Mexican Gothic

This has been one of the most anticipated horror novels of the year, so I was excited when my copy arrived and I finally had the opportunity to dig in to it. From the title and description, I expected to read a fairly classical Gothic tale, transposed to the Mexican setting. This expectation was partly fulfilled, though there's a lot more going on in this book than the established tropes of the Gothic genre.The important thing to know about this book is that, though it is a horror novel, the horror elements are fairly understated through most of the book. It's very much a slow-burn story, allowing the reader time to gradually get to know the characters and the setting before delivering its climax. On many levels, this is effective, though I do think the pacing is a little bit off. I don't mind a slow burn of a story, but after an intriguing opening, the middle section seems to drag on a bit longer than it ought, offering tidbits of information about the horrific mystery at the novel's heart in small doses and in a way that doesn't particularly add to the story's tension. Once the stakes have been established fairly early, these revelations do enrich the reader's understanding, bit by bit, of what's really going on, but they don't seem to raise the stakes much, making the novel's middle section a bit of a slog.The slow-burn character of the novel does finally reverse itself in the final third or so of the book, when a final set of revelations come in rapid succession, building to a true climax. In fact, these climactic revelations seem to come a bit too rapidly, once again short-changing dramatic tension in favor of bringing the plot closer to its conclusion. The novel's pacing would have been better had the revelations built more gradually to a crescendo.Issues with pacing aside, I found it overall to be an enjoyable read. The reader will have no trouble liking or disliking the characters according to how the author means them to be viewed. While some characters are better-developed than others, they do provide an interesting ensemble. The writing style occasionally veers toward the wordy or "flowery," but always stops just short of the point at which it becomes too much so, giving the book a haunting, almost meditative sort of characteristic.Endings in horror are often difficult to get right, because once one knows what the evil (or the "big bad") actually is, it immediately loses much of its power to terrify. Admittedly, the revelation of this novel's big bad strains the limits of the willing suspension of disbelief a bit, but it nevertheless leads to an ending that's more satisfying than those of most horror novels.It's far from a perfect book, but it's well worth a read.

I'm truly puzzled by all of the good reviews for this book, not just from Amazon readers but from major newspapers and periodicals. Based on those reviews--from sources in which I usually have some faith--I couldn't wait to get my copy and dive in. Not only do I enjoy the shivers that great examples from the genre of supernatural dread and "magical realism" can provide, I was excited to learn more about Mexican legends, culture, etc.What an incredible letdown! The writing.....well, not meaning to be too unkind about it, but it was amazingly juvenile. No sense of the time period (the 1950's), no sense of location (most of the characters are British! So why even set it in Mexico??), no real sense of atmosphere (except for the usual cliches: fog, bad dreams, dark corridors, old cemeteries, assorted fungi), and no real narrative drive. The character of Neomi is kind of interesting, but her behavior and thoughts seem anachronistic. It was a chore to slog through the so-called "thrilling" and "terrifying" climax, as the vast majority of reviews described it. In fact, at times it seemed unintentionally funny. Or maybe intentionally? I often had the feeling that the author felt that she was "slumming" for the bestseller horror crowd by throwing in every predictably gross and worn-out image she could conjure up (probably giggling all the way), checking off what she thought such a readership might be expecting.If you want to read about indescribable eldritch horrors, dig out your old Lovecraft books instead. If you want modern psychological horror or true magical realism, try Ramsey Campbell, Paul Tremblay, R.B. Russell, Michael Marshall Smith, Rebecca Lloyd. If you want "creepy" that will stay with you for years, read Robert Aickman. If you want visceral horror with classy thriller writing, read Scott Smith's THE RUINS.This is the most over-hyped "horror" novel since BIRD BOX. But maybe that's just because most readers don't really want to be haunted by their horror reads.

Where do I even start with this book? Wild ride start to finish, and I found myself paranoid about every plot event after a little while. Even towards the end, the ending had like 10 different directions it could have gone and every twist I was convinced it would go one way. I am satisfied with the ending we got, and it is better than what I was expecting.I already know that when I get my copy in the mail, I'm probably going to re-read it because this was a crazy adventure.The first chapter might be a little slow to you, but seriously give it a few chapters and you'll be sucked in to this weird house and all the weird events going on inside. Everyone is creepy and it basically feels like everyone is constantly balancing between betrayal and death every chapter. The last 30% was some of the most tense moments I have ever read and now I'm kinda scared my dreams will be haunted by *insert the antagonist here*. Also there is a very common thing that is a recurring element and I'm paranoid about it now. So this is DEF a creepy book.

