Name: Mexican Gothic
Rating: 3.766074450084602 (1182 reviews)
ISBN: 9781432885380

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

Gixsy ♡

Edna

Samantha Mochrie 

Sherany

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. 

Thais Soto

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

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

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

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

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

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

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."

Remmi Ahmed

The silence in the cemetery was absolute. No birds sang in the trees, no insects flapped their wings. Everything was muffled. It was like sitting at the bottom of a deep well, shielded by the earth and stone, from the world. 

Sabrina D. 

The door swung open, and Noemí saw a man on a bed. Only it wasn't truly a man. lt was a bloated vision of a man, as if he'd drowned and floated to the surface, his pale body lined with blue veins, tumors flowering on his legs, his hands, his belly. A pustule, not a man, a living, breathing, pustule. His chest rising and falling. 

The man could not possibly be alive but he was...

A fairy tale, yes. Snow White with the magical kiss and the beauty who transforms the beast. Catalina had read all those stories for the younger girls, and she had intoned each line with great dramatic conviction. It had been a performance. Here was the result of Catalina's daydreams. Here was her fairy tale. lt amounted to a stilted marriage that, coupled with her sickness and her mental tribulations, must place an exhausting burden on her shoulders. 

"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"--

Sinny

2.5 I started to read this book because it was on a 'Halloween's favorite' list. I don't know why, I expected so much from this book, it had the perfect recipe to be a good book. But then the author really fails at creating rising actions or any plot at all. It's basically the protagonist rummaging the house and its surroundings. Nothing really happening besides the weird dreams. The author is all about the looks of the protagonist but I don't feel it comes to any point really. Characters lack background story, one doesn't really connect with any of them. The book turns itself to be long and soooo boring, until at least the last 3 chapters (out of 27) where some action happens.

Taneil Casey

The manor is clawing its way into the souls of its inhabitants and they can’t escape.

Traveling to a remote manor to assess the health of her recently married cousin, the brilliant, young socialite Noemi Taoboda is shocked to discover a gloomy, subdued household. Everyone obeys strange, rigid rules, and the smell of damp mold lingers in the air. Catalina, Noemi’s cousin, swings back and forth between her natural sweetness and a seeming lack of lucidity. 

Noemi herself begins seeing things move out of the corner of her eye, hearing voices, and experiencing alarming dreams. It isn’t long before she’s tangled in a frightening web of lies from which there is no escape.

I really loved reading Mexican Gothic. It was dark, creepy, and suspenseful, just like the vibes I remember enjoying from reading Jane Eyre. If you’ve been thinking about reading Mexican Gothic, DO IT.

M. Sosotris

*clutches book to chest while spinning around with a happy sigh*

I know this is a horror novel, and so I probably shouldn’t be this happy after reading it, but this is one of those beautifully crafted scary stories that takes you on a journey from mystery to dread to outright terror, and you just can’t stop reading.

There’s plenty of beautiful Gothic atmosphere to delight any fans of Wuthering Heights or Dracula, but it’s the heroine that really captures you. Noemí is vivacious, clever, and deliciously outspoken. If ever I find myself in a spooky mansion oozing with secrets, I’d want her with me. 

This is the most fun I’ve had being terrified in a long time. And, as someone writing this review in 2020, that’s saying something. 

Would highly recommend. 10/10

"After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemi 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 Noemi knows little about the region. Noemi 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 Noemi; 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 Noemi, 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 Noemi digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness."--From the book in English.

Mexican gothic

erin

it went into a completely different direction than i expected, and it was incredible. super moody and atmospheric and also very disturbing. i read it mostly at night so it gave me the creeps lmaodjdbj

chian

Edit: Tried, but i dont think this is gonna work. Something about it just doesn't click with my brain DNF 30 pages in, but won't rate it 1 star just yet. I feel like I'll need to give it another chance one day.

Chris Hilyer

Worth the read. Not one I would read again.. not a modern classic.. but worth the read.

If you like Gothic, Victorian mansions, and horror that is not just about supernatural elements , but also about the people around you and situations grounded in reality, I'll vouch for it.

I can't say that I was hooked from the beginning because I struggled a lot the first few chapters. Although, I got to admit that the author took such a care to set the story with the unsettling atmosphere and inhabitants that occupied High Place.

Then, we got to the core of the story, and things started to unravel. It was so difficult to put the book down, and in some parts, my heart was beating, so hard. Noemi is now part of one of my fave heroines. She is just so captivating and electric, and all I wanted was for her to win this battle of wills.

