BOOK REVIEW: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia — I am obsessed and I completely recommend it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I really enjoyed “Mexican Gothic”. I was obsessed and kept telling myself I’d read just one more chapter but then couldn’t put it down. It was haunting and full of gothic goodness. This story takes place in the 1950s in Mexico. The main character Noemí goes to a small town to check on her newly married cousin who has been ill. We soon learn that her cousin suspects that she is being poisoned by her husband.
There are strong themes and topics in eugenics, colonialism, toxic masculinity, and the female gothic while also delivering on ghosts, nightmares, and murder. Noemí is not the typical submissive woman that you would find in the 1950s or in gothic literature for that matter which I think is what makes the story work so well.
No spoilers but there are some “Wuthering Heights” and “The Yellow Wallpaper” vibes. This story is also unique in that it’s a gothic horror story that not only takes place in Mexico but that is centered around a Latina character. The story flows well and is an easy read in terms of the language used. The story does take its time setting itself up, but as someone that can’t stand slow books and needs to be hooked to continue, I found the time in a slower-paced first half of the book was well spent.
The book did not mention or include many indicators that really emphasized this as a Mexican story in my opinion. Maybe that’s the brilliance of it; we don’t need Spanglish thrown around to make sure readers know this is a Mexican story. It has the classic British Gothic vibe-think “Wuthering Heights” or “The Fall of the House of Usher” while actually commenting on the effects of colonialism and eugenics.
So, have you read it yet? Let me know what you liked or disliked about the story!
-Ashley
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