Alexis’s review of Mexican Gothic > Likes and Comments

What a fabulous review! I feel as if I must read the entire book this very minute! Thank you.

Ije the Devourer of Books wrote: "What a fabulous review! I feel as if I must read the entire book this very minute! Thank you."

Excellent - I feel you would be well-served to do so :D

On a scale of "rustling in the bushes" to "full on slasher demon overlord slowly mincing and torturing a victim", just how horror is it? Your reviews always make me want to read the books you have read. Right. This. Minute. But horror is kind of a trigger for me and I basically wanted to know how graphic or extreme is it? For instance Bram's Dracula or Mary's Frankenstein would be acceptable level horror for me. Thanks for the awesome feedback

Fei wrote: "If you're the last person to have the major thing, I'm a person living under a rock because I didn't even know about said major thing. I generally don't read horror, but your review makes me want t..."

I'm not a big horror reader either (I don't like being scared) but this very much has purpose behind its horror.

Marco wrote: "On a scale of "rustling in the bushes" to "full on slasher demon overlord slowly mincing and torturing a victim", just how horror is it? Your reviews always make me want to read the books you have ..."

It would say it's between these? I would say Guillermo del Toro movie level of horror: think Pan's Labyrinth or The Orphanage or Crimson Peak. It's definitely gothic-styled rather than, you know, slasher movie torture-porn level. It definitely chilled me, and there are some very visceral body-horror sections, mostly in dream sequences, but I felt the horror sections were working as part of the larger narrative, rather than just being gratuitously unpleasant. Obviously your mileage will vary.

Thank you! It sounds like something I definitely have to give a try. I'm a total wimp but I enjoy a well written scare every now and then. And as you mentioned, it just adds to the whole reading experience and isn't the main focal points of the novel. I always look forward to your reviews and I find they really make my day. Thanks!

Is this wasn’t on my shelf before it is now! Thank you!!!♥️

Marco wrote: "Thank you! It sounds like something I definitely have to give a try. I'm a total wimp but I enjoy a well written scare every now and then. And as you mentioned, it just adds to the whole reading ex..."

I'm also a total wimp but I find horror can be so effective when it's done well. And I personally thought this was done extraordinarily well.

Jesus wrote: "Is this wasn’t on my shelf before it is now! Thank you!!!♥️"

Yay! Hope you enjoy!

I just read this book - inhaled it really, because once it got going I was completely captivated and HERE FOR IT. Appreciate your fantastic review and all the elements you mention. I also have concerns for Noemí's romantic relationship - because if we learn nothing from the cinematic classic Speed it is this: "relationships based on intense experiences never work."

I don't tend to read many gothic/thrillers but having just read Rebecca for the first time this was an unplanned but excellent follow up.

Becs wrote: "I just read this book - inhaled it really, because once it got going I was completely captivated and HERE FOR IT. Appreciate your fantastic review and all the elements you mention. I also have conc..."

Thank you for the kind words <3 And I completely agree that this book is compulsively readable, especially in the second half. I do wish the relationship had felt a bit less lacklustre though - although that's almost a gothic trope as well. I mean, with everything else a gothic heroine has going on her life, kissing is not a high priority. I think I would probably have preferred that guy to die with his imperialist legacy though.

Alexis wrote: "Becs wrote: "I just read this book - inhaled it really, because once it got going I was completely captivated and HERE FOR IT. Appreciate your fantastic review and all the elements you mention. I a..."

Oh, same. I thought he was going to die and thought that would be a good, satisfying conclusion to their f**ked up legacy. And also because she was so well written with complexity and so much personality and has a much better awareness of her self at the end of the book. Sigh. But regardless of these issues I enjoyed the hell out it.

So, so good. Thank you for the review, I needed something good to read.
And I am grateful for the - potentially - happy-ish ending. Didn't think it would happen.

I'll never look at [SPOILER] the same way.

Annica Adolfsson Freij wrote: "So, so good. Thank you for the review, I needed something good to read.
And I am grateful for the - potentially - happy-ish ending. Didn't think it would happen.

I'll never look at [SPOILER] the s..."

Ah, thank you for the kind words and I'm so glad the book worked for you. This was definitely one of my favourite reads of 2021, and I agree the semi-optimistic ending saved the book from being one step too dreadfully grim, although I didn't really buy the hero as a hero exactly.

FABULOUS review!!!!

Becky wrote: "FABULOUS review!!!!"

Thank you so much <3

THAT'S IT I'M GONNA ADD THIS TO MY TBR AND READ IT THE MOMENT I GET ENOUGH TIME (from the Circle Of Hell Called College)
You had me at 1950s Gothic
Also, amazing review as usual. At this point I am a fan of your reviews as well as your books❤

This is my favorite of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's works. I loved it.

Rosie wrote: "THAT'S IT I'M GONNA ADD THIS TO MY TBR AND READ IT THE MOMENT I GET ENOUGH TIME (from the Circle Of Hell Called College)
You had me at 1950s Gothic
Also, amazing review as usual. At this point I am..."

Awww, this is so kind of you. I hope Mexican Gothic is a wonderful reward when you're, y'know, released from hell ;)

Robert wrote: "This is my favorite of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's works. I loved it."

I have some others on the tbr but I'm not yet well versed in the complete SMG canon to pick favourites (never mind the fact I hate picking favourites at the best of times).

I already had this book on my need-to-read-really-soon list, and your review got me excited about it all over again. Considering that you loved this and Rebecca, have you read The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas? It’s another post-colonial gothic horror set in Mexico, and it is fucking great.

Kikkibird wrote: "I already had this book on my need-to-read-really-soon list, and your review got me excited about it all over again. Considering that you loved this and Rebecca, have you read The Hacienda by Isabe..."

Oh! I've had my eye on that for ages - thank you so much for the reminder. And I hope you enjoy this one when it floats to the top of your tbr!

This was the best review I read of this book! I also absolutely loved it, but agree, it's hard to talk about without spoiling. You did a great job!

MJ wrote: "This was the best review I read of this book! I also absolutely loved it, but agree, it's hard to talk about without spoiling. You did a great job!"

I'm so sorry I missed this comment. But thank you so much - this is a lovely thing to hear <3