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Mexican Gothic
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After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed 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 not sure 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 gl ...more
Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a gl ...more
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Hardcover, 301 pages
Published
June 30th 2020
by Del Rey
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Start your review of Mexican Gothic

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Mexican Gothic is a sublime work of post-colonial gothic. It’s a story that unsettled me so effectively I found myself, on more than one occasion, helplessly desperate to claw my way out of my reading experience, to put a merciful distance between me and the words and the bleak and stifling horror that lies within. At the same time, however, I couldn’t. The more I read, the more I wanted to read. Mexican Gothic had a solid grip on my attention.
In Mexican Goth ...more
Mexican Gothic is a sublime work of post-colonial gothic. It’s a story that unsettled me so effectively I found myself, on more than one occasion, helplessly desperate to claw my way out of my reading experience, to put a merciful distance between me and the words and the bleak and stifling horror that lies within. At the same time, however, I couldn’t. The more I read, the more I wanted to read. Mexican Gothic had a solid grip on my attention.
In Mexican Goth ...more

Yessss! Congratulations! This book won the Goodreads Choice Awards by beating king of the authors ( yes, with so many votes it beat Mr. King’s It Bleeds) !🎉🌈💕🎈🥳🥂
Hell yeah! This deliciously terrifying, gothic adventure will be adapted to Hulu limited series! I cannot wait to binge watch! What an amazing news!🥳🥂💃🏻🕺🏼
OMG! I had no brain right now! The author stole it! I wish she would have put some bravery into my heart because I think I’m not gonna sleep at least for a week and I already brought ba ...more
Hell yeah! This deliciously terrifying, gothic adventure will be adapted to Hulu limited series! I cannot wait to binge watch! What an amazing news!🥳🥂💃🏻🕺🏼
OMG! I had no brain right now! The author stole it! I wish she would have put some bravery into my heart because I think I’m not gonna sleep at least for a week and I already brought ba ...more

FAQ
Is there a playlist?
Yes, go to Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/233...
Are there other goodies?
Paper doll PDF: http://www.randomhousebooks.com/wp-co...
Book club kit PDF: http://www.randomhousebooks.com/wp-co...
Is the town in the book real?
It's inspired by a real town which is called Real del Monte/Mineral del Monte and which was a British mining town and has a very particular kind of architecture. It's nicknamed Little Cornwall. Yes, there is an English cemetery there. Photo: https: ...more
Is there a playlist?
Yes, go to Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/233...
Are there other goodies?
Paper doll PDF: http://www.randomhousebooks.com/wp-co...
Book club kit PDF: http://www.randomhousebooks.com/wp-co...
Is the town in the book real?
It's inspired by a real town which is called Real del Monte/Mineral del Monte and which was a British mining town and has a very particular kind of architecture. It's nicknamed Little Cornwall. Yes, there is an English cemetery there. Photo: https: ...more

2.5 stars...Yeah I know...this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. As soon as I found out this would be a BOTM, I grabbed it, I dropped everything I was doing to read it....and well that didn't work out so well.
The premise was amazing. The cover was even more amazing. SO I dug into this book and I waited for it to pick up. I waited, and turned another page and waited....and waited...... Finally I turned to my fellow reviewers at page 200 to see..umm does this pick up? They said ye ...more
The premise was amazing. The cover was even more amazing. SO I dug into this book and I waited for it to pick up. I waited, and turned another page and waited....and waited...... Finally I turned to my fellow reviewers at page 200 to see..umm does this pick up? They said ye ...more

Guys I'm sorry to say this but...
...what a dumb fucking book.
I was moments away from abandoning it halfway through (although I wanted to earlier if we're being honest) but I took to Goodreads to see what I was missing, why it was getting such outstanding reviews. The word on the street was 'YES it was totally boring and slow for the first 2/3, but the twist makes it totally worth it.' So, if you came to this review page because you're thinking maybe it's worth your time, I'm here to tell you - i ...more
...what a dumb fucking book.
I was moments away from abandoning it halfway through (although I wanted to earlier if we're being honest) but I took to Goodreads to see what I was missing, why it was getting such outstanding reviews. The word on the street was 'YES it was totally boring and slow for the first 2/3, but the twist makes it totally worth it.' So, if you came to this review page because you're thinking maybe it's worth your time, I'm here to tell you - i ...more

