I love this storyline - a dark gothic storyline in a culture not much of my own. I don't find a lot of mystery novels based in Mexican culture, so this really hit the spot for me. It was a slow burn at first, and really dark, but still totally worth the read.

Really enjoyed this one. Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes gothic literature. Fans of suspense, ghost stories, or anything a little bit creepy will like it too.

this really was some gothic excellence, omg

pls allow for a small list of all the things that made this story SO GOOD imo

- the setting!!!! high place’s aesthetic of rotting decadence was exactly the kind of atmosphere i LOVE
- the main character, noemi!! she was headstrong and capable the whole way through. truly a delight to read about
- i didn’t think i would, but i really enjoyed the historical setting! the 1950’s is not a time that i’ve read a lot about, and it was quite interesting. & the way the author worked discussions about colonialism, racism, and eugenics into the plot was really well done
- the horror! there’s a lot of different spooky/gross things going on, which really kept my interest. while i did find certain parts of the mystery a bit on the predictable side, there was ultimately so much going on & some of it was reallyyyyy freaking trippy
- also, the body horror specifically??? DISGUSTING. NASTY. EW. i loved it

okay, that’s all,,,,if u need me i’ll be busy making my way thru any and all horror related fiction from silvia moreno-garcia

Well, that was actually quite terrifying! Recommend for fans of horror who appreciate a strong setting. Not only was the sense of place very vivid, but the tidbits about anthropology and eugenics enhanced the time period for an overall strong setting.

Disclaimer: I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This chilling novel is exactly what you would expect from a classic gothic tale. I enjoyed the mystery but the atmospheric writing made me fall in love! Perfect for fans of The Haunting of Bly Manor or Ninth House.

I allow myself one spooky book per year because I am easily scared (nothing goes bump in the night like a three legged cat), so this year was Mexican Gothic. I decided to split reading it over two days rather than finish the whole book in one night so I could feel the spookiness in my bones. I really loved Gods of Jade and Shadow and Mexican Gothic was just as good!

I have to say, I really enjoyed this book. A Mexican socialite gets sent to check on her newlywed cousin after she sends a distressing letter home. Right from the jump, Naomi knows something is off with the creepy house and suspect people that live in it, but it takes some time to figure out what was going on. It’s gothic, escape horror and I loved the pacing. It’s got a slower start but at about 70% in, I couldn’t put it down. I really liked the authors writing and thought the cause of what was going on was so unique. I can’t really say more without spoiling the experience, but I really did like the ending. It was a perfect book for this time of year and I’m happy to own it because, come on, this cover. Overall- I recommend!

Well, the hook really grips you when you get to read Catalina's letter, which acts as the catalyst for Noemí's journey to High Place, a sprawling gothic mansion which is actively decaying. Mysteries abound, and I was drawn in to the very end.

When pretty, wealthy socialite Noemi goes to visit her cousin-in-distress at an old gothic mansion in the hillsides of Mexico, she discovers much more than she bargained for.

<u>Mexican Gothic</u> was an interesting, entertaining horror novel with some minor twists and mostly unmemorable characters. While I did enjoy Noemi's character overall, I found her lacking at times. She seemed slow to catch on to the glaringly obvious and sometimes waffled between a strong independent female character to a hopeless and needy one about ready to forfeit everything. I liked the premise and the idea of Noemi, but there were also elements of the story that just didn't grasp me like I hoped and made it seem drawn out in parts.

Mercy me, this one really seeps into your psyche. It was disturbingly awesome. I tiptoed along through this story, quietly whispering potential motives for characters, nervously hiding under my blanket during those small instances that just give you that creeping dread. All things I do with a great psychological horror story. But, wow, this one crept up on me and left me in a daze. This book has a great blurb and just from the description weaves a great yarn about what you'll find inside. But believe me, it will lead into much murkier, unknown depths than you anticipated. That's what makes it such an unbelievably great story.

It's haunting, psychological horror, gothic. Moreno-Garcia does a wonderfully creepy job of describing every aspect of this world. The landscape, the structures, the rooms, the characters, their actions, the backstory. Nothing seems fluff or inconsequential. It feels like one of those stories I could revisit and find even more clues and details the second time around. The characters are well-drawn. Noemi is a strong lead and I was rooting so hard for her the whole time. For someone, along with other incredibly horrific events, who was essentially gaslighted almost the entire story, she was steadfast. Her character stuck in for the long haul for her cousin and developed as a character along the way. She didn't wither and break just in time for some third act to come in and essentially give her a happy ending. Did she have help along the way? Sure. But, she actively participated in this plot and it didn't feel as if she was a bystander who just passively watched the story unfurl helplessly for the most part.

Mexican Gothic is a gothic ghost story with some superb psychological horror. And such a well done twist. I thought the twist was craftily executed and fit fluidly into what we already perceived about this horror tale. This is one of those books that slowly absorbs you into it's landscape which makes you want to read more and more. Definitely a slow-burner but a page-turner for sure. I rated this a rare 5 out of 5 stars. Would definitely pick up another book by this author, would absolutely try out any sequel to this story. Side note: I now realize why I've never liked eating mushrooms. Yikes. Creepy, weird, mind-bending, and of course, terrifying. Would definitely recommend.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title.

