Mexican Gothic

Mexican Gothic 

Mexican Gothic from author Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the latest novel to be checked off my large to be read list. I had heard so many great things about this book, and it made me really excited to give it a go. 

This is the first novel from author Silvia Moreno-Garcia that I’ve read. Although I do own almost all of her books, and now I need to read all of them. 

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“This house, she was sure, was haunted. She wasn’t one for believing in things that go bump in the night either, but right that second she firmly felt every spook and demon and evil thing might be crawling about the earth, like in Catalina’s stories.” 

Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Mexican Gothic

This book came to me via my Amazon wishlist from a friend, which I think should become more of a thing. Books are the best gifts, and I love when someone sends me something they’ve enjoyed. Do you ever buy books to share with friends? 

Have you read Mexican Gothic from Silvia Moreno-Garcia? Come on in and let me tell you about it! 

About Mexican Gothic 

“So I’ll be wed in the Church of the Holy Incestuous Mushroom?” 

Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Mexican Gothic

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. 

A Note From the Author 

Dear Readers,

Mexico is peppered with mining ghost towns. The description has a double meaning. On the one hand it refers to an abandoned place. On the other hand, these towns carry with them the traces of colonial rule and all its excesses. They are filled with ghosts.

When the Spaniards arrived in Mexico, they found a trove of mineral riches: gold and especially silver that could be mined in huge quantities. By the 18th century, Mexico was the world’s chief silver producer.

Bustling mines required workers, and cheap ones. The predominant laborers in these towns were Indigenous people who were forced to work the mines through several systems—slavery, enconmienda and repartimiento were used at different points in time—and often abused, toiling in bad conditions. Those who did not labor in the mines might still feel the brunt of Spanish rule, by being driven from their traditional lands.

The War of Independence of 1810 did not really ease the grasp of foreign powers on Mexico and its riches, nor did it distribute those riches more evenly. After the Spaniards, there came other powers to pry the earth for silver.

British mining companies arrived in the early 1800s and established themselves throughout the country, including in the town of Real del Monte, high in the mountains of Hidalgo. Nicknamed ‘Little Cornwall,’ Real del Monte boasts a unique British-inspired architecture and an English Cemetery out of a Hammer film. It is this town, which I visited many years ago, that serves as the basis for the location of Mexican Gothic.

It might sound a bit odd for a book titled Mexican Gothic to actually take place in a town that was modeled and exploited by British forces. Yet that is part of the ironic legacy of Latin America. I suppose I could have called the book Postcolonial Gothic, but that seems so much longer and less zesty. Mexican Gothic expresses the haunting feeling I had when we drove through Mexico looking at the remains of towns from another era.

To know a place, you must look at the land. What the land told me in Hidalgo is that there are ghosts and then there are ghosts. The ones that wear bed sheets over their heads are much less terrifying than the ones left by the sins of
our ancestors.

Mexican Gothic is a fun romp through a trove of Gothic tropes, including a dark and gloomy house, an alluring yet dangerous man, a family with secrets, and things that go bump in the night. But it’s also a story about those other ghosts: the ones that were left like a scar on the land.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Book Playlist 

This playlist, curated by the author, will transport you to the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place.

1. “Black Walls” by Chromatics
2. “Eyes Without a Face” by Marsheux
3. “Girls Just Wanna Have Some” by Chromatics
4. “The Killing Moon” by Echo & the Bunnymen
5. “Is Your Love Strong Enough?” by Bryan Ferry
6. “Digital Versicolor” by Glass Candy
7. “Shadow” by Chromatics
8. “Passion of Lovers” by Bauhaus
9. “Wicked Game” by Ursine Vulpine, Annaca
10. “Blue Wings” by Wild Nothing
11. “Shadowplay” by Joy Division
12. “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” by Martyn Lenoble,
    Christian Eigner
13. “Goodbye Horses” by Psyche
14. “TOY” by Chromatics
15. “Journal of Ardency” by Class Actress
16. “Tainted Love” by Marilyn Manson
17. “She’s Gone Away” by Nine Inch Nails
18. “Bonbon (Johnny Jewel Remix)” by Lou Rebecca, Johnny Jewel
19. “Tell Me Where It Hurts” by Garbage
20. “Tear You Apart” by She Wants Revenge
21. “She’s Lost Control” by Joy Division
22. “Saturday” by Desire

Thoughts on Mexican Gothic 

“The truth was she was afraid of going to bed, of what nightmares might uncoil in the dark. What did people do after witnessing the horrors they had seen? Was it possible to slip back into normality, to play pretend and go on? She wanted to think this was exactly the case, but she was afraid sleep would prove her wrong.” 

Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Mexican Gothic

Mexican Gothic starts off in the most unassuming, normal, horror novel way. You think our main character is off to the middle of nowhere to check on her cousin in a haunted or quirky house, who may possibly be hysterical, given the time period it was written in. Or at the very least, she just married into an eccentric family and that’s really all it is. 

It is easy to follow along with, and moves at a good pace. The thing I noticed the most is how Silvia Moreno-Garcia sets the tone and vibe for this story. It really has a whole vibe and atmosphere. Too many times authors try to set that level of atmosphere and simply kill the pace of the book, without ever doing it real justice. I’m really impressed with how this one went. 

But the story is anything but unassuming, basic, or normal. It is a true horror story, filled with some interesting twists and turns. 

I really liked our main character, Noemí, and that surprised me a bit. Because she didn’t originally strike me as a likeable character. More like an airhead without any substance. But let me tell you, she is a strong woman, intelligent, fearless, and determined. Which really adds to the story, and I found myself liking her more and more as I read. 

Mexican Gothic gave me V.C. Andrews vibes, but in a much more modern and upbeat way. If you’ve read anything from V.C. Andrews and struggled with the pace and vibe, give this a try instead. Because it has the same type of vibe, but I found it much easier to read than anything Andrews has written. If you’re anything like me, I think you will enjoy this much, much more. 

Final Thoughts on Mexican Gothic 

“She was the snake biting its tail. She was a dreamer, eternally bound to a nightmare, eyes closed even when her eyes had turned to dust.” 

Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Mexican Gothic

I have two complaints about Mexican Gothic. Number one is how long it sat on my shelf before I picked it up to read. Have you ever had this happen? Where you are actively mad that it took you so long to read a specific book? Or is that just me? It is frustrating when this happens, because I always feel like there is just never enough time to discover amazing books like this. I need a job as a professional reader.

My second complaint is about the ending. I wanted to know so much more about what happened to Noemi and Francis. It was left deliberately ambiguous and I wanted something more like a fairy tale ending after the entire book. But that is just me. I always want a happily ever after at the end, especially when it is a dark or horror novel. I find myself wanting a totally different tone for the ending. Although that may not fit, and the ending was good here.

Maybe more about the ending would make for a good sequel to Mexican Gothic, where it follows Noemi and Frances. Silvia, if you are reading this, give me a sequel, please. I would love to have it spun into a story about life once Noemi and Frances left High Place, what happens to them, and how their life changes going forward.

I am calling Mexican Gothic from Silvia Moreno-Garcia a four star read. I love that it drew me in quickly, kept me reading and wanting to know more, and she really set the tone for this book. I didn’t want to put it down. 

The reason I’m not calling it five stars is because I will likely not read it again. Once you know all the answers, the magic kind of wears off and it isn’t a book to read repeatedly, which is one of my criteria for a five star read. But this is one that will stick with me long after I’ve moved on to other novels, and I will not forget it anytime soon. I may try to read it again sometime down the road, just to see if it reads a bit differently, or there are things I missed along the way. But knowing the ending makes that harder for me.

This was my first book read from author Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but it will definitely not be my last. I’m looking forward to reading more of her books in the very near future. 

Discussion 

Have you read Mexican Gothic or any other writing from author Silvia Moreno-Garcia? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

I found these questions from a book club and thought they might be interesting. 

1. How did you feel about the historical period and setting the book takes place in? 
2. What did you think of the main character, Noemi? 
3. Who was your favorite character and why? 
4. How did you feel about the relationship between Noemi and Francis? 
5. What did you think about the ending? What do you wish had been different? 
6. What do you think the author’s purpose was in writing this book? How well do you think she got it across? 
7. What did you enjoy most about this book? What did you enjoy the least? What changes to the story, if any, would you make? 
8. Would you read a sequel to this story? Would you prefer it to feature Noemi and Francis, or would you prefer a story in the same world with new characters? 
9. If you were interviewing the author, what questions would you have for her? 

About the Author 

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of the novels The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, Velvet Was the Night, Mexican Gothic, and many other books. She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu’s Daughters). 

Purchasing Mexican Gothic 

If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Mexican Gothic, click here.

For the hardcover version, click here.

Click here for the Kindle version.

Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

More From Silvia Moreno-Garcia 

Did you enjoy my review of Mexican Gothic? Need another great Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel to read? Here are my favorites! 

Mexican Gothic

The Bewitching 

Signal to Noise 

The Seventh Veil of Salome 

Silver Nitrate 

The Daughter of Dr Moreau 

Certain Dark Things 

Velvet was the Night 

Gods of Jade and Shadow 

The Beautiful Ones 

Amazon Notice 

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