Francis really got my heart with his nerdy ways and mushrooms knowledge and basically just his yearning. 

I wish we got a bit more of Catalina, but she was really an unexpected heroine in the crucial moments of the story.

The villains were so crooked that I honestly hate them so bad, and I always cheered whenever they didn’t get their way.

I would have loved a lil epilogue of what happens next, but the last chapter was a nice and surprisingly comforting ending.

4.25 🌟 

I can't say that I was hooked from the beginning because I struggled a lot the first few chapters. Although, I got to admit that the author took such a care to set the story with the unsettling atmosphere and inhabitants that occupied High Place.

Then, we got to the core of the story, and things started to unravel. It was so difficult to put the book down, and in some parts, my heart was beating, so hard. Noemi is now part of one of my fave heroines. She is just so captivating and electric, and all I wanted was for her to win this battle of wills.

Francis really got my heart with his nerdy ways and mushrooms knowledge and basically just his yearning. 

I wish we got a bit more of Catalina, but she was really an unexpected heroine in the crucial moments of the story.

The villains were so crooked that I honestly hate them so bad, and I always cheered whenever they didn’t get their way.

I would have loved a lil epilogue of what happens next, but the last chapter was a nice and surprisingly comforting ending.

A true Gothic novel, I think. "Slow" at the beginning, and builds into a blazing finish (literally). I enjoyed it immensely. 

Kiersten

It was amazing! I didn't think that I will enjoy a horror story so much, but I definitely did. I think it was very well written, I didn't hear about such a concept before, with all the funghi ecc. I totally recommend!

Martyna

Alexander Páez García

Gótico

What a wild ride! This was more creepy than scary, my first horror and it got pretty gross. So many WTF moments 😂 But definitely a page turner! 

Saffia

Creepy and menacing fun!! I wasn't totally shocked with how things ended but the journey was fun regardless and I enjoyed the setting & characters too. SMG's books are always so vivid and fun

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

Oof I was bored to tears with this book until about 70% of the way through. The end gets a little freaky, but majority of the book is hardly “thrilling.” Character development and POV of the indigenous Mexican people was extremely lacking, leaving me disconnected from the setting. Redeeming quality was I enjoyed Noemi’s character, although I found her romantic interests in the end a little unbelievable. If you couldn’t tell already, pretty disappointed with this one. 

Kaitlyn Wendler

I’m giving this book a solid four stars I’m so happy that Francis lived and got out of the house. While i wish the author would have given us more of a closed ending to the book I could definitely see how the author could easily write a second book based off of this one. 

Chulandon leanday Bradley 

A super lush and haunting story. A bit slow to start up but filled with everything dark and gruesome and enchanting.

This book engages with conversations on race, mestizaje, gentrification, and gendered roles. 

A super lush and haunting story. A bit slow to start up but filled with everything dark and gruesome and enchanting.

This book engages with conversations on race, mestizaje, gentrification, and gendered roles. 

Did a mixture of audiobook and print copy. Audiobook is great! I enjoyed reading the book. I think the pacing was a little bit off, though not enough to spoil the book. I do feel like there are some moments where the central themes and metaphors could’ve been more cohesive - sometimes it felt like the points the book was making were a bit more random? 

Elizabeth

A true gothic novel. I loved the fungi horror. I will read more from the author!! 

LIMEKI 

Gripping, atmospheric, and delightfully dark. 

Emiley Jones

Mexican Gothic is a book I heard a lot about before I picked it up to participate in booktwt book club this month. It being in the running at all, annoyed many people who were not impressed by it at all. I myself trusting the opinion of many of these people did not vote for it. 

However, my desire to participate trumped my fears of Mexican Gothic being an abysmal read so I picked it up. My verdict...well while personally I don't find it to be completely terrible it has many flaws which prevent it from being anything more than just okay. 

Firstly, the premise of a loved one no longer themselves reaching out for help, claiming to be poisoned in a centuries-old house with a shady past definitely sounds intriguing. However, the pacing is one of the first key issues I had with this book. It took five chapters for me to really feel any sort of interest in story, and there after it felt like things were just happening with no real impact. It takes up to 70% for any real horror to occur and for the pace to pick up. The writing while quite descriptive had a sort of sleepy element to it. It's a lot of telling and not showing. Something I saw other reviews say that I agree with, is that this book would lend itself to a good movie adaptation but in writing a lot of the interesting elements just fall flat. I did enjoying reading that last 30% but it really feels like lost potential. The horror elements while not being revolutionary were kind of cool to me and I enjoyed reading about them, again I just wish they were incorporated and developed better. The Mexican cultural elements were lovely to see but they weren't particularly well incorporated. It was very surface level. 

