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A review by jennireadsmaybe
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
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