Book Review: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

“The walls speak to me. They tell me secrets. Don’t listen to them, press your hands against your ears, Noemí. There are ghosts. They’re real. You’ll see them eventually.”

Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Mexican Gothic

Review:

I want to say up front that my rating reflects my personal opinion and enjoyment of the book and is not a reflection of the writing itself.

I’ve had this book on my shelf for a while and I wasn’t 100% sure what I was getting into. Some people/places have marked it as predominately historical fiction while others focus on horror. I’d say horror is the strongest player here. I anticipated it being dark, but figuring I can handle most of Daphne Du Maurier’s horror stories and the comparison with this book, I gave it a go. 200 pages in, I realized how much I didn’t want to continue, but at that point, I only had 100 to go. I was nauseated by the horror content (not even spooked), bored with the long lead-up and forced romance, and baffled by the conclusion. It certainly isn’t comparable to Du Maurier’s works.

The writing itself was fine. It read more like a YA than an adult, though. Not being well-versed in the genre, I can’t say if it was a good horror book or not. If horror is your thing, I say go for it.

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The cover. It’s so gorgeous.
• Under different circumstances, the intrigue of the plot.

What I didn’t like:

• The body horror. I couldn’t take it.
• Most of the horror content. It wasn’t scary, just sickening.

Afterthoughts:

It was a gamble for me. I’m glad I gave it a go but ultimately it was not for me. I don’t want to discourage people who like the horror genre from seeing for themselves if it’s enjoyable.

Where to buy the book: