A review by musingswithmiranda
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
5.0
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of all time. I have read three of her works (Gods of Jade and Shadow, Untamed Shore, and Mexican Gothic), and all of them have been 5 star reads for me. I have many of her other works, so I am really looking forward to reading them soon.
Mexican Gothic is an adult Gothic horror novel set in the 1950s in Mexico. The story follows Noemí Taboada, a smart and stubborn socialite. However, her glamorous life is uprooted after her father receives a letter from her newlywed cousin, Catalina. Her letter does not make a whole lot of sense, but it causes concern. She claims that someone is trying to poison her and that she needs saving from an evil that is lurking at High Place, her new home in the Mexican countryside that was built by the British family she married into. Noemí’s father enlists her help by sending her to check up on Catalina and the Doyle family. It is not long before she realizes how right Catalina was in her letter. High Place and its guests are not welcoming nor are they forthcoming about Catalina’s health and their secrets. The Doyles — mostly Howard, Florence, and Virgil — are very strict and set in their ways. The only family member who seems somewhat normal is Francis, but Noemí soon learns that High Place makes it hard to trust anyone. What then ensues is an unbelievably weird ride.
Beyond a general premise of the plot, I think it is best to go into this novel without knowing too much in order to really immerse yourself into the story. Moreno-Garcia does an amazing job creating a creepy and haunting atmosphere. She brings the setting to life in new ways that will surprise you: the old rotting mansion, an eerie cemetery, vivid and spine-chilling dreams. She even adds to this by looking at colonialism, race, and eugenics. In addition to this, Moreno-Garcia continues to create unique characters yet again. While Noemí may seem rude or entitled sometimes, I loved her character. She lives her life for herself and stands her ground, even against the twisted residents of High Place. As seen in her other works as well, I deeply enjoy the slower build writing style that the author employs. Somehow it feels so soothing and flows incredibly well, and then you finally get to a point where so many crazy things are happening. The latter half of this novel completely took me by surprise.
Mexican Gothic was my most anticipated read of 2020, and I am so glad that it lived up to my expectations. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has yet to disappoint me. Honestly at this point, I will buy and read anything she writes. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in gothic horror! Also, someone should definitely adapt it into a movie or television show.
*Content warnings: epidemic/death, eugenics, racism, child death, incest, murder/gore, cannibalism, attempted rape*
Mexican Gothic is an adult Gothic horror novel set in the 1950s in Mexico. The story follows Noemí Taboada, a smart and stubborn socialite. However, her glamorous life is uprooted after her father receives a letter from her newlywed cousin, Catalina. Her letter does not make a whole lot of sense, but it causes concern. She claims that someone is trying to poison her and that she needs saving from an evil that is lurking at High Place, her new home in the Mexican countryside that was built by the British family she married into. Noemí’s father enlists her help by sending her to check up on Catalina and the Doyle family. It is not long before she realizes how right Catalina was in her letter. High Place and its guests are not welcoming nor are they forthcoming about Catalina’s health and their secrets. The Doyles — mostly Howard, Florence, and Virgil — are very strict and set in their ways. The only family member who seems somewhat normal is Francis, but Noemí soon learns that High Place makes it hard to trust anyone. What then ensues is an unbelievably weird ride.
Beyond a general premise of the plot, I think it is best to go into this novel without knowing too much in order to really immerse yourself into the story. Moreno-Garcia does an amazing job creating a creepy and haunting atmosphere. She brings the setting to life in new ways that will surprise you: the old rotting mansion, an eerie cemetery, vivid and spine-chilling dreams. She even adds to this by looking at colonialism, race, and eugenics. In addition to this, Moreno-Garcia continues to create unique characters yet again. While Noemí may seem rude or entitled sometimes, I loved her character. She lives her life for herself and stands her ground, even against the twisted residents of High Place. As seen in her other works as well, I deeply enjoy the slower build writing style that the author employs. Somehow it feels so soothing and flows incredibly well, and then you finally get to a point where so many crazy things are happening. The latter half of this novel completely took me by surprise.
Mexican Gothic was my most anticipated read of 2020, and I am so glad that it lived up to my expectations. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has yet to disappoint me. Honestly at this point, I will buy and read anything she writes. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in gothic horror! Also, someone should definitely adapt it into a movie or television show.
*Content warnings: epidemic/death, eugenics, racism, child death, incest, murder/gore, cannibalism, attempted rape*