This really was some gothic excellence, omg.
Please allow for a small list of all the things that made this story REALLY GOOD imo:
1. The setting!!! High Place’s aesthetic of rotting decadence was exactly the kind of atmosphere I LOVE in horror
2. Noemi!! She was such a headstrong MC and so capable the whole way through. Truly a delight to read about
3. 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 abo ...more
Please allow for a small list of all the things that made this story REALLY GOOD imo:
1. The setting!!! High Place’s aesthetic of rotting decadence was exactly the kind of atmosphere I LOVE in horror
2. Noemi!! She was such a headstrong MC and so capable the whole way through. Truly a delight to read about
3. 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 abo ...more

An atmospheric Gothic horror novel that goes the extra mile with featuring women of color as the protagonists and incorporating race, colonialism, and eugenics as part of the horror. I enjoyed Noemi's flighty and outspoken nature as well; she’s easy to root for as she stands her own against the antagonists.
...more

May 08, 2020
Chelsea Humphrey
rated it
it was amazing
Recommended to Chelsea by:
Random House Reader's Circle (RHRC)
"I pray I'll see you again. You must come for me, Noemí. You have to save me."
WHEW. You think you know where this book is going, and then it goes there. Mexican Gothic begins in such an unassuming way, where you think you're walking into a traditional haunted house story, and then everything shifts to pull you under like a riptide that doesn't loosen until you turn the final page. Before I dive into my review, I think it's fair to note that the majority of this book is atmospheric, character dri ...more
WHEW. You think you know where this book is going, and then it goes there. Mexican Gothic begins in such an unassuming way, where you think you're walking into a traditional haunted house story, and then everything shifts to pull you under like a riptide that doesn't loosen until you turn the final page. Before I dive into my review, I think it's fair to note that the majority of this book is atmospheric, character dri ...more

For as intriguing as it is, immersive it is not. This tale is bizzare and fascinating in its monotony, and in the second half there lies the charm—or the problem, depending on how you look at it.
The book operates on the classic trope of isolated old creaky mansion complete with its misty private cemetery and ‘eccentrically macabre’ family. On the surface, the Doyles look like a harmless and orderly household, but the peculiarity rests (literally) within the walls of the house—its secrets and his ...more
The book operates on the classic trope of isolated old creaky mansion complete with its misty private cemetery and ‘eccentrically macabre’ family. On the surface, the Doyles look like a harmless and orderly household, but the peculiarity rests (literally) within the walls of the house—its secrets and his ...more

Jul 02, 2020
daph pink ♡
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
people who are ready to get scared the shit out of them
Shelves:
mystery-thriller-horror
Congratulations on winning GOODREADS CHOICE AWARDS
5*I AM SHIT SCARED*Stars.✨
there was something so charming and beautiful about the cover that drew me towards it! (I mean just look at this stunning cover and think how beautiful it will look in your bookshelf)
I honestly don’t like Gothic books, it’s like my second Gothic book (after a failed attempt to read Wuthering heights for like 1000 times.) and ohhh boyyy I freaking loved it. Like a 5 star rating is less to describe how much I loved this b ...more
5*I AM SHIT SCARED*Stars.✨
there was something so charming and beautiful about the cover that drew me towards it! (I mean just look at this stunning cover and think how beautiful it will look in your bookshelf)
I honestly don’t like Gothic books, it’s like my second Gothic book (after a failed attempt to read Wuthering heights for like 1000 times.) and ohhh boyyy I freaking loved it. Like a 5 star rating is less to describe how much I loved this b ...more

