Review--Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

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 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 smart, 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. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.

 

I finally picked up Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic and it was just the creepy chilling read I was looking for this spooky season! It's mysterious and bizarre with just a hint of the supernatural, making it the perfect spooky read for Halloween!

Noemi receives a troubling letter from her recently married cousin, Catalina. The letter doesn't make much sense and doesn't seem like the Catalina Noemi knows. Since Catalina implores Noemi for a visit, Noemi's father convinces her it's the right thing to do. When Noemi arrives at Catalina's husband's family home she notices right away how cold it looks. In fact, it's pretty cold inside as well as are her cousin's new family members. Florence, in particular is one of the coldest of the house's residents. In fact, the only normal one is Florence's son, Francis who is friendly with Noemi and proves to possibly be her only companion in this house other than her ailing cousin.

That Noemi is mostly barred from seeing Catalina also troubles her. No one seems to want to let Noemi in to see Catalina and even in the rare moments that she gets to spend with her, Catalina doesn't seem like herself. She didn't remember writing Noemi even. Then in a moment of lucidity she asks Noemi to go into town and seek out a medicine woman to get more of a tonic she was taking that would help her sleep.

Virgil, Catalina's husband is another character who is straight up bizarre and mysterious and maybe a little creepy. Okay, he's kind of downright creepy! Noemi is plagued with strange dreams that feature Virgil as well in most amorous situations.

This read definitely kept me turning the pages and trying to guess things and figure out what was behind all the strange going-ons in this house. Let's just say, I never even got close! Lol. It's definitely one you will need to pay attention to, which I admit to getting a little distracted when reading on my break. So I might have missed a thing or two, but it wasn't enough to dissuade me from the story!

The creepiness factor was what kept me going. It was so strange and weird and creepy too! I ate up the weirdness because it was done so well! I love when a book can really suck you in with that kind of pull! I also enjoyed how the mystery was drawn out in increments. There was also just a hint of romance going on with Noemi and Francis. It was subtle and very much fit with the mood of the story and I enjoyed it quite immensely! A little romance added to a horror story is always nice if it fits in right!

All in all, Mexican Gothic was a very entertaining read! It was a dark and atmospheric kind of read that is perfect for this time of year! If you're looking for a spooky mysterious kind of read, I would highly recommend this one!

Overall Rating 4/5 stars