Marissa Lupe Author
Written on Mar 29, 2023
'You don't read this book so much as surrender to it. A dark and heady swoon' - Guardian
He is trying to poison me. You must come for me, Noemí. You have to save me.
When glamorous socialite Noemí Taboada receives a frantic letter from her newlywed cousin begging to be rescued from a mysterious doom, it's clear something is desperately amiss. Catalina has always had a flair for the dramatic, but her claims that her husband is poisoning her and her visions of restless ghosts seem remarkable, even for her.
Noemí's chic gowns and perfect lipstick are more suited to cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing, but she immediately heads to High Place, a remote mansion in the Mexican countryside, determined to discover what is so affecting her cousin.
Tough and smart, she possesses 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 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, 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, mesmerised by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to leave this enigmatic house behind . . .
'This pitch-perfect Gothic tale is a delicious, delicious delight' - Heat
- ISBN10 1529402654
- ISBN13 9781529402650
- Publish Date 30 June 2020
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Quercus Publishing
- Imprint Jo Fletcher Books
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 320
- Language English
Reviews
nannah
Written on Nov 16, 2022
Content warnings:
- incest
- racism
- eugenics!
- sexual assault (graphic)
- drugging
Representation:
- the protagonist and her cousin are Mexican and indigenous
Noemí, socialite and flirt, receives a letter from her cousin begging for help and saying she hears voices in the walls of her new husband’s house. When Noemí arrives at High Place, her cousin’s new English family are inhospitable, save for the patriarch, whose interest in her is racist and fetishistic, and the younger son, who might prove to be her only ally in the search for what is turning her once cheerful cousin listless and ill.
I really enjoyed this one! Every character felt very distinct, as did the setting, which transported me to a place I could clearly imagine. I didn’t always like the protagonist, but I loved that she so clearly stood out from other characters I’ve read recently (especially the ones who exist to spout a moral. Don’t get me wrong, I love works of fiction that have something to say, but they should present stories and characters first). The writing overall was strong, although at times it could be inconsistent, with passages reading very awkwardly.
The book isn’t science fiction, but it’s almost written like one. By that, I mean it feels like Moreno-Garcia approached the book not from within the more rigid barriers of historical fiction, but from within the almost limitless taps of possibility that sci-fi allows. It’s cool to see that writers are looking at the new discoveries in science (and, okay, I know that they aren’t all that new by now) and applying it to the past, rather than just the future. We don’t always have to go to outer space to find things we’d think of as “alien”--but Moreno-Garcia makes the mycelium work here just as well as any alien in a sci-fi thriller that I’ve ever read.
I also really love that she incorporated the “mestizo” issue into the story. A couple months ago I heard the finer details of the issue from an indigenous friend for the first time, and I remember wishing more people outside of Mexico knew the awful history of the word. When Spain and England colonized the area now known as Mexico, they mixed with the indigenous populations. These people of mixed heritage had been called “mestizos” to separate them from the Spanish and the English (and the rest of the indigenous population). They were of lower social standing than the whites, but stood higher than the indigenous people. My friend said there were those who considered them to be a superior race, or products of whites experimenting to find a superior race (like the patriarch hints at in the novel).
This book is told by someone who is "mestizo". While I can’t really comment on how well any of this is done, I do love how the author incorporates the issue. It’s never preachy, and the plot always comes first.
All in all, this was a wholly absorbing read. I loved the slower pace, especially. It was like stepping in muck, becoming slowly engulfed in the atmosphere and setting, being slowly pulled into the deteriorating mental state of the MC. I didn't want to stop reading.
Okay, so … after reading a few reviews, I’m disappointed that so many people found the reason behind the cousin’s condition cheesy. Even if they know about mycelium being the network of forests, and how mycelium work in general! Because that’s what makes the story believable! To each their own, I guess.
thepunktheory
Written on Oct 31, 2022
I was in a bit of a reading slump when I picked up Mexican Gothic. Trying to get through all of Wheel of Time has really put a damper on my reading motivation. Turns out, this book was actually perfect to devour in between! It’s short enough to be a fairly quick read, and the story is rather intriguing.
First of all, the setting is so cool and unique. I mean, I have seen plenty of films (and read a book or two) in settings that aim for a similar vibe but it’s always the UK or the US. It’s so interesting to see somebody finally venturing elsewhere – even if we circle back to the whole British atmosphere. However, since you know what the goal is vibe-wise, you instantly get into the spooky mindset.
The aesthetic of this story is impeccable, and I would love for it to get adapted into a movie or a show so that we can see this on screen. Many of the aspects of the story would make for such stunning visuals!
Berls
Written on Jul 24, 2021
So the setting was great - the house and the family were marvelously creepy (at least at the first half). I really enjoyed the trips into town and all the historical references as well. I particularly liked Noemi - the main character - and Jamie, her cousin's new brother-in-law. There were all these dreams and sleepwalking and references to mold and mushrooms that had me on the edge of my seat guessing all kinds of great potential outcomes. I was reading this with Michelle and we had all these theories.
I think when your theories are better than what the book produces, it's very disappointing. I wish I could rewrite the second half of this book because the potential was there. Instead, I find myself struggling to categorize it. It's almost horror. It's almost thriller. It's almost suspense. I wish I had a shelf for creepy, gross historical...that would fit.
I'm not sad I read it, but I also wouldn't recommend it. I was curious and my curiosity has been stoked. I got this from the library on audio - it was narrated by Frankie Corzo - and she did a really good job with the voices, particularly the Spanish accents when appropriate. I would listen to her again for sure.
writehollydavis
Written on Apr 25, 2021
Mad Soul Child
Written on Dec 3, 2020
chrssym
Written on Oct 18, 2020
kaliwinn
Written on Sep 22, 2020
3/5
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I received this book as a gift from my lovely friend, Josie! It has been on my wishlist for so long and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to read it. This is my first time reading a book and this genre, and so Mexican Gothic started a little slow for me. Because it was gifted to me, I pushed through - and I'm so glad I did! About halfway through it had me hooked!
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The story begins with Noemi, our main character, being solicited to her cousin's side in the Mexican countryside. Catalina claims the house is haunted; Catalina's husband claims that she is sick with tuberculosis. When Noemi arrives to the house, she too begins to have strange dreams that feel more like reality than a nightmare.
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Truly, I did enjoy this book especially in the second half when I finally caught the rhythm of the narrative. The only regret I have in reading it is that I wish I had not finished it when I was trying to go to sleep!
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IG: @alittleshelf.ish
mayavswords
Written on Aug 28, 2020
jesstheaudiobookworm
Written on Aug 14, 2020