I usually don't read horror books, but this was like reading an enthralling haunted house horror flick. The characters are distinct and interesting. The atmosphere is intriguing and dark. The story starts slow, building up the atmosphere and gradually giving you more background on the characters while also making you ask more questions as you keep reading. The climax of the story feels well deserved and it plays on elements of gore to make the reveals in the story all the more horrifying. 

The historical background of the story is not lost. There are white characters whose attitude toward Noemi allude the racism/colorism present in Mexico at the time (and unfortunately which still pervades today). There are also various characters in the story, including Noemi, that represent women fighting against the authority that patriarchal society has over them. There is a good amount of body horror and other themes such as incest that are explore in the story that may be uncomfortable if you're queasy. All of those elements only add to the story, though, in my opinion. I always look forward to books by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I'm can't wait for the next one.