Book Review: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Genre: Horror
Release Date: 30th June 2020
Publisher: Penguin Books
Source: Publisher
Add it: Goodreads
Rating:

After receiving a frantic letter from her newlywed 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.

Mexican Gothic has proven to be a really tough book to review! I have mixed feelings about the book, but those mixed feelings are, on the whole, positive, if that makes any sense? Basically, there’s nothing I disliked about Mexican Gothic. It’s an atmospheric, eerie gothic story, and I was super invested in it for the most part.

I have to say, it all got a bit weird about halfway through. It was a little bit strange in the beginning, but as the book continued I kept wondering just how weird it was going to get. The atmosphere throughout was eerie and chilling, and then towards the end it was less atmospheric and more just outright bizarre.

I loved that the main character wasn’t your usual strong and likeable heroine. She was snarky and negative, and downright fierce. I didn’t click with her at the start, but as the book continued I was really rooting for her and her cousin.

I did find that there were a lot of characters to try to wrap my head around, and since I read this book over many sittings rather than just in one go, it got a little confusing. Especially as it seemed as though everyone was related, and I couldn’t figure out the family tree.

I did NOT like the romance, though. I mean, it was fine, if you like that kind of thing, but I personally found it unnecessary, and you all know how I love my slow burn… this was not that. I almost never like romances in books nowadays, though, so don’t dismiss this book just because of this one tiny thing.

Overall Mexican Gothic was a real gothic treat, and despite the bizarre elements and the… interesting relationships in the book, I ended up really enjoying it!

** I read this book with the Space Sirens Book Club, a speculative fiction book club which you can check out on Twitter and Youtube **