NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “It’s Lovecraft meets the Brontës in Latin America, and after a slow-burn start Mexican Gothic gets seriously weird.”—The Guardian IN DEVELOPMENT AS A HULU ORIGINAL LIMITED SERIES PRODUCED BY KELLY RIPA AND MARK CONSUELOS • WINNER OF THE LOCUS AWARD • NOMINATED FOR THE BRAM STOKER AWARD • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New Yorker • Vanity Fair • NPR • … THE YEAR BY The New Yorker • Vanity Fair • NPR • The Washington Post • Tordotcom • Marie Claire • Vox • Mashable • Men’s Health • Library Journal • Book Riot • LibraryReads
An isolated mansion. A chillingly charismatic aristocrat. And a brave socialite drawn to expose their treacherous secrets. . . . From the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes “a terrifying twist on classic gothic horror” (Kirkus Reviews) set in glamorous 1950s Mexico.
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 Noemi’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.
“It’s as if a supernatural power compels us to turn the pages of the gripping Mexican Gothic.”—The Washington Post
“Mexican Gothic is the perfect summer horror read, and marks Moreno-Garcia with her hypnotic and engaging prose as one of the genre’s most exciting talents.”—Nerdist
“A period thriller as rich in suspense as it is in lush ’50s atmosphere.”—Entertainment Weekly
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SHORT REVIEW for Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia.
In the 1950‘s Mexican countryside, Noemí visits an ailing cousin who claims ghosts are in the walls of her home—and also that her husband‘s trying to kill her.
This was a great haunted house/ghost story. It‘s creepy, captivating, mysterious, and full of symbolism & foreshadowing. I also enjoyed how sassy and charming the protagonist was. Can‘t wait for the Hulu adaptation now!
In Mexican Gothic, Morena-Garcia takes all the gothic romance tropes and breathes fresh life into them. If you enjoyed Crimson Peak, but aren’t tied to the Victorian aesthetic, and love sitting down with a master at *telling* a story, this might be a great book for you!
Am I the only one who couldn’t stop thinking about Star Trek Discovery while reading this? If you know what I’m talking about, let’s just say that the author has found a different and spooky twist to put on the mycelial network. As my son harasses me while writing this, he mentions Minecraft. Who knew?
Regardless of my weird connects to other pieces of pop culture, I found this to be imaginative and entertaining. If this were to become a movie, I’d suggest the Doyles, the family that owns the sinister house in Mexico, to be played by the Skaarsgards.
The first half of the book is slow, but it sets the tone with some thought provoking asides to the inherent racisms that the world still deals with to this day. Noemi is a well chosen heroine for this story.
It’s hard to know what to say about this book… I wanted it primarily for the cover – gorgeous – and the first few lines of a Goodreads review that had me intrigued. Did I like it? Uh, maybe not. I certainly didn’t ENJOY reading it, but I was drawn to it, compelled almost, to finish it, even when I didn’t want to continue on, taking in so much gore, the kind of book that leaves a nasty taste in your mouth, with all its evil- incest, rape (thankfully not graphically described), murder and other violent acts, possession, drug abuse (not in the way you’d think).
A book that leaves a stressed and heavy weight in your chest, but yet you just keep turning the pages. This, in many ways, was one of the most vile books I’ve ever read. It was also beautifully set, and fearfully. The house was alive, both literally and figuratively, the characters were wonderfully drawn, overdone when that was necessary, and vivacious when appropriate. This book covered colonialism, racism, and eugenics in ways I’d never imagine. Gothic, but also magic realism I suppose would be the term?
A memorable read, without at doubt. And I’m very excited about the Hulu series – I hope it comes to Canadian streaming company!
4.5 stars
A great gothic-style book that was definitely more “horrific” than I anticipated! This book started off “eerie”, and just kept ramping up as it went on. I formed a few theories, but missed the mark on a couple main ones (which I LOVE, when an author can honestly surprise me).
I meant to read this one as soon as it was released earlier this year, but it was definitely a great book to “end the year” with!
Highly recommended!
There is something very odd and unique about this book that I absolutely loved. The disturbing family and their tragic history, the lonely setting, and the strong-willed main character, Noemí, drew me into this fascinating story. And the house! Wow! I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a strange and terrifying tale. Thank you, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, for writing this novel!
This was so freaking good!!! I listened to the audible and the narrator did an amazing job!!! It was eerie, creepy and had that wonderful gothic atmosphere!!! Bravo!! I don’t want to say anything except how it made me feel, because you need to experience it!! I was careful not to read reviews. Just read the blurb and have fun trying to figure out what is going on, while being creeped out!!!
I bought this book because friends said it was great and because I write Gothic fiction and like to read it, too. When I began reading, I found it hard to get into – the pace a bit slow. However, when I got to around one-third of the way through, it started to pick up and I began to really enjoy it.