A dark, chilling atmosphere. A spirited heroine. And a house that never lets its inhabitants go. Sometimes a book hits all the right notes for me, and Mexican Gothic certainly did that.
It starts off with socialite Noemí receiving a cryptic and rambling letter from her newlywed cousin Catalina, hinting that all was not well. Noemí decides to visit her and sets off for the remote estate where Catalina now lives with her new husband and his family. Once there, she immediately becomes plagued with t ...more
It starts off with socialite Noemí receiving a cryptic and rambling letter from her newlywed cousin Catalina, hinting that all was not well. Noemí decides to visit her and sets off for the remote estate where Catalina now lives with her new husband and his family. Once there, she immediately becomes plagued with t ...more

**3.5-stars**
When Neomi Taboada's father enlists her help to check on her cousin, Catalina, she really doesn't want to. Neomi's got so much going on in the city. She doesn't have time for this!
Catalina, recently married, lives in a remote manor home, known as High Place, with her husband, Virgil and his family, far from the bustle of Mexico City.

According to Catalina's recent letters, the home is a desolate place, where she is currently either very unwell, purportedly with tuberculosis, or she's ...more
When Neomi Taboada's father enlists her help to check on her cousin, Catalina, she really doesn't want to. Neomi's got so much going on in the city. She doesn't have time for this!
Catalina, recently married, lives in a remote manor home, known as High Place, with her husband, Virgil and his family, far from the bustle of Mexico City.

According to Catalina's recent letters, the home is a desolate place, where she is currently either very unwell, purportedly with tuberculosis, or she's ...more

Be sure to visit Bantering Books to read all my latest reviews.
Hmm. How best to describe “Mexican Gothic?”
I guess I would say it’s –
A little bit H. P. Lovecraft.
A little bit Alfred Hitchcock.
A lotta bit creepy old house.
Yes. Mexican Gothic is part mystery. It’s part Gothic suspense. It’s part horror. Maybe even part New Weird. (Maybe.) And all its various parts are expertly and seamlessly blended by the skillful words of Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Set in 1950s Mexico, the novel follows the young soci ...more
Hmm. How best to describe “Mexican Gothic?”
I guess I would say it’s –
A little bit H. P. Lovecraft.
A little bit Alfred Hitchcock.
A lotta bit creepy old house.
Yes. Mexican Gothic is part mystery. It’s part Gothic suspense. It’s part horror. Maybe even part New Weird. (Maybe.) And all its various parts are expertly and seamlessly blended by the skillful words of Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Set in 1950s Mexico, the novel follows the young soci ...more

Oct 20, 2020
Emily (Books with Emily Fox)
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2020-releases,
audiobooks
Due to popular request... I'm attempting this one!
...more

Oct 27, 2020
Joel Rochester
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-2020,
four-stars
i now hate mushrooms more than i already do
oh, also this book was great
noemí rights
oh, also this book was great
noemí rights

well, wasnt this just a spooky little story?! i knew i should have saved this for next month.
fans of gothic stories will swoon over this. its so atmospheric. the old mansion, the creepy family who lives there, the lush mexican countryside. i was honestly really, really enjoying myself up until the near end.
the turn of events were a little too… unrealistic for me, i suppose. i wanted to gasp in shock but i ended up just rolling my eyes. i know the way things play out wont bother some readers, and ...more
fans of gothic stories will swoon over this. its so atmospheric. the old mansion, the creepy family who lives there, the lush mexican countryside. i was honestly really, really enjoying myself up until the near end.
the turn of events were a little too… unrealistic for me, i suppose. i wanted to gasp in shock but i ended up just rolling my eyes. i know the way things play out wont bother some readers, and ...more

The Written Review
Just posted my Goodreads Choice 2020 Reaction Video on Booktube! Click the link to check it out!!
4.5 stars
To be frank - this one was GORGEOUS.![]()
Like my life will never be the same level of beauty.
The atmosphere, the setting, the characters. It was - to be frank - amazing. I loved it.
Thank goodness I saw it on the GRs Choice awards!
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads ...more

This book is wild in the absolute best way. It’s haunting and creepy but so readable. And what I love most about it is that, as the story unfolds—with more and more bizarre details—you find yourself wondering over and over “what on earth is going on?!?”. And I could not have guessed what was actually going on in a million years.


