Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Del Rey, 2020, 254 pp
This was a reading group pick, suggested by me. I was seduced by the gorgeous cover as well as being interested in reading something set in Mexico. Also since I recently read Joyce Carol Oates's gothic novel, Bellefleur, I thought this book would give me another example of the genre.
It is the 1950s and Noemi is something of a Mexico City debutante. Spoiled, enamored of clothes and parties, she chooses the men she dates by their looks and their cars. She is not ready for marriage, in fact would like to attend college and study anthropology.
First though, she is sent by her father to check up on a newly married cousin who is crying for help from her husband's old family mansion high in the mountains. She claims she is being poisoned. If Noemi can bring back a report to her father, he will let her go to University.
Noemi is full of self-confidence but is innocent as a lamb in most respects. What she finds at the mansion is so creepy, she is soon in as much danger as her cousin. As befits a Gothic heroine her reckless, plucky daring may just get her through.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is masterful with both description and action. A good dose of horror pervades the story along with an intelligent mystery. Most of the fun of reading Mexican Gothic is following the twists and turns of the plot. For some reason the palpable horror did not turn me off. I just wanted to know what would happen.
Fans of Bronte, du Maurier and even Mary Stewart will love this look at Gothic horror, Mexican-style and learn some obscure Mexican history at the same time. The author managed to write a story that feels both light and heavy.
All my reading group members were well pleased.
creo que es demasiado creepy por migo, pero possible el escribiendo es okay...
ReplyDeleteI know I should know Spanish, living where I live, but I am wretched at learning languages. I think you are saying it might be too creepy for you?
Deleteyes... i don't know it either, i made it up... well, i know a little bit, just enough to get me in trouble...
DeleteI'm happy to read that you and the group enjoyed this one. I started the audio and then decided if I do rad it, I wanted to have the print edition. For some reason I wasn't focusing on my walks when listening to this.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think print would do better for you. It takes a bit to get going or rather to show where it is going and also I needed to refer back to some of the characters until they became familiar. Once it gets going it really goes!
DeleteSounds intriguing!
ReplyDeleteI have heard good things about this book from a lot of sources.
ReplyDeleteMany things sound good about this. The history and culture of Mexico seems to add distinction.
Yes, there are even more things about the story I did not go into because I liked discovering them for myself. Other reviews tell more than I did.
DeleteI saw some mixed reviews on this one (was it Dorothy's?) -- so wasn't sure if it was a go .... but now it does sound like a go again. If there's good spooky action ... I'm in.
ReplyDeleteLots of spooky action! Maybe not great literature but great fun.
DeleteYour reaction to this book is definitely the majority one. I was less enthusiastic.
ReplyDeleteI know you were. After seeing Susan's comment I went to look at your review. But that's fine. Reader's rights!
DeleteI've seen a lot of good reviews for this book and I'm so intrigued by the cover as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm adding this to my TBR, because your review made me curious about the horror vibe in this book!
Have an AMAZING 2021!
I hope you like it! I am not sure 2021 will be amazing but it has to be better. Thanks for your good wishes and thanks for following my blog and for all your comments.
DeleteSo glad to hear you liked this one! I've been dying to get my hands on a copy and devour it for myself. Hopefully, that happens soon!
ReplyDeleteI hope you can. I think it will be a good read for you!
DeleteI have been wanting to read this for months and will definitely make room for it in 2021. Great review!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sarah! I think you will enjoy it, especially the little known bit of Mexican history.
DeleteI queued up online for a hold, and am #47 on 23 copies.
DeleteI got my copy pretty quickly from my library's eBook service.
DeleteOoo this sounds fabulous and I am so pleased you enjoyed it, Judy! I have seen this doing the rounds on other blogs and it was intriguing me, so good to hear your full thoughts on it. 🙂
ReplyDeleteGlad I kept you interested!
DeleteI plan to read this during this year hopefully, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI have had Mexican Gothic in my 'tbr' pile awaiting to be read... hopefully this year!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you can!
DeleteI wish I had liked this as much as everyone else, but I abandoned it quickly in. The writing seemed trite to me, not like DuMaurier’s at all, but to be fair I didn’t read it all the way through. Glad it was a success for you and your group, though!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I felt that way about the writing at the beginning. I kept going because I always finish the reading group picks. It turned out, for me, that she took that risk to help create the way the main character was at first, a trite person for sure, and by the end that worked to show how much Noemi grew and changed. It was a big risk though because the trite writing at the beginning did discourage many readers.
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