It’s the story of Noemi Taboada, a socialite, living the high life in Mexico City. At a party, she is suddenly summoned home by her father. He advises her that her cousin, Catalina, who married and moved away, had sent a strange letter saying that her husband was trying to poison her and that there were voices coming from the walls among other things. Mr. Taboada instructs Noemi that she is to go visit her cousin to ascertain the true nature of the young woman’s situation.
Thus begins Noemi’s journey into darkness. The house Catalina now lives in, High Place, is foreboding and very Gothic in nature. Mold seeps through the wallpaper and everything is damp and dark. The inhabitants: Virgil Doyle (Catalina’s husband), Francis (Virgil’s cousin), Florence (Francis’ mother), Howard Doyle (Virgil’s father and patriarch of the family), and a few servants are similarly dark and strange. Noemi is like a fish out of water in their presence.
In addition to the gloomy nature of her new surroundings, our plucky heroine is allowed very little time with her cousin. She’s told by Virgil that Catalina has tuberculosis and needs medication and rest.
The story continues with Noemi beginning to experience strange dreams that seem very real and a recurrence of sleepwalking, something she hadn’t done since childhood. In addition, she finds Catalina’s husband, Virgil, to be handsome, but cold and aloof, and somehow frighteningly sexual. Beset on all sides by the hostility emanating from the house and its inhabitants, Noemi clings to Francis, a rather introverted young man, as her only ally.
Secrets abound and I was truly enjoying this book until I got around two-thirds to three-quarters of the way through – the place where mysteries begin to be revealed.
Now, a warning: a spoiler is coming. So, if you don’t want to know anything more, stop reading right here!
One of the main mysteries in this novel revolves around Howard, the patriarch. He’s extremely old and not expected to live much longer. As Noemi begins to understand that she’s becoming a victim of the house and the Doyle family, it’s revealed to the reader that Howard is not just old – he’s ancient. He’s lived multiple lives and when his body begins to fail, his essence or mind or spirit, leaps from his decrepit shell into that of another – one of his relatives. And, thus, he lives on.
When I read this, my mouth fell open and I dropped my tablet.
“That’s my story!” I cried.
Indeed, it is the main premise of my novel, The Tao of the Viper, A Kate Pomeroy Mystery which was published in October 2019, eight months before Mexican Gothic.
In The Tao, an old, old man, Ian Morrison, is part of an ancient cult and has the power to, when his corporal body fails, leap into that of another soul. Sound familiar? It did to me and from that moment on, I read with a different focus – looking for more similarities. And, I found them, the most notable of which was the ending of the book (which I won’t reveal here.)
Coincidence? Great minds thinking alike?
Probably. As I mentioned, my novel was published eight months earlier and, in the indie publishing world, that’s a long time. However, in the traditional publishing world, it’s but a nano-second. So, the possibility that Ms. Moreno-Garcia read my book, wrote or edited her book, and got it published by a traditional publisher in eight months is highly unlikely. However, it spoiled the read for me.
In conclusion, my rating, four stars, is not based on the similarities between her book and mine. It is based, rather, on the pacing and the fact that I felt some of the characters were rather flat and needed more fleshing out. It’s a good read with lots of spooky, scary stuff and I recommend it. However, if you’re into Gothic, I also recommend The Bone Weaver’s Orchard (reviewed on my blog earlier this year) which, in my opinion, is way better!
Before I went into reading this one, I already had a chip on my shoulder because I kept reading these reviewers by white influencers that claimed that this book did not have enough Mexican culture. I read the book. That is a BOLD FACE LIE. If someone didn’t recognize the Mexican culture in this book, it means they need to think twice about the stereotypes that they associate with that culture.
So without further ado, let’s just unpack all things Mexican Gothic because this book blew me away in the best possible way.
Set in the 1950s, Noemí Taboada is a socialite living with her father in Mexico City. Everything changes when Noemí receives a frantic letter from her cousin Catalina. Catalina is married to an Englishman and they reside High Place, which is in the Mexican countryside…a region that is unfamiliar to Noemí. As soon as Noemí sets foot in High Place, their dichotomous nature is obvious. Noemí embodies the bold, rich Mexican culture which includes food, family, dancing, and speaking Spanish. Everything in High Place tries to erase all traces of Mexican heritage even though the doom and gloom of a mansion is located in Mexico. Right away, we know that something isn’t quite right at High Place, and Noemí is in for a wild ride.
Let me just start with the deliciously creepy setting of High Place. Moreno – Garcia beautifully crafts an atmospheric and chilling setting where we are intimately made aware of the once opulence style rooms that are now mold incrusted rooms have been left to ruin. I’m going to make it very clear that I would NEVER spend one night in High Place. It’s eerie, full of deep rooted secrets, and out for blood…yes, you read that correctly.
