Murder
Moderate: Racism and Rape
rahrahjay's review against another edition
2.5
Truly this story was fine. Just fine. The writing is nice but much like other stories from Canas I just didn’t love it. I did like the characters this time. But the plot was a standard gothic haunted house plot. This just wasn’t anything different than I haven’t already read multiple times, and Andres’ witch status wasn’t explored enough to give any edge to the world building. I was entertained enough to finish the story but I think this is where I’m gonna call it quits and probably won’t read any more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Rape and Abortion
wanderlust_romance's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I was thoroughly engaged and creeped out by this eerie haunted house tale. I love a story with high stakes, and what could be more high stakes than a house haunted by the ghost of your new husband's first wife who's out to get you. Or is she? Is Beatriz imagining the danger? Who can she trust on the hacienda as the new doña? Just who is the man she married? What does she really know about him?
I found the historical context richly illustrated. Having just finished Vampires of El Norte, I enjoyed how The Hacienda also explored the rancho/hacienda system, with it's commitment to the land at the expense of the workers who sustain it - effectively creating classes of generational indentured servants. At the same time, The Hacienda also didn't shy away from it's commentary on the casta (caste) system implemented by the Spanish, the manner in which it impacted those within it, but especially those designated as mestizo or indigenous. The story also makes reference to a religious inquisition within the church, in conjunction with the Mexican War for Independence. And how can you overlook just how both religion and the caste system play into the colonizing forces still looming over the country? The background of civil discord between insurgents and monarchists was always looming in the background and casting a shadow over the central plotline. I also found it interesting how, once the haunting had been resolved, Beatriz questioned all that she gave up in the name of safety, financial security, and class standing in light of what she's just experienced. Was what I endured worth living through this nightmare? Would I make different choices if given the chance?
There is a very light romantic plot thread between the main characters, Beatriz and Padre Andres (yes, he's a priest - and yes there is a very light touch of Fleabag vibes here), but don't go into this book expecting the same level of pining and tension as Vampires of El Norte.
Loved this!
I found the historical context richly illustrated. Having just finished Vampires of El Norte, I enjoyed how The Hacienda also explored the rancho/hacienda system, with it's commitment to the land at the expense of the workers who sustain it - effectively creating classes of generational indentured servants. At the same time, The Hacienda also didn't shy away from it's commentary on the casta (caste) system implemented by the Spanish, the manner in which it impacted those within it, but especially those designated as mestizo or indigenous. The story also makes reference to a religious inquisition within the church, in conjunction with the Mexican War for Independence. And how can you overlook just how both religion and the caste system play into the colonizing forces still looming over the country? The background of civil discord between insurgents and monarchists was always looming in the background and casting a shadow over the central plotline. I also found it interesting how, once the haunting had been resolved, Beatriz questioned all that she gave up in the name of safety, financial security, and class standing in light of what she's just experienced. Was what I endured worth living through this nightmare? Would I make different choices if given the chance?
There is a very light romantic plot thread between the main characters, Beatriz and Padre Andres (yes, he's a priest - and yes there is a very light touch of Fleabag vibes here), but don't go into this book expecting the same level of pining and tension as Vampires of El Norte.
Loved this!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, and War
lauramcc7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
jennireadsmaybe's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
If Isabel Cañas has no fans, I'm dead! In all seriousness The Hacienda is one of my favorite gothic novels of all time. In seeking her own agency, Beatriz is forced to make difficult decisions about what her life will look like; she finds herself plagued by visions and voices in the haunted halls of Hacienda San Isidro. Not only is the haunted house mysteriously terrifying, the prose is simply stunning. I heavily annotated my copy, and I can't wait to reread it one day to see these lines that stuck with me so much.
Beatriz and Andrés are such great characters individually that it was rather easy for me to picture them as a matched set separated by a cruel world that would do whatever it took to keep them apart. They come to each other in stages of grief, believing that the world is more than what it seems, surrounded by people but achingly lonely. They believe in each other so strongly, even when it seems like they shouldn't. It's beautiful and heart-wrenching.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the historical setting. Set in the aftermath of The Mexican War of Independence, the audience gets to see a glimpse of Mexico's political relations and what that meant for our main characters and society at the time. Of course, it's all juxtaposed against the super natural elements and history's brutal treatment of women. A phenomenal read!
One line that stood out to me particularly was, “But if God is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, if He is three in one in the Trinity, then God knows nothing of loneliness. God knows nothing of standing with his back to a gray morning, of dropping to his knees in the dust.”
Beatriz and Andrés are such great characters individually that it was rather easy for me to picture them as a matched set separated by a cruel world that would do whatever it took to keep them apart. They come to each other in stages of grief, believing that the world is more than what it seems, surrounded by people but achingly lonely. They believe in each other so strongly, even when it seems like they shouldn't. It's beautiful and heart-wrenching.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the historical setting. Set in the aftermath of The Mexican War of Independence, the audience gets to see a glimpse of Mexico's political relations and what that meant for our main characters and society at the time. Of course, it's all juxtaposed against the super natural elements and history's brutal treatment of women. A phenomenal read!
