Mexican Gothic: Eerie in All the Right Ways

A few months ago, a friend recommended I read Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Trusting her judgement, I picked it up at the library and gave it a go. And boy was I grateful. The book was so unique and such a nice palate cleanser from all the other books I had read.

When I heard that Mexican Gothic was being released this summer I couldn’t wait. In fact, it was one of Feyble’s most anticipated books of summer (for other anticipated reads, click here). And then I saw the cover and I’m pretty sure I drooled a little bit.

I finally got to read it and I was not disappointed. It’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea but if you know what you’re in for when you read it, I think it helps your expectations. 

The Gist

Noemí Taboada, a Mexican socialite, receives a mysterious letter from her newlywed cousin and must travel to High Place, an isolated and dilapidated mansion, to investigate.  When she arrives and finds her cousin mentally unstable, Noemí tries to do everything in her power to help. The one thing she didn’t plan on was her cousin’s new family and her general helplessness.

Noemí tries to uncover the family’s secrets, and with the help of the family’s youngest son, attempts to escape. With violence and madness rising in the house, Noemí will have to overcome her fears and her own mental instability or end up stuck in a house that will keep her trapped forever.

Eerie Gothic-ness at its Finest 

I don’t read a lot of Gothic-esque type books. Most authors don’t really write in that genre anymore. You don’t have broody, dark Heathcliffs hiking through foggy moors. You don’t have haunted mansions and creepy cemeteries. So I was excited because this book was so different than your typical fiction book.

I think Silvia Moreno-Garcia did the Gothic genre proud! She kept the tone spot on and her writing had the attention to detail that made you feel like you were with Noemí in this treacherous and isolated mansion trying to figure out this crazy family’s secrets. It was occasionally cheesy but I kind of liked that too. I also like that she included odes to the classic Gothic books. She even mentions Wuthering Heights a few times throughout the book.

And the characters! Noemí Taboada was strong and fierce. She didn’t give up on her cousin and somehow found a way to make it out of a terrible situation alive. Francis, the hero of the book, grew to be courageous and was brave when it really mattered. He was the small ray of light in a very dark house. Even the villains were well done. You had the evil matron, the old, decrepit uncle, and the seductive but cruel Virgil. Moreno-Garcia’s use of the characters helped to create the perfect Gothic story.

I gave this book a 4-star review because there are two downsides to this book. If you don’t like Gothic themes, then you’re not going to like this book. Don’t expect something different when you start reading because you’re going to be disappointed. Secondly, the book is a little slow. It takes a while to build up the story and you sometimes have to fight to stay with it. But once the action gets going, it really gets going. If you’re interested but want to read a few more reviews, click here.