From start to finish, I was absolutely engrossed in this story. I loved the dark and creepy descriptions of High Place as well as the foreign nature that Noemí brought upon the house when she stepped foot on the grounds.
The start of the book is more of a slow burn as you really start to understand High Place, but the last 40 percent of the book had me asking WTF every few minutes. It was absolutely wild, and I was here for every single minute of it.
I can’t gush enough about this book. This book has made me a believer in gothic fiction and Moreno – Garcia will definitely be an auto-read author for me from now on.
Thank you to Del Rey for providing a review copy through NetGalley. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Even though I don’t read gothic stories, I knew what the genre entails. Mexican Gothic has all of that. A mysterious mansion, haunted with paranormal aspects, and a very dysfunctional family. There is no escaping the house because it’s alive. It’s a truly haunting story and combined with Moreno-Garcia’s excellent writing, the book devoured me instead of me devouring the book. I had to finish it as soon as I started reading because I would have nightmares if I didn’t.
All of the characters are excellent. The villains are definitely villains but they’re still complex characters. They’re not straight up evil, there is more to it than that. And the main character Noemi changes throughout the book even if it’s subtle. I love a strong female lead. But it’s not just her that changes. Everyone changes, for good or bad. It was amazing to see such great character development in the support characters.
This book will give you all sorts of emotions and not all of them are positive. There were bits that disgusted me. I was scared, terrified, excited, anxious. It is an emotional roller coaster and it gets more intense as the climax approaches. Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse, it will get worse. It’s always the best books that make you feel something, and Mexican Gothic made me feel strongly.
I give Mexican Gothic five stars. If you’re only going to buy one book this year, buy this one. You have to be prepared though, it’s by no means a fun, light-hearted story. It touches on dark themes that might make you feel uncomfortable. If you don’t like that, this book might not be for you.
The book was true to its title. The story was original. I was rooting for the heroine. Good ending.
I was promised Cthulhu meets Rebecca and Mexican Gothic did not disappoint!
Eerie. I read it in one sitting. I can’t wait to read more books by this author.
At this point, I feel like I’m just chiming in along with all of the other readers who love this story… BUT. I’m telling everyone I know that loves good storytelling to read this book. It’s a slow-burning atmospheric story with an interesting protagonist, a spooky house, eccentric characters and a page-turning plot.
If you love gothic stories, this hits all the marks and the ending is very satisfying. Mexican Gothic is one of my favorite books of 2020.
Este es uno de los mejores libros que he leído este año. Es una historia que te atrapa desde las primeras páginas… constantemente te hace querer saber más sobre lo que ocurre en ‘High Place’, querer saber qué es lo que esconde esa familia, pero a medida que obtenemos información, la historia se vuelve más oscura y los personajes comienzan a mostrar su verdadero rostro y una personalidad, una llena de maldad y de actos crueles. Además, la antigua mansión no es sólo una casa más, sino que parece haber vida detrás de sus muros, ellos escuchan todo, ellos saben todo, pero las voces también pueden contar secretos.
Sin duda, un libro lleno de magia y muy, muy adictivo.
Lush, seductive and deadly – this creepy, eerie, gothic horror novel gave me the shivers in the best way. Nightmares, foggy graveyards, family curses and poison in the walls – Mexican Gothic was unique and enthralling and just the right amount of spooky. Plus Noemí Taboada was the perfect heroine, I loved every moment she was on the page.
This book was an amazing read! A twisty Gothic tale set in 1950’s Mexico, it will take you places you have never been. Just…wow. Such world building and a main character that will stay with you long after the book is over. So original. I am going to read it again.
Mexican Gothic had rich details, layered amongst haunting descriptions that really brought the setting and characters to life. The story was intricate with so much action and unexpected twists that it kept me turning pages when I should’ve been sleeping. I wish I could read it again for the first time!
The writing style of Mexican Gothic reminded me of a metronome. There is a well-calculated pace to this story. A tick-tock, step-by-step wording that leads every sentence to the next one.
The writing style gives the reader a deep sense of spectator to the story as if bearing witness to it.
Mexican Gothic is a well written, clever, and at times disgusting novel. The gore in Mexican Gothic adds to the story, it is never there for the sake of being “gross.” The descriptions allow the reader to wince at the idea of some smells that are described in it.
The narration by Frankie Corzo is like the writing, well-paced, solid, never letting go of the reader’s attention for a second.
Mexican Gothic is a solid five-star book for not only horror but thriller readers.
I felt like I was walking alongside the main character as she fell down the rabbit hole of her journey. Charming, suspenseful and deliciously raw at times. Easy reading while the story kept me guessing right up until the end like Kate Morton’s books, especially House at Riverton, but with a spicy darkness and a dash of fantasy. Highly recommend!