Book Review: Mexican Gothic
Paperback | Del Rey Books | June 15, 2021
The Gist
A debutante goes to an old house in the countryside to figure out why her cousin is losing her mind and things get weird—like really, really weird.
Read If You Like...
The Verdict: Read it! Read it! Read it!
In Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia puts a modern spin on the classic gothic horror genre. When Noemí Taboada’s father receives an unsettling letter from her newlywed cousin, she is sent to check in on her—and bring her home if necessary. Her cousin lives in the Mexican countryside at her husband’s family’s estate, High Place. What she finds is a decaying house and an uptight family that tries to intimidate her. But Noemí is no slouch. Although she may prefer cocktail parties and the city, she is intelligent, sharp-tongued, and charming, and doesn’t take long for her to start sleuthing to unravel the mystery around her cousin’s sudden madness. Moreno-Garcia nails the spirit of the gothic horror genre. High Place is not only eerie and haunting but alluring. It truly is a character in itself. Noemí’s growth is also well-nuanced. Although this character is very similar to Casiopea from Gods of Jade and Shadow, her development is much more subtle. In doing so Moren-Garcia shows that she not only has the ability to craft an edge-of-your-seat plot, but also that she has an eye for detail when it comes to her characters’ arcs.
Originally published on livebytheshelf33.com.