This book was very disappointing. Takes forever to get to the point and the point is a brainwashing mushroom fungus?!? Just skimmed the final pages to get it over with. Still can’t figure out what the hype is about concerning this one.

I rarely read horror but I seem to be on a bit of a horror bender at the moment, and picked this up to continue the ride. My initial thoughts are that it's quite disturbing and I both love and am afraid of this book!Set in 1950, Noemi lives in Mexico City, enjoying the parties, games and the flirting with handsome heirs to vast companies. When her cousin Catalina sends a telegram saying her new husband is trying to poison her, Noemi sets off to investigate her cousin's strange claim. Trekking across the Mexican countryside, Noemi arrives at High Place, a Victorian-style manor house that lords over a small town once famed for its silver mine. All that remains of the silver is Catalina's husband's family, the Doyles, and a few silver trinkets. Unwelcomed by the Doyles, Noemi finds her cousin has become a nervous wreck - making claims the walls are talking to her and her husband Virgil is trying to poison her - and vows to stay with her to keep her company. But as Noemi investigates her cousins claims, she unwittingly uncovers dark mysteries surrounding the Doyles and their silver mine. The more she scratches at the mysteries, the deeper Noemi begins to fall into the same dark trap as Catalina.This is NOT my usual read, however I'm lately taken by creepy houses/towns with creepy histories and this definitely delivers. It's a bit of a slow burn to begin with, but it absolutely knocks it out of the creepy park about 3/4 of the way through and looking back, it's not possible to do that without the slow setup.What I loved most about this book was the time period and the setting. The author describes everything so richly I had no trouble picturing it. Noemi also has several disturbing dreams and they too were handled really well - the creepiness of this book is delivered in the writing. Everything is so easily pictured and I think that's why I both love and am afraid of this book.It's honestly a gem and you should give it a go!

Set in Mexico in the early 1950s, Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novel 'Mexican Gothic' focuses on beautiful socialite, Noemi, who finds herself travelling to a remote mountainside estate after receiving a desperate letter from her recently married cousin, Catalina, who thinks her new husband, Virgil Doyle, is trying to poison her. When she arrives at High Place, a crumbling gothic mansion, Noemi meets the Doyle family, who are of English origin and all of them rather unusual characters. The handsome, cool and very collected Virgil tells Noemi that Catalina is merely suffering from a fever caused by a bout of tuberculosis and that Noemi need not worry herself about her cousin, but when Noemi tries to investigate further, she finds herself stonewalled by Virgil and the rest of the family - apart from the shy and gentle Francis, the youngest member of the family, who becomes very attracted to the lively and confident Noemi. As Noemi spends more time at High Place, the strangely menacing atmosphere begins to affect not only her waking hours, but also her dreaming hours and before long Noemi is having violent and macabre nightmares which seem too horribly real to be merely dreams. As time passes, and Catalina shows signs of acute mental distress, Noemi becomes convinced there is something rather sinister going on behind the scenes at High Place - but will she be able to discover what that is before something very unpleasant happens?This story is one that I can only describe as an incredible gothic romp - and, by incredible, I mean it is just not credible. It is true that I initially became caught up in the story and I enjoyed the author's descriptions of High Place with its unsettling atmosphere and its proximity to an eerie, mist-enshrouded cemetery, but this tale was just too far-fetched for me to really take on board and it became even more unbelievable as the story progressed. I have to say that I'm quite easily scared, but I'm frightened by things that I believe could possibly happen and not those which seem altogether too bizarre, so instead of finding myself "mesmerised by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place" (as promised by the 'blurb') I actually found it almost comical in places - especially when amongst all the gory descriptions provided by the author, Ms Moreno-Garcia takes time out to describe Noemi's fashionable clothing for the day. That's not to say that there weren't parts to this story which held my attention and, as already mentioned, I enjoyed the atmosphere created by the author (and the cover on the book is gorgeous), but this was all a bit too fantastically bizarre for me and the book is now off to a friend who reads fantasy novels and who I feel will enjoy this more than I did.2.5 Stars.

