This kit contains discussion questions, a curated playlist, a look into Real Del Monte, The Doyle seal, Noemí paper dolls, and a brief history of gothic novels. While I loved almost of these resources and could implement them in my classroom (particularly the discussion questions and the playlist), I found the paper dolls to be a bit juvenile. I have a hard time believing that high school students would enjoy playing with paper dolls. However, the fashion was gorgeous, and I think they would have worked better drawn out like fashion designs. While those still wouldn't appeal to a wide group of students, at least those interested in art and design would like them.

I loved this book, and found myself to think about it often in the weeks after reading it. I loved the gothic setting, the body horror is not something I come across often so it felt new to me. I have since picked up more books from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, this book got me hooked!

Can't wait to use this with my book club! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Library Resources for a copy of this book for an honest review.

The Book Maven’s Journal
Reviews for Word Connoisseurs

REVIEWER Joy Hunt
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

MEXICAN GOTHIC: Book Club Kit
By Silvia Moreno-Garcia

INSIGHTFUL, INTELLECTUAL and FUN

The Mexican Gothic Book Club Kit provides Discussion Group Leaders a succinct and comprehensive framework for the novel--its setting; place in time/history; and genre.

This particular kit is well-planned and intellectual, yet fun. It's a perfect compliment and companion to the novel. Although brief (approximately 25-pages ePub), the Kit information is insightful and thorough—with “something special” that should appeal to every reader.

Author Silvia Moreno-Garcia provides an engaging historical background on "Little Cornwall,” the former silver-mining town in Mexico's Hidalgo Mountains settled primarily by Colonial Britains where the novel is based.

Captivated when visiting the area, Moreno-Garcia said that the curious Mexican fog-drenched mountain vistas; the mouldering English cemetery and it's elaborate monuments; and the quaint British architecture remaining throughout the town embedded visions of distressed heroines in haunted mansions in her head.

Yet, this was not England like in Gothic books of her memory. This was Mexico. Soon seeds for Mexican Gothic were fertilized and germinated. Her story had roots (or perhaps spores?...) The result is her new suspense novel, Mexican Gothic, that will compel you, like heroine, Noemi, to stay long after you thought you wanted to leave.

Furthermore, in this Book Club Kit, for the literary and intellectually curious, Author Moreno-Garcia shares an intriguing scholarly comparative analysis of Gothic literature from its inception, to its nexus, and finally to its current evolutionary revival.

Book Club and Discussion Group Leaders can also rejoice because cogent, inspired, insightful and provocative Book Club Discussion Questions are provided. These will help you focus and guide your meetings and interactive dialogues with ease.

In addition, to familiarize and immerse readers in the 1950s fashions favored by Noemi, a cut-out paper doll picture pattern of her is included.

Every doll must have a wardrobe, and Noemi's (especially hers!) is no exception. Numerous colorful 1950s period outfits for her paper doll--with detailed explanations about the fashions worn at the time--can also be found in the Mexican Gothic Book Club Kit.

The Noemi Paper Fashion Doll and Clothes are provided to encourage two-way communication and conversations at meetings by allowing Discussion Leaders to show visuals that accompany Mexican Gothic.

This colorful and whimsical addition to the Kit is a surprising and entertaining teaching tool that offers levity to a serious subject. What an original and fabulous inclusion!

The MEXICAN GOTHIC Book Club Kit by Author Silvia Moreno-Garcia is made available from Publisher Penguin Random House Library Resources, effective 11 February 2021, as an ePub Reader Copy and is appropriately 25-pages in length.

This bookclub kit is ADORABLE and will be fun to take to our next meeting. Thank you for adding it to the gallery.

I requested this thinking it was the actual book but would be great for my book club. Cant say about the book club kit as I haven't yet read the book and did not want to read the whole book club kit for fear of spoilers!

Mexican Gothic lived up to all of my expectations. The slow burn was perfect, the story was great! I can’t wait to read more from Silvia Moreno-Garcia!

Okay my fault I thought this was the book plus the bookclub. I really don’t have a lot to say because this is just questions and information about the book.

I have noooooo clue why I thought this was an ebook of the book in addition to other extra stuff, I need to read the fine print more closely, but it was an interesting thing to have as I was listening to the audiobook of Mexican Gothic!

This books looks super interesting and can’t wait to use this kit once I’ve read it fully. Definitely a must read by the information the kit gives out. Can’t wait to get my hands on it!

This book was one of the weirdest books I've ever read. I loved that there was hints of magic and a ton of suspense mixed in with the real world. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is wonderful at world-building.

I actually asked for this thinking its the book but would be great for the book club. Honestly I dont really have much to say about the book club kit as I haven't yet read the book.

I actually asked for this thinking its the book but would be great for the book club. Honestly I dont really have much to say about the book club kit.

This book was very disappointing. I kept seeing it hyped on book blogs, Bookstagram, and BookTok. I was super excited to read this and then even more excited once I got a notification from the library telling me that I got to jump the line for my chance to read this book. I can't entirely if this was a case of overhyped and then not so good, or if I just didn't enjoy this book.

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!
I am so happy that I have finally read it and now I will have to buy a physical copy, because this screams autumn.
It was also amazing to know more about the 50's in Mexico and how people lived or tried to.
Definetely a 5 star book

Didn't read the whole explanation of what this was before I downloaded the kit. I actually do want to read this book and will be adding it to my list.

It is a book club kit for Mexican Gothic novel. It is useful to have a detailed discussion with your peers and book club members on this book.

This book contains:
1. A letter from the author
2. Discussion questions
3. A playlist curated by the author with a spotify link
4. An essay from the author about what inspired Mexican Gothic
5. A Noemi inspired paper doll with a handful of different outfits

This is a good supplementary piece for anyone has had the book. It includes a letter from the author, background information on the genre, location of the book setting and fashion of the main character throughout the book, and of course the book cub question prompts.

I enjoyed this kit visually and the content is good, but I expected there to be a bit more to it. For anyone reading as a book club read its a good starter reference but be expected to add to it for a deep book club discussion. It also ends very abruptly, which I was confused by.

Overall, not something I would recommend unless you are really keen on the book and want that extra context and letter from the author.

This is a very well put together book club kit for Mexican Gothic. This is something I'd encourage you to pick up if you're planning to have an in-depth discussion about Mexican Gothic.

This book contains:
1. A letter from the author
2. Discussion questions (varying degrees of thought needed for the questions)
3. A playlist curated by the author with a spotify link (very cool idea)
4. An essay from the author about what inspired Mexican Gothic
5. A Noemi inspired paper doll with a handful of different outfits (this is really fun and unexpected)

Please note: this isn't useful as a stand alone book. This is strictly a supplement you'd want to use for additional activates/discussion when you host Mexican Gothic in your book club

Im not exactly sure what i was expecting but this wasnt it. I feel let down. Not really sure how deep discussions could be with this guide during book club