To be honest, most of this year I've been in a major reading slump. Attending virtual book club has been the one thing keeping me even slightly on track to reach my 30 book reading goal for the year. So, thank you Female Authors Book Club, you have been one of the few bright spots from the past nine months.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was our most recent book club selection, and it didn't disappoint. The story is an updated take on a classic gothic novel, drawing inspiration from the dreary English novels preceding it, and unfolding into a unique horror-thriller standing on its own. When Noemi receives a disturbing letter from her cousin, Catalina, accusing her own husband of attempting to poison her, Noemi sets out to investigate. Leaving behind her glamorous life in Mexico City, her journey leads to a dilapidated home called High Place; the residence of Catalina, her husband Virgil, and his unusual family, the Doyles. The longer Noemi extends her stay in search of clues to explain what is happening to her cousin, the more she is pulled into the macabre mystery of the Doyle family. And when she begins to have strange dreams, it gets more difficult to tell what's real and what isn't. Noemi is a witty, intelligent, and complex character I couldn't help but be charmed by–she's a powerhouse. She is sure of herself and completely trusts her instincts while attempting to uncover the truth about what is really ailing Catalina, refusing to let the Doyles distract or derail her with their odd rules and expectations. Everything Noemi is and believes goes against the Doyles; considering their interest in eugenics, viewing women as inferior, and taking advantage of native people for their own gain, this story has more than a few layers of conflict at its core. Moreno-Garcia deftly crafts a story handling horror in its many forms, from a house that seems to have a life of its own to what it means to be a woman whose value is tethered almost entirely to her relation to men. The first 3/4 of this book was a slow burn, and I don't think I fully appreciated this aspect of the story until after I finished reading it. The slow pace added to the sense of discomfort Noemi feels while staying at High Place, and kept me wondering when something big might happen. Moreno-Garcia knows how to reveal just enough information to keep the reader interested without giving them the ability to put the pieces of the puzzle together prematurely. Despite this, my one complaint about Mexican Gothic is how long it took for the big reveal. I can see how drawing out the days leading to the most shocking moment of the book contributed to the creepy, unsettling atmosphere, but there were a few lulls toward the middle where I skirted the edge of boredom briefly. The twist reveal at the end was *chefs kiss* for me, because while there were plenty of moments that pointed in that direction I was never able to guess exactly what was going on. I give extra points to Garcia-Moreno for originality and creep factor. I can't believe it took months for me to pick this one up for book club, but I'm happy to have this book rounding out my 2020 reading list. Overall, this one gets a 4.5/5 stars, with only a half star deduction because of the very slow pace toward the second half. I recommend this for anyone who likes an underrated feminist read, thrillers with a unique edge, and for those who aren't afraid of a bit of the grotesque.
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