Silvia Moreno-Garcia

"The acclaimed author of Gods of Jade and Shadow returns with a darkly enchanting reimagining of Gothic fantasy, in which a spirited young woman discovers the haunting secrets of a beautiful old mansion in 1950s Mexico"--

Mexican Gothic

nah seriously wtf is with this first cousin, second cousin thing? i've never understood it lmaoo 😭😭

Atli 💗🧚🏽‍♀️

“First cousin, once removed. He’s a bit older than me.” 

“I’ve never understood that. Once, twice, thrice removed. Who keeps track of such a thing? I always figure if they come to my birthday party we are related and that’s it, no need to pull out the genealogy chart.”

... he is trying to poison me. This house is sick with rot, stinks of decay, brims with every single evil and cruel sentiment.

juana de arco si estuviera cronicamente online

"Any place is made for love," she protested.

"Not this place and not us. You look back two, three generations, as far as you can. You won't find love. We are incapable of such a thing."

Thais Soto

You’re ours, like it or not . You’re ours and you’re us 

But painting is the repeated exposure to a thing. It captured the essence of the object

…and dreams about ghosts, not recorded in this book, inform people about happenings among the dead 

In a sense, all dreams foretell events, but some more clearly than others 

Like feeding an animal madder plants: it dyes the bones red, it stains everything inside crimson 

Our bodies hide so many mysteries and they tell so many stories without a single word 

Nataly

“I’ve got to run, but you can still have a bit of my lipstick,” she replied, taking her cigarette and putting it in his mouth. 

Sherany

Samantha Mochrie 

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 IN DEVELOPMENT AS A HULU ORIGINAL LIMITED SERIES PRODUCED BY KELLY RIPA AND MARK CONSUELOS * NOMINATED FOR THE BRAM STOKER AWARD * NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY 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

Edna

The acclaimed author of Gods of Jade and Shadow returns with a mesmerising feminist re-imagining of Gothic fantasy, in which a young socialite discovers the haunting secrets of a beautiful old mansion in 1950s Mexico. 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 . . .

a mesmerising historical Gothic fantasy set in 1950s Mexico

Gixsy ♡

i honestly thought i would drag this on for the next week but i read 200 pages today it was mesmerising and the twist was sooo unexpected

Bri Leitch

Not my usual type of book, but I enjoyed the twist

Michelle Hruby

Sarah Sammis

In horror written by white men, with this setting, the roles would be reversed. Noemí would be white and they would be Mexican (or some other "foreign" group). Here, though, Noemí is Mexican, with ties to an indigenous group. But she's also wealthy and privileged. She is the very embodiment of the things white supremacists fear and hate.

There are lots of horror novels that Mexican Gothic evokes. For me, these are the ones that stand out most. First and foremost is Frank Herbert's The Santaroga Barrier (1968), for how tied the inhabitants are to their environment. Next there is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (1938) for how Noemí is treated and expected to adhere to rules she doesn't understand. For how corruption is reflected in the architecture, I'm reminded of The Thirteenth Tale by Dianne Setterfield (2006). For how the family members are means to an end, finally, I'm reminded of The Bone Garden by Heather Kassner (2019)

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2020/comm...


00CC99 - privileged uhoria labyrinth

Gótico Mexicano

Sónia GB

Não sabia bem o que esperar do livro, e isso poupou-me a uma enorme desilusão.

O ambiente criado é interessante, o espaço gótico, sombrio, soturno… os símbolos que vão surgindo… os ambientes que se vão criando…
O plot não é desinteressante e a forma como se vai desenrolando desperta alguma curiosidade.

Mas…..

Não me convenceu o suficiente para que o livro tivesse impacto, a dada altura só ansiava pelo final do livro, já não acrescentava nada. 
Pareceu-me que as personagens tinham um grande potencial para outro tipo de livro, com um rumo mais focado no anti-patriarcado, uma crítica social ao contexto da época… Fiquei na expectativa que isso acontecesse, e talvez isso me tenha condicionado a leitura.
Horror?! Confesso que, por muito que entenda a classificação, eu não o consegui sentir. (Fiquei o tempo todo à espera dos momentos scary movie)

No seu todo não foi perda de tempo, mas também não me acrescentou muito. Fica num meio termo que me faz acreditar que dentro de uns meses não me lembrarei de muito mais do que as imagens de um casarão com bolor nas paredes, de um cemitério envolvido em nevoeiro e cogumelos. 

