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A review by liamliayaum
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
3.0
Noemí Taboada is sent to High Place, a house owned by the family that her cousin Catalina married into, to help her mysterious ailments. The Doyles, and by extension their house, are the opposite of rising socialite Noemí with its somber mood, lengthy rules, and unnerving quiet. Trying to help cure her cousin of her sick disposition, Noemí only trusts her cousin's husband's cousin Francis. As Noemí learns more, the house and its inhabitants wear her down. Will Noemí be able to help Catalina and herself escape from the clutches of the moody Doyles?
I had heard great things about this title but I don't think this lived up to the hype. While Noemí had some depth to her character, the others were mere shells but given the plot twist (which was mildly predictable), it almost makes sense. Howard Doyle, the patriarch, was downright disgusting and the causal conversations around eugenics appalled me. Virgil Doyle, Catalina's new husband, had the markers for an abuser except he wasn't and his character confused me. Francis Doyle was a balm to the otherwise dreary setting and plot but clearly was being held back.
The setting didn't seem that Gothic, as a transplanted house from England in the Mexican countryside. I do give the author credit in giving new life to the Gothic setting but it would have benefited from more direction, as it seemed caught in a limbo between traditional and new. Despite being set in Mexico, there was a lack of Mexican culture, as it was dominated by the English Doyles. It was more present in Noemí's fashion or when visiting the local village.
Overall, it was a fast read, despite the plot being stagnant for most of the book. The twist is odd and although this book is billed as horror, it wasn't that horrifying. I would say it was more disgusting than horrifying. But my biggest gripe with the book was the ending with the fourth to last sentence: "But they were young that morning, and they could cling to hope." To me, that renders the ending incomplete, and that there is more terror in store for these characters that we may never know about.
I had heard great things about this title but I don't think this lived up to the hype. While Noemí had some depth to her character, the others were mere shells but given the plot twist (which was mildly predictable), it almost makes sense. Howard Doyle, the patriarch, was downright disgusting and the causal conversations around eugenics appalled me. Virgil Doyle, Catalina's new husband, had the markers for an abuser except he wasn't and his character confused me. Francis Doyle was a balm to the otherwise dreary setting and plot but clearly was being held back.
The setting didn't seem that Gothic, as a transplanted house from England in the Mexican countryside. I do give the author credit in giving new life to the Gothic setting but it would have benefited from more direction, as it seemed caught in a limbo between traditional and new. Despite being set in Mexico, there was a lack of Mexican culture, as it was dominated by the English Doyles. It was more present in Noemí's fashion or when visiting the local village.
Overall, it was a fast read, despite the plot being stagnant for most of the book. The twist is odd and although this book is billed as horror, it wasn't that horrifying. I would say it was more disgusting than horrifying. But my biggest gripe with the book was the ending with the fourth to last sentence: "But they were young that morning, and they could cling to hope." To me, that renders the ending incomplete, and that there is more terror in store for these characters that we may never know about.