Secondly, personally a big reason why this book falls a bit flat is the character writing. Noemi and the other characters are incredibly one-dimensional. As with the plot points we are told over and over that she is a party girl, she changes her mind constantly, and that she is strong willed, but other than the last trait as a reader you never really get to see her showcase any of these traits. If you asked me to describe Noemi I could tell you facts about her but I couldn't describe her personality at all. The other characters are written even worse, they exist for the progression of the plot and nothing more. Sometimes it just made no sense to me the way Noemi would react to things happening. There is some tenderness and affection between Francis and Noemi but even that is written in a very simplistic way. I really didn't feel any sort of connection to any of the characters, and other than being repulsed by the villains I had no strong opinions or feelings towards them. This is the book's main weakness, if I don't understand the characters and I don't particularly care about them why would I care about what happens to them?   

I think overall Mexican Gothic is a book that is just painfully average. Painfully because it had the potential to be something great. It's slow pacing and lacklustre character writing take away from the unique and interesting elements. I think it could be a good introductory gothic horror novel for some readers but personally, for me it was just alright.

Marz 

Mexican Gothic is a book I heard a lot about before I picked it up to participate in booktwt book club this month. It being in the running at all, annoyed many people who were not impressed by it at all. I myself trusting the opinion of many of these people did not vote for it. 

However, my desire to participate trumped my fears of Mexican Gothic being an abysmal read so I picked it up. My verdict...well while personally I don't find it to be completely terrible it has many flaws which prevent it from being anything more than just okay. 

Firstly, the premise of a loved one no longer themselves reaching out for help, claiming to be poisoned in a centuries-old house with a shady past definitely sounds intriguing. However, the pacing is one of the first key issues I had with this book. It took five chapters for me to really feel any sort of interest in story, and there after it felt like things were just happening with no real impact. It takes up to 70% for any real horror to occur and for the pace to pick up. The writing while quite descriptive had a sort of sleepy element to it. It's a lot of telling and not showing. Something I saw other reviews say that I agree with, is that this book would lend itself to a good movie adaptation but in writing a lot of the interesting elements just fall flat. I did enjoying reading that last 30% but it really feels like lost potential. The horror elements while not being revolutionary were kind of cool to me and I enjoyed reading about them, again I just wish they were incorporated and developed better. The Mexican cultural elements were lovely to see but they weren't particularly well incorporated. It was very surface level. 

Secondly, personally a big reason why this book falls a bit flat is the character writing. Noemi and the other characters are incredibly one-dimensional. As with the plot points we are told over and over that she is a party girl, she changes her mind constantly, and that she is strong willed, but other than the last trait as a reader you never really get to see her showcase any of these traits. If you asked me to describe Noemi I could tell you facts about her but I couldn't describe her personality at all. The other characters are written even worse, they exist for the progression of the plot and nothing more. Sometimes it just made no sense to me the way Noemi would react to things happening. There is some tenderness and affection between Francis and Noemi but even that is written in a very simplistic way. I really didn't feel any sort of connection to any of the characters, and other than being repulsed by the villains I had no strong opinions or feelings towards them. This is the book's main weakness, if I don't understand the characters and I don't particularly care about them why would I care about what happens to them?   

I think overall Mexican Gothic is a book that is just painfully average. Painfully because it had the potential to be something great. It's slow pacing and lacklustre character writing take away from the unique and interesting elements. I think it could be a good introductory gothic horror novel for some readers but personally, for me it was just alright.

Beautifully written, I really enjoyed the allegory of the parasitic fungus taking over and destroying the bodies and minds of the locals, with the wealthy, english family complicit in it all.

Ava 

From the start, I was really intrigued by the book off cover alone. Throughout the whole book, the writing style was amazing and drew me in, even if I didn’t necessarily care about what was being said at every point. The novel had a very strong start, in my opinion, that set up the atmosphere and the pieces really well. Unfortunately, the pacing and plot started to falter as I went on. I still enjoyed the book by the end, just not as much as I thought I was going to on the first 75 pages. I wish there were more horror elements to the book, and it felt like so much of it was exposition that kept going until about the 60% mark. What was initially intriguing at the beginning started to become dull and repetitive and confusing because there were a few times when I was like “okay, but what now?” 

