Book Review – Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

My rating:

I was nervous to read Mexican Gothic – I am a complete wuss and stay pretty far away from horror most of the time. But I was also very intrigued by this, and swayed by people telling me it wasn’t too scary 😉

It’s definitely atmospheric, but it doesn’t have jump scares and the horror element is more of a threat than “being chased down the road by an axe-wielding maniac” most of the time. So if, like me, you are worried about the horror element, don’t be! I found it an incredibly compelling and addictive read throughout.

It is a slow burn to start, but you also get time to appreciate Noemi and the culture of both Mexico City and the countryside. Especially in how it doesn’t play into the Mexican stereotypes but still screams Mexican to me (and more importantly, my Mexican best friend agreed).

Early on, I was actually unconvinced because Noemí is a bit of a party girl and uninterested in going to rescue her cousin. But once we get to the house, the story really changes pace. Much like the ever creeping threats to Noemí’s state of mind, the book sneaks up on you and draws you in.

This is all despite the horror of the Doyle’s, who are all vile lol. Maaaaybe except Francis, but I had my doubts about him 😉 They are definitely a twisted family, and as you find out more this only grows deeper. It’s fascinating while being horrifying and I was absolutely hooked on finding out more about what was going on. And then there’s the house which is also mega creepy! The way everything folds into each other and builds on the suspense and the growing dread is honestly superb.

I also love an English bad guy (or in this case, family)! This played really well on all the shady stuff we got up to, and I love to see that acknowledged. Especially the discussions around eugenics and race. People really did (and often sadly still do) think like that, and it’s important to show that.

The only niggle I had was around romance, as I didn’t think it was necessary and I didn’t really feel the spark there. But it’s so minor, and easily ignored in favour of the awesomeness of the rest of the book.

This is SUCH a good read, and I can’t recommend it enough. 4.5 stars.

Trigger warnings for sexual assault, gaslighting, abuse, eugenics, incest, child deaths, sexism, racism.

Buy Mexican Gothic from Waterstones.

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