One line that stood out to me particularly was, “But if God is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, if He is three in one in the Trinity, then God knows nothing of loneliness. God knows nothing of standing with his back to a gray morning, of dropping to his knees in the dust.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual assault, Abortion, and War
boba_nbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.75
Spice Rating: 🫑 / 5 🌶️
In her debut supernatural suspense novel, The Hacienda, Isabel Cañas takes imagined horrors and twists them with the cruel reality of history.
The Mexican government has been overthrown, and Beatriz's father was executed in the process. Now, she and her mother are left alone searching for a place where they belong. After years of emotional abuse at the hands of her aunt, Beatriz has finally found a way out--through marrying the rich and handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano. Beatriz now finally has a home in Rodolfo's estate, Hacienda San Isidro. But San Isidro is not the paradise Beatriz was hoping it would be. In the hacienda, she finds both real and supernatural horrors she could never have imagined. It will take all the strength Beatriz has along with the help of a mysterious young priest to overcome the power of San Isidro.
This novel does a great job juxtaposing the supernatural with the real horrors people faced in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence. Beatriz's plight was not an uncommon one--women were, and still are, searching for a path to freedom. And Beatriz believed she had found that freedom in being the Doña Solórzano, but even then she had limitations of others' opinions of her.
The Hacienda made me think about which how frightening real-life horrors can be. It made me reflect on the past and realize how much progress we've made but also how much progress we still have ahead of us. As Cañas points out in her author's note at the end of the novel, it's great to read books like these and ponder the past, but it's what we do going forward that really matters.
I highly recommend this novel to those who love horror and thrillers novels and are looking for a little more depth to their reading.
In her debut supernatural suspense novel, The Hacienda, Isabel Cañas takes imagined horrors and twists them with the cruel reality of history.
The Mexican government has been overthrown, and Beatriz's father was executed in the process. Now, she and her mother are left alone searching for a place where they belong. After years of emotional abuse at the hands of her aunt, Beatriz has finally found a way out--through marrying the rich and handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano. Beatriz now finally has a home in Rodolfo's estate, Hacienda San Isidro. But San Isidro is not the paradise Beatriz was hoping it would be. In the hacienda, she finds both real and supernatural horrors she could never have imagined. It will take all the strength Beatriz has along with the help of a mysterious young priest to overcome the power of San Isidro.
This novel does a great job juxtaposing the supernatural with the real horrors people faced in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence. Beatriz's plight was not an uncommon one--women were, and still are, searching for a path to freedom. And Beatriz believed she had found that freedom in being the Doña Solórzano, but even then she had limitations of others' opinions of her.
The Hacienda made me think about which how frightening real-life horrors can be. It made me reflect on the past and realize how much progress we've made but also how much progress we still have ahead of us. As Cañas points out in her author's note at the end of the novel, it's great to read books like these and ponder the past, but it's what we do going forward that really matters.
I highly recommend this novel to those who love horror and thrillers novels and are looking for a little more depth to their reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Sexual assault, Abortion, and War
cheypreston's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault
tamara_joy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Death, and Colonisation
Minor: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War
persephonefoxx's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.25
“Words can damn or bless in equal measure, and are never to be used lightly.”
What a way to start off Spooky Month, this was my first read of October (yes, I know the review backlog is bad) and what a way to get into the spooky vibes.
I love gothic horror, it is really my niche. And The Hacienda is a creepy, atmospheric haunted house story that really hits those gothic staples. The vibes of this one are immaculate, and the mystery of the house’s history had me enthralled the whole way through.
As is often the case with gothic novels, this is a bit of a slow burn, taking its time to build up that eerie and suspenseful atmosphere. Letting you sit with the characters and the titular hacienda before shit hits the fan.
This eas definitely a strong introduction to Isabel Cañas, leaving me excited to see what her other books have in store. Especially if they carry the same atmospheric mix of gothic horror and history and found within the pages of The Hacienda
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual assault, Abortion, and War
blewballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
I really enjoyed Vampires of El Norte by this author, and I enjoyed this one as well. This felt like more of a horror read, with the scary stuff happening fairly quickly and being the primary focus of the plot. This story fits the gothic horror paradigm of a new wife faced with a mysterious husband, a creepy house, and a hostile welcome to her new home, but it still felt fresh and different. If you liked Fleabag season 2 but wanted it to be set at a haunted house in historic Mexico, you will probably enjoy this as well. I did get a little frustrated with Beatriz sometimes, but overall she made for a compelling heroine. The audiobook narrators both did a great job, but sometimes I did wish I could see the text because I wasn't sure how some of the Mexican words were spelled based on how they were pronounced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Death, Racism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abortion, Alcohol, and War