Over the last few months I have read quite a few positive reviews for the novel, set in 1950s Mexico, at an estate linked to an erstwhile British-run silver mining company, high in the mountains. The building is text book spooky Victorian and the family members are an eclectic mix of curious individuals, who are each leading a strange life, incarcerated in their spookily atmospheric surrounds, a long way away from civilisation. Part Hammer Horror, part Addams family – or as the Guardian newspaper puts it – Lovecraft meets the Brontës in Latin America. The setting is perfect for the storyline and evoking this ghostly and atmospheric backdrop is something the author does superbly well. And. There are plenty of comparisons to Jane Eyre.I confess that this took me out of my comfort zone, I am not naturally drawn to the gothic/horror genre but I have to say it was the cover that swung me in the book’s favour; that, and also because it was set in Mexico. Just see, the power of the book cover ad location!Catalina is living with her husband Virgil Doyle, in the misty mountains near El Triunfo in the family mansion, where patriarch Howard Doyle is still wheezing away his days on his looming death bed. The family have mined the silver in the area for several generations. Catalina has sent a letter to her cousin Noemí’s family in Mexico City and Noemí is despatched to check on the health and well-being of Catalina. It seems that she might be experiencing psychological disturbance.Noemí arrives and almost immediately a shiver runs down her spine. It is a dank and dreary building, and the household is ruled with an iron fist (absolutely no speaking over dinner), with sharp-tongued Florence as at the helm.As Noemí delves deeper, she discovers all kinds of horrors and mysteries – and death.It is a reflective storyline, leaving the reader to ponder whether the house is sick or whether the sins of the ancestors – colonisers plundering the land for its resources – are being visited upon this generation.I was enthralled by the first third of the book, the writing and storytelling fully drew me in. Thereafter it levelled out for me. The longer she stays, the more Noemí sinks into the bowels of the sinister clutch of the house and its occupants. She starts to sleep walk, apparently, and the blur between reality and ghostly adventures starts to add confusion to her days. Soon thereafter it goes into more otherworldly realms. This is not my genre of choice and sometimes one just needs to step out of one’s comfort zone and expand one’s horizons. In many ways I am very glad I have read it. The New Yorker says its addictive prose “..is as easy to slurp down as a poisoned cordial…” It is indeed!

I have so many feelings about this book.I will start by saying that love gothic novels. This has all the trappings of a perfect gothic novel - creepy house, a distressed cousin sending an ominous letter, a strange, unsettling family and a lot of creepy secrets. But it's also so much MORE than that. It was unique and gripping, bringing so many new ideas but blending them seamlessly into an old formula.Noemi is a very strong character and I absolutely adored her. She's feisty and passionate and intelligent. She's determined to get to the bottom of the mystery of Catalina's letter and is loyal and brave. She's so much more than she seems when we are introduced to her at the beginning of the novel, and she's the gothic heroine that I've always needed. She refuses to be anything but what she is.The setting of High Place has a feeling of overwhelming heaviness. It's permeated by a miasma of despair and dominance over it's occupants. Its unsettling, hostile and strange. It's covered with damp, decay and full of the uncanny. It's the perfect setting for this book, and I wouldn't have been able to set foot in it. The atmosphere of this book and house are so deeply entwined, and it was so incredibly well written!Mexican Gothic is filled with horror in so many ways. There are some disgusting descriptions of horrible things that I felt almost ill reading (and they followed me into my dreams, and I NEVER get affected by horror or gore in books usually) which were beautifully written despite the nauseating images! The book also has some very different moments that made me sick to my stomach- there's definitely triggering content in here, that at times was difficult to read, but it also added a whole new level of horror and awfulness to the story.There are so many things I want to say about this book but can't because almost everything is a spoiler, but it is incredible. I honestly loved this book so much. It was incredibly written, gripping, tense and had an incredible gothic heroine in Noemi, as well as some other fascinating characters. The setting was atmospheric and creepy and the book had an overwhelming sense of mystery and wrongness. If you like your books creepy and unsettling, your characters strong and well written with a touch of gothic horror, then you NEED to read this book!

‘Crimson Peak’ (brilliant film) meets ‘A Cure For Wellness’ (terrible film), but make it Mexican.The only redeeming feature of this book was the fact that for once that the main character is in their twenties and not their teens 🙄Very forceful and cliche with the spookiness:-Fog.-Haunted House on top of a hill.-Minimal electricity causing need for intricately detailed candelabras-Old, creepy men who look like vampires/ zombies-Furniture covered in white sheets,-Creaky doors and floorboards,-Old, mouldy libraries,-Rooms and furniture covered in dust. -Graveyard...All of that before page 47! 🙄 This made the book feel extremely tacky for me.And that ending... the “twist” on why the house is creepy.....what a pile of crock!