Entendo o entusiasmo, mas não me envolveu da forma que esperava.

3⭐️

Vicky  Nuñez 

Silvia Moreno Garcia weaves a slowburning, atmospheric tale even on the early parts of this book I felt on edge much like Noemi in the strange house filled with whispers and strange sights. 
And as the second part of the book begins it turns more and more bizarre until I felt myself rushing to it to get it over with as quickly as possible. SMG writes such vivid imagery it made me uncomfortable and horrified as I read on.

I am not a horror reader/enjoyer but despite that I felt compelled to finish the story even if I felt spooked., it trapped me in its tale and it wouldn't let go until I was done.

 (view spoiler)[ For me the creepiest part of this book is the harrasment of Noemi, her slow descent to madness in the hands of the Doyle family who strip her of her free will and put images and unwanted feelings in her head. Her revulsion and questioning of her sanity when she starts feeling unwanted feelings toward Virgil was horrifying and just as bad as the kiss she received from Howard.

 (hide spoiler)]

Alexander Páez García

Gótico

Really enjoyed this book, a little slow to start but great overall. Unique characters and at times almost thrillingly gross. I loved the setting in 1950 central Mexico  - got me very interested in this time period in the area and its history!  

Jane Bucher-McCoy

i'm a little sad francis' lost most of his work but i'm sure he'll love mexico's flora

envie,

Sonia Grgas

Waffling between 3 and 3.5, let's make it 3.25. Constant descriptions of the atmosphere and insertions of "interesting" factoids distracted and interrupted the flow of the plot. I did not like the any of the characters very much. But it did become a page turner towards the end. But, and I can't believe I am saying this, I might read another one of her books.

Allison Dempsey

I liked the way this started out but it really derailed for me about two thirds of the way through. Thought it would be more of a mystery and less of a fantasy novel.

“The world might indeed be a cursed circle; the snake swallowed its tail and there could be no end, only an eternal ruination and endless devouring.”
--
What do you get when you combine Stoker's Dracula, Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper, and H.P. Lovecraft's myriad of weird horror fiction? An incredibly atmospheric book about monsters and centuries-old mysteries that carries you into the cold, musty rooms of a dilapidated Gothic mansion wrapped in curling tendrils of mist, built on jagged, unmarked graves, of course. What a silly question.
Mexican Gothic is undoubtedly a beautifully written horror that had me on the edge of my seat, trying to unravel the mystery hidden among the deadly and bountiful mushrooms sprouting from its dark earth. The problem was once the mystery was revealed. The answers to the questions I was chasing after were too shrouded in mystery, too complicated and confusing, and very little explained. I never fully grasped the extent of the "magic" underway here; what are its rules, its nature, what are the stakes? I couldn't really tell you.
Overall, top marks for the ambiance, not so much for the plot.
(view spoiler)[Also, this story has got to be somehow inspired by those crazy fungi that turn ants into zombies, right? Hella cool and equally terrifying. (hide spoiler)]

3.5/5 stars

Sheryl

4🌟

update: changed it to 4,5🌟 because i can't stop thinking about it, it's so memorable.

i really love the settings and atmosphere in this book, dark and rather mysterious. i think that's what i love the most in this book, the settings.

noemí. i really like her character, she's brave and confident yet those traits are not overly done.

i think the book started off interesting, then when i read through i found it kinda boring, and then boom! the reveals! the twists! they left me thinking, "damn, this is much more disturbing than i thought!" and you know what? i love it. i love the horrors.

overall, i really enjoyed reading it.

Jessie Farris

The Shining meets Last of Us meets Bronte. Super fun and kinda dark.

I loved this book!! The plot was wild and the writing was amazing. Noemí was such an interesting character to follow! This book did remind me of the movie the skeleton key so if you’ve seen that I think you’ll love this book. I can’t wait to read more of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s work!!!

Summerlyn Grainger

Un "fever dream" o sogno febbrile. Ogni pagina è impregnata di mistero, terrore e tensione. Fantastico poter leggere qualcosa che comprenda colonialismo, horror, eugenetica ma anche e soprattutto una protagonista femminile così forte ed indipendente. I personaggi sono caratterizzati in maniera tale da non essere né banali né stereotipati. Le descrizioni ti rimangono impresse per quanto sono concrete. Ho amato l'originalità della trama e l'ambientazione.

eikaia

Jessica gonzalez

isabella

Charlotte Massie

I don’t know what to think of this book.