The story itself had the pieces to be great. It has elements of Jordan Peele’s “Get Out”, which was interesting, but the execution fell a little flat for me. Still, I was ready to give it a 4 star. However, there is a very unnecessary romance plot thrown in that I simply don’t understand. Not only do I not comprehend the pairing, but it seems rushed and just an add-on for the people who need their books to have romance in it. I didn’t even like one of the people in the couple. All this to say, I still enjoyed the book and finished it in a day. I would still recommend it for certain audiences, but with how high my expectations were at the beginning paired with what actually happened, I cannot give this more than 3 stars. 

Nik ✨

From the start, I was really intrigued by the book off cover alone. Throughout the whole book, the writing style was amazing and drew me in, even if I didn’t necessarily care about what was being said at every point. The novel had a very strong start, in my opinion, that set up the atmosphere and the pieces really well. Unfortunately, the pacing and plot started to falter as I went on. I still enjoyed the book by the end, just not as much as I thought I was going to on the first 75 pages. I wish there were more horror elements to the book, and it felt like so much of it was exposition that kept going until about the 60% mark. What was initially intriguing at the beginning started to become dull and repetitive and confusing because there were a few times when I was like “okay, but what now?” 

The story itself had the pieces to be great. It has elements of Jordan Peele’s “Get Out”, which was interesting, but the execution fell a little flat for me. Still, I was ready to give it a 4 star. However, there is a very unnecessary romance plot thrown in that I simply don’t understand. Not only do I not comprehend the pairing, but it seems rushed and just an add-on for the people who need their books to have romance in it. I didn’t even like one of the people in the couple. All this to say, I still enjoyed the book and finished it in a day. I would still recommend it for certain audiences, but with how high my expectations were at the beginning paired with what actually happened, I cannot give this more than 3 stars. 

Eva Ströberg

I can see this book being filmed, it will be a great horror series!

The story is about Noemi, a party girl from a wealthy family in Mexico City, who had to "pick up" her beloved cousin Catalina because she started to write weird letters to the family.

It was supposed to be an easy job but what Noemi didn't know was that Catalina was married into a weird English family who lived in a dilapidated mansion called "The High Place". The people who lived there, they were specials and when Noemi spent few nights there, she started to see things.

Was the house haunted? Well, that's the whole story about I guess.

Ryan Mateyk

the first half lives up to its title and gives us exactly a Mexican version of a gothic novel; “haunted” house, mean old crotchety British people and a young beautiful heroine called to the house to check on her cousin who’s married one of the mean British people. But THEN it flips the genre on its head and turns into an intense gory eco/body horror/sci-fi story which I looove. I’m surprised at how popular this book is because of that shift in tone and vibe but I’m very happy for Moreno Garcia’s success!!!! Loved it, more like this!!!

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

Bria

« just because there are no ghosts it doesn't mean you can't be haunted, nor that you shouldn't fear the haunting. »

this was absolutely captivating, it made me feel terribly uncomfortable in some parts and utterly fascinated in others. 

i thought noemì was a very good character, i liked her personality and her strength. however, as i said in one of my notes.... british people are a PLAGUE and so are men.

i lost count of how many times virgil gave me chills, in a very negative way. every time that man was mentioned i felt scared and uncomfortable. i spent the book hoping his death would come soon and would be agonising.

i have a lot of thoughts about this book, but i'm glad my friends recommended it to me. i have SO much to say, and i will probably come back to this review and write a fully thought out review but i only finished this book less than 10 minutes ago so my brain isn't functioning properly except for 'fuck you doyle's'

florine

« just because there are no ghosts it doesn't mean you can't be haunted, nor that you shouldn't fear the haunting. »

this was absolutely captivating, it made me feel terribly uncomfortable in some parts and utterly fascinated in others. 

i thought noemì was a very good character, i liked her personality and her strength. however, as i said in one of my notes.... british people are a PLAGUE and so are men.

i lost count of how many times virgil gave me chills, in a very negative way. every time that man was mentioned i felt scared and uncomfortable. i spent the book hoping his death would come soon and would be agonising.

i have a lot of thoughts about this book, but i'm glad my friends recommended it to me. i have SO much to say, and i will probably come back to this review and write a fully thought out review but i only finished this book less than 10 minutes ago so my brain isn't functioning properly except for 'fuck you doyle's'

Mexican Gothic

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