Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia ISBN: 9780525620792
Published by Random House Worlds on June 30, 2020
Genres: Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
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After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region.
Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.
Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.
And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.
Characters: 9, I really liked the diversity of characters and personality types, and related to Noemí more than I expected to. Even the creepy/crazy characters get some development, and you can see how a place and a culture could wear someone down into a shadow of their potential self.
Atmosphere: 10, The atmosphere, my lovelies, was so creepily perfect that when a dish shifted in the sink while I was reading, I legit jumped in fright. The setting has all the spook factor of a classic gothic tale, and you feel it- a remote location, weather that obscures the horizon, chill and damp, very odd people, whispers and secrets…the tension was delicious. There’s also a very nice undercurrent of the plight of women in the 1950s and before, having little to no refuge from men in society, as well as the popularity of eugenics, which just added to the nail-curling danger threaded in here.
Writing: 9, I will absolutely be reading more by this author. Her dialogue felt natural and balanced, her use of language was delightful, and everything flowed smoothly. The only (small) problem I had was that a couple of observations were repeated internally by the main character, as if she hadn’t already noted them. But then, she might be losing her mind, so it seemed plausible.
Plot: 9, I don’t know if I’m fully quite satisfied with the ending or not, mostly because I’m a sucker for existential dread I suppose. But this was everything I hoped it would be, after reading the synopsis. I had an aspect of it spoiled for me by a promo IG post Head on Fire podcast did, but even with that this story managed to surprise, shock, and terrify me.
Intrigue: 10, I devoured this story like a Doyle (heh), and had a hard time putting it down to tend to things like eating and sleeping. It’s the perfect blend, for me, of suspense/mystery and horror. You never quite know what’s going on, truly, but there’s room for several theories. The author also clearly did her research on every part of this book, so it rings authentic.
Logic: 9, With distance from the tension of the story, I can say that there were a few points of chronological backstory that I was slightly confused about, but it didn’t really torpedo the logic of the tale at all. And the characters all acted in accordance with their desires and fears (boy howdy, did they). With the MC figuring out the mystery as the reader does, any ticks in logic could easily be explained as her misinterpreting something, but I honestly can’t think of any.
Enjoyment: 10, I loved it. It was exactly what I needed to break out of the bad-book slump I’d gotten in. I happened to read the majority of it on a very rainy, foggy day as well, which only helped me feel immersed. This is definitely a great read for spooky season, but it does get graphic in some parts so be aware of any trigger warnings if you need them.
Oh yay, glad you found a good one! No one likes a slump! Glad that this was such a win. Idk why but I don’t remember a *ton* about this one? I liked it- at least a solid 4, but if I don’t review it, it gets lost in the recesses of my mind, whoops!
Honestly, same! That’s why I review 99% of what I read. That, and so I can look it up here when I inevitably totally forget it. 😀 I don’t know how you have the capacity to retain anything, as busy as you are *and* as many books as you read. You’re a superhero!