It is definitely a horror story, but not scary. It is weird and uncomfortable and deranged, and absolutely captivating from the very start. 

There are some lovable characters and others I wanted to burn. The main character Noemí is strong minded and doesn’t want to give up, I really loved her.

I loved the ending, it’s the one I was hoping for, so I’m happy about that.

I do realize it’s not a story made for everyone, but I did really enjoyed it. At first it reminded me of the Addams family, but in a dark twisted way, but then I thought of Crimson Peak and even Alice in wonderland.

See it as a mushroom, hunted house, ghost story.

esperanza 

carolreadabook

I read this book at the perfect time and was exactly what I need. For that reason, it become one of my fav books of the year. 

I love how strong Noemi is even when everyone thinks she's not, and she is smart and outgoing (i love her so much i could give her the world if she asks). On the other hand, we have Francis who is cute, kind and so different from all the Doyle's. 

My favorite parts are all the Francis and Noemi interaction. In my imagination, they had they happily ever after because they become friends before becoming lovers. I love their two because when they work together to solve the High Place secrets. 

 me every time noemi was flirting with francis. its adorable how he's trying to not falling in love for her...

Anyways, last but not least, my fav quote: 
“It was easy to kiss someone when it didn’t matter; it was more difficult when it might be meaningful.” 
And, then, you read the last two paragraphs and see how meaningful was Francis&Noemi's kiss was. Argh, I love them. 

Song for these two: Ophelia by The Lumineers.

marta 

Siento que está es una opinión bastante impopular, pero este libro me ha parecido muy aburrido.

Como me estaba costando leerlo, decidí hacer una mezcla de audiolibro (solo escuche un par de capítulos al principio) y leerlo en físico.

La segunda mitad del libro es mucho mejor que la primera, pero sigue habiendo el problema de que en cuanto dejas de leer, mi interés por el libro desaparece y cualquier otro libro me llama más la atención que ese. Y no es que no me gusten los libros góticos o "thrillers" (que esté libro lo venden como si lo fuese y no lo es), es este libro en especifico que no me ha llegado.

Lo que más me ha gustado a sido el romance, porque a todos nos gustan un pringado como male interest :), y el tema de los hongos, porque me ha parecido interesante y diferente.

Una cosa que no me gustó, son las escenas sexuales que son completamente incensarías y siento que son usadas como horror/thriller element y para nada lo son.

El resto o me ha parecido sin más o un coñazo y la razón por la que me lo he terminado a sido porque me lo compre en físico y no quiero pensar que compré un libro en papel para no terminarlo.

En resumen, esté libro, si te lo quieres leer, te lo recomiendo en audiolibro, se te va a hacer más ameno y más entretenido.

Leticia Leal

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was like nothing else I've read this year. Set in 1950's Mexico, socialite main character, Noemí Taboada is sent by her father to High Place after receiving a letter from her recently married cousin, Catalina. The letter is urgent and odd, and Noemi is sent to check on her cousin's mental state. 

High Place is a secluded, crumbling estate high in the hills on the outskirts of a small village. Catalina is nearly catatonic and suffering from tuberculosis. Her husband's family is controlling and demands silence at dinner and is ruled over a geriatric, rotting patriarch. It becomes clear that her cousin has changed since her marriage. Catalina's husband, Virgil, and his family fight to keep Noemí bringing in a doctor from the village or taking taking tinctures from a local medicine woman. What are they hiding from Noemi?

This book is very atmospheric and descriptive. I could vividly see the decrepit manor and the creeping mold in my mind. The last half of the book ended up taking a direction I was completely unprepared for and it will set it apart from other books in the genre. Noemi is a strong and compelling character. I loved the descriptions of the Noemi's outfits and her fiery and flirty attitude. Full discretion, my late grandmother's name is Noemi, so I couldn't help but be endeared by seeing the name. The cover of this book is gorgeous and will pop on any display. I haven't read any other work by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but I truly look forward to reading more of her work. 

Thank you to Random House Publishing- Ballantine Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC.

such a good read! was gasping in some parts, yearning in others... i really enjoyed reading this one :)

Mexican Gothic

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