Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexican Gothic

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “It’s Lovecraft meets the Brontës in Latin America, and after a slow-burn start Mexican Gothic gets seriously weird.”—The Guardian
 
ONE OF TIME’S 100 BEST MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS OF ALL TIME • WINNER OF THE LOCUS AWARD • NOMINATED FOR THE BRAM STOKER AWARD

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, NPR, The Washington Post, Tordotcom, Marie Claire, Vox, Mashable, Men’s Health, Library Journal, Book Riot, LibraryReads
 
An isolated mansion. A chillingly charismatic aristocrat. And a brave socialite drawn to expose their treacherous secrets. . . . From the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes “a terrifying twist on classic gothic horror” (Kirkus Reviews) set in glamorous 1950s Mexico.

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.

“It’s as if a supernatural power compels us to turn the pages of the gripping Mexican Gothic.”—The Washington Post

“Mexican Gothic is the perfect summer horror read, and marks Moreno-Garcia with her hypnotic and engaging prose as one of the genre’s most exciting talents.”—Nerdist

“A period thriller as rich in suspense as it is in lush ’50s atmosphere.”—Entertainment Weekly

Reviewed by kaliwinn on

3 of 5 stars

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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

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Reading updates

  • 18 September, 2020: Started reading
  • 18 September, 2020: on page 0 out of 320 0%
  • 21 September, 2020: Finished reading
  • 22 September, 2020: Reviewed