I really enjoyed MEXICAN GOTHIC and have spent the past two weeks trying to get a picture worthy enough of this eerie, suspenseful and romantic novel (and finally had to enlist my mom’s help to get this one!). This book has been described as horror, as gothic fiction, as magical realism—it’s all that and more. It’s a beautiful and haunting novel about a debutante who travels to an isolated mansion to save her cousin from a mysteries illness. I was captivated by this story, desperately turning pages to find out how it would end. It’s incentive and surprising and chilling and such a great read. I’m sure I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time!

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book really took me by surprise! It had a scientific twist that kept me thinking about it for weeks after I finished the novel. Loved the setting and the slow building dread! I read this with my adult virtual book club for the library and it was a huge hit!

LOVED THIS BOOK. Moreno-Garcia paints such a vivid picture of High Place. I could see the peeling paint and mold taking over. There were several times I had to put this book down because it was so creepy, but still so well written!

This gothic romance is Brontë Sisters meets Charlotte Perkins Gilman meets 1950s Mexico! A page-turner that will keep you hungry to learn the truth about family secrets and mysterious mansions.

Noemí Taboada is just a carefree young woman, ready to take on further studies rather than a courtship and marriage. When her father gets a worrisome letter from her cousin, Catalina (who had been newly wed), she must get to the bottom of what is going on and save her cousin from her husband and whatever is haunting her in High Place. When she gets to High Place, Noemí finds herself similarly haunted and troubled, but she is determined to fight back; to not let this ugly, achingly depressing house and it’s morose occupants consume her and her kin. She finds an ally in Francis, one of High Place’s residents and the patriarch’s grandson. He protects her, tries to get her to leave, but is he strong enough to protect her from all the house’s secrets and the nefarious plans of his family?

I thought this book was going to be the scary type of horror novel, considering the setting of a dilapidated house set in the mountain and far removed from the small town. Instead, it was a grotesque and weird type of horror. The book builds slowly, setting the scene and introducing the characters making things feel as if they are just normal enough, but the reader can tell things aren't quite as they seem. This is how our poor main character despite her intelligence gets steadily sunk in and then when she knows things aren't right its too late for her to do anything. The writing was excellent, the characters all stood out uniquely from each other. I loved that despite women being forced into situations because of their circumstances, they still managed to have strength of character. This novel also explores topics of colonialism, racism, white supremacy, eugenics and misogyny.

Mexican Gothic

I read this book on a recommendation of a friend. It is not a genre that I would ever pick up at a bookstore. That said, can I tell you how I could not put it down? Although, there were times I had to step away from the book because the scenes she painted were so unsettling and nerve-racking. My yelling at one of the characters because I KNEW how to help her get away did not help….me or her. I had to wait to the final scene…and you should too!

Whole review hidden for spoilers:
Content warnings: abuse, incest, murder, racism (of the pure race variety)

Mexican Gothic is not exactly my sort of book, I'll admit. I liked the audiobook narration, and I was curious what the resolution would be, but Gothic horror isn't a genre I particularly enjoy, even though it's one to which I'm drawn.

There's a real classic sort of feel to the writing and atmosphere, but the plotting had a real modern-ness to it. I'd comp it as "The Yellow Wallpaper" meets Get Out, but it also reminded me a fair bit of the one Du Maurier novel I've read, My Cousin Rachel. For much of the book, very little happens, in that way of Gothic novels. Noemi explores the creepy house and tries to figure out if her cousin Catalina is crazy or if there's really something up with the Doyles.

My issue with this book was that I wasn't invested in the characters. I liked Noemi and Francis, but they still didn't feel real to me. This is pretty common in Gothic novels in my experience, so those who enjoy the genre should definitely read this book.

This was the perfect book to start off October! A creepy slow-burn horror with a strong and stylish female protagonist, Mexican Gothic breathes new life into the classic Gothic horror novel.

Noemí Taboada is a 1950s socialite living in Mexico City. When her newly-wed cousin Catalina sends the family a cryptic letter saying her new husband is trying to poison her, Noemí agrees to travel to High Place to check on her. The secluded mansion belonging to the mysterious Doyle family is immediately uninviting - from its damp, dark, and moldy interior to the Doyle's themselves. Determined to help Catalina, Noemí learns more about the family's disturbing history and finds herself plagued by nightmares of blood and gloom. It becomes apparent that there is something deeply amiss at High Place - a dark truth Noemí will fight to uncover at all costs.

I enjoyed the heck out of this novel. Moreno-Garcia is a solid writer, and this novel is dark and gothic and intensely atmospheric and carries a heavy, creeping dread that really goes for it at the end of the novel and gets suitably gross at a few choice moments. I loved Noemí Taboada and thought she was a fantastic protagonist; she’s extremely well-characterized and felt very real, and I really hope Moreno-Garcia writes a sequel all about Noemí in college as she studies to become an anthropologist.