Last year, the book blogging world was obsessed with Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic when it was published – for a good reason. But I wanted to wait a while for the hype to die before picking it up.
There is something about putting off what you know will be a corker of a read. The anticipation killed me. It was the first book I wanted to read from my Readers Imbibing Peril XVII – #RIPXVII challenge, but I deliberately kept it to the end.
Book Synopsis
After receiving a frantic letter from her newlywed 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 unsure 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 intelligent, 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 Noemí’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. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept family’sm prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper, she unearths stories of violence and madness. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place.
And Noemí, mesmerized by High Place’s terrifying yet seductive world, may soon find it impossible to leave this enigmatic house behind.
~ Synopsis from GoodReads
My Review
Mexican Gothic has all the elements that prick my interest – the stunning cover, the promise of a spooky family drama, the strong female protagonist, and the dangerous potential love interest.
Still, the book surprised me. Mexican Gothic was darker and more supernatural than I expected, which was welcome; I love it when a book can surprise me a little. The writing here is quite good, and while it borrows some of the classic gothic elements, it’s also different from other Gothic books I have read.
For one, the heroine is a game-changer. Noemí was so sharp and brave – how she resisted the mindfuckery. I loved how she instinctively knows who to trust and who not to. Usually, when I read books about women investigating mysteries, I am frequently frustrated at their stupidity (currently reading one where the heroine is as thick as two planks). But Noemí was very satisfying. Even Catalina, who is demure, dreamy, and helpless, comes into her own in the end.
The love interest Francis is also refreshing. I don’t want to reveal too much because of spoilers. But he was wonderfully three-dimensional, nerdy, and natural, even if I don’t think he was a good enough match for Noemí.
I also suspect there are a lot of references to Mexican occultism and fairy tales. However, I probably did not understand them. Still, I loved the imagery and symbolism throughout the book, even if I did not get all of it.
Last thoughts
Personally, I feel the book was missing an epilogue. If the author is not planning a sequel, it would have been great to have a one-year lookback, maybe? Just because things were left a little unfinished at the end. I would be down for it if the author does have a sequel planned. More Noemí, please. Such a great character!
I finished this novel in a couple of days, and despite a few slower moments, some repetitive descriptions, and a slightly ambiguous ending, I still loved it. I generally love Gothic novels, so it was easy for me to love this one too.