Instagram || Twitter || Facebook || Amazon || Pinterest
DNF @ p.84
I am actually a huge fan of retro Gothic novels from the 60s and 70s, so when I found out about MEXICAN GOTHIC, a Latinx take on the popular Gothic novel subgenre, I was pee-in-my-pants excited. Just look at that cover! OMG. Stunning.
Sadly, the cover is the best thing about this book. It was SO BORING. Noemi is a socialite whose father doesn't approve of her superficial ways. She goes to see her cousin in the countryside after ...more

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a 2020 Del Rey publication.
An exciting new approach to Gothic Horror fiction!
I rarely ever comment on a book cover- but this one is stunning! It’s an eye-catcher for sure- but you know what they say about judging a book by its cover. So, the question is- Does the story measure up to that magnificent cover?
Mexico City- 1950s
Noemí Taboada, a young socialite, who wishes to achieve more in her life than marrying a man her father approves of, is given th ...more
An exciting new approach to Gothic Horror fiction!
I rarely ever comment on a book cover- but this one is stunning! It’s an eye-catcher for sure- but you know what they say about judging a book by its cover. So, the question is- Does the story measure up to that magnificent cover?
Mexico City- 1950s
Noemí Taboada, a young socialite, who wishes to achieve more in her life than marrying a man her father approves of, is given th ...more

This an adult gothic horror that's heavily inspired by "The Yellow Wallpaper" (a story I LOVE). Overall, I really enjoyed it but I do feel like it had potential to be a 5 star book that I rave about for a very long time and I'm disappointed because I feel like it had some missed potential, but I still really enjoyed it and still recommend!
There are some potential trigger warnings I wanna mention though for anyone who's gonna read on my rec (view spoiler) ...more
There are some potential trigger warnings I wanna mention though for anyone who's gonna read on my rec (view spoiler) ...more

Aug 17, 2020
Melanie
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
thriller,
mystery,
poc,
quarantine-reads,
read-in-2020,
buddy-reads,
adult,
ghosts,
dark,
horror

4.75/5 ⭐
Full review on my blog: The Dacian She-Wolf 🐺
Uh.
Wow. I wasn’t expecting this to go in that direction.
Colour me impressed.
Mexican Gothic is the second book I read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (the other one being Gods of Jade and Shadow ). All I can say is that even though I liked that book too, this one was so much better.
It’s. So. Good.
And I mean it.
Yes, it started slow. Very slow. Bordering-painful slow. I didn’t actually think that I was going to enjoy it this much after tha ...more
Full review on my blog: The Dacian She-Wolf 🐺
Uh.
Wow. I wasn’t expecting this to go in that direction.
Colour me impressed.
Mexican Gothic is the second book I read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (the other one being Gods of Jade and Shadow ). All I can say is that even though I liked that book too, this one was so much better.
It’s. So. Good.
And I mean it.
Yes, it started slow. Very slow. Bordering-painful slow. I didn’t actually think that I was going to enjoy it this much after tha ...more

Okay... I had no business picking up this book. Don’t let the beautiful cover and enchanting title fool you. This is a true HORROR novel. 😬😱🤮 This is not a genre I read, because I’m a big baby with gore and... I don’t know... eating babies 😳 o.m.f.g. 🤦🏼♀️ sprinkle in sexual assault and description of black oozing boils on the skin 🤢 I honestly can’t believe I made it through this whole thing. Happy Haunting Month! 🎃

Mar 07, 2021
MarilynW
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audio,
hoopla-overdrive
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Author), Frankie Corzo (Narrator)
When this book first caught my eye, I read reviews of the ARCs and decided it might be too creepy and full of disgusting body fluids and oddities for me. But that beautiful cover and the weirdness of what might be in the story keep on calling to me, leading me to give the audiobook a listen. I stuck with it despite the grossness of this strange story but I will avoid stories like this one, in the future.
In 1950s Mexico, you ...more
When this book first caught my eye, I read reviews of the ARCs and decided it might be too creepy and full of disgusting body fluids and oddities for me. But that beautiful cover and the weirdness of what might be in the story keep on calling to me, leading me to give the audiobook a listen. I stuck with it despite the grossness of this strange story but I will avoid stories like this one, in the future.
In 1950s Mexico, you ...more

Maybe a 2.5 STARS?
Mexican Gothic held so much promise but couldn’t quite deliver its gory, on-the-edge-of-my-seat gothic thriller I thought I would receive. While the premise was fascinating and sucked me right in, I had to drag my way through the initial 1/3 of the novel before I finally found myself in the groove of the story.
One of Mexican Gothic’s biggest weakness was the fact that we always stayed pretty surface level in terms of characterization and plot. Noemí shows up at High Place in ho ...more
Mexican Gothic held so much promise but couldn’t quite deliver its gory, on-the-edge-of-my-seat gothic thriller I thought I would receive. While the premise was fascinating and sucked me right in, I had to drag my way through the initial 1/3 of the novel before I finally found myself in the groove of the story.
One of Mexican Gothic’s biggest weakness was the fact that we always stayed pretty surface level in terms of characterization and plot. Noemí shows up at High Place in ho ...more

pre release thoughts: A gothic suspense novel set in 1950s Mexico? My body is ready 🤩🤩
Review: 7/18/2020
3.5 stars
what the fuckkkkkk
I don't know how to feel about this book but it certainly took me on a wild ass ride.
This story follows Noemi, a flighty, party-going 22 year old who is enlisted by her father to check in on an older cousin, Catalina, who has been whisked away by her mysterious husband and has sent very troubing letters that leave her family members questioning her safety and sanity. ...more
Review: 7/18/2020
3.5 stars
what the fuckkkkkk
I don't know how to feel about this book but it certainly took me on a wild ass ride.
This story follows Noemi, a flighty, party-going 22 year old who is enlisted by her father to check in on an older cousin, Catalina, who has been whisked away by her mysterious husband and has sent very troubing letters that leave her family members questioning her safety and sanity. ...more

Oct 22, 2020
emma
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
non-ya,
4-stars,
diverse,
authors-of-color,
recommend,
mystery-thriller-horror-etc,
historical,
reviewed
As an allegory for colonization and its impact on the colonized, this is stunning and gorgeous and I enjoy analyzing it in spare moments, like when I'm tired of working or am eating a cookie that is not so delicious as to require my full attention or am in the shower.
As a story in and of itself, I did not enjoy it. But who cares.
The writing style of this was pretty stilted, in my opinion (and I kept catching myself doing that nightmarish thing where I feel obligated to rewrite awkward sentences) ...more
As a story in and of itself, I did not enjoy it. But who cares.
The writing style of this was pretty stilted, in my opinion (and I kept catching myself doing that nightmarish thing where I feel obligated to rewrite awkward sentences) ...more

Well, there’s one kind of food I’ll stay away from for a while after reading this book.
“So I’ll be wed in the Church of the Holy Incestuous Mushroom?” she intoned. “I doubt that’s valid.”Mexican Gothic is set in a strange place - an old decrepit English manor house built by the English owners of the now-defunct silver mine, the English who despite living in Mexico for 70 years are dead-set on keeping everything in their small remote dreary domain as *English* as possible, down to the soil th ...more

If I had a dollar for every time I wanted to read a book because of its irresistible paper doll collection… I’d have a dollar. Just look at these beauties! http://www.randomhousebooks.com/wp-co...
Okay, so maybe I had a few more motivations to pick up Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic. The cover (obviously). The horror genre, perfect for spooky Halloween reading season. The #ownvoices authorship during October National Hispanic Heritage Month. The 2020 Goodreads Choice Award win for Best Horr ...more
Okay, so maybe I had a few more motivations to pick up Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic. The cover (obviously). The horror genre, perfect for spooky Halloween reading season. The #ownvoices authorship during October National Hispanic Heritage Month. The 2020 Goodreads Choice Award win for Best Horr ...more
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Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of several novels, including Velvet Was the Night, Mexican Gothic, Gods of Jade and Shadow and Untamed Shore. She has also edited a number of anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu's Daughters). Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination.
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