📝 What is mexican gothic about?:
After receiving a desperate letter from her newly-wed cousin, Noemí Taboada travels to High Place, a remote house in the Mexican countryside, to uncover the mystery. Despite being a glamorous debutante more suited for parties than sleuthing, Noemí’s determination and fearlessness drive her to confront her cousin’s menacing husband, his eerie father, and the house itself, which haunts her dreams. As she discovers the family’s dark secrets with the help of the shy youngest son, Noemí uncovers a history of violence and madness that threatens to entrap her forever.
📚 Genre: Gothic romance
🎧 Format: E-Book
💞 Feels: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The story was fascinating. After receiving a troubling letter from her newly married cousin, Catalina, a woman, Noemí, goes to visit her cousin’s new family and check on her well-being. This book jumped right into the mystery. The premise was set up in chapter 1 and we very quickly moving into the tale by chapter 2.
Noemí being characterized as a stubborn person from the very beginning of the story, gave me hope that she could figure out the mystery and survive the trials of being within the “High Place.” What a name for a manor house!
There are ironies and hypocrisies within this family that I enjoyed discovering. This was like a grotesque dissection that I couldn’t look away from. Affects of colonization, stealing resources, co-opting religion, sexism, racism, and I’m sure much more that I didn’t catch. I found it ironic the “bad guy” thought they were better than all of the people they’re subjugating, but needs to steal from them in order to keep surviving. The Ouroboros is referenced throughout the book. Like a bad omen. I took note of the overwhelming presence of the Ouroboros all over the property.
One thing I’m thinking about weeks after finishing. What was Francis doing with the mushrooms?
Getting technical
By the time I got to a quarter of the way through the book I was getting some very deep “Get Out” vibes from the situation Noemí was in. And in my best Whoopi “Molly, you in danger, girl.” I started taking notes once the family tree started to be revealed, ‘cause I needed to know who was married to who, which ones were siblings or cousins, so I could know how much ick I should be feeling. And just what parts Noemí and her cousin, Catalina, would play in these family dynamics.
You’ll like this book, if…
I would recommend this book to readers who have enjoyed Jane Eyre and One of Us Knows. Both center around a creepy property and the mysteries within its walls.
✅ Spinoff novella nomination:
A prequel to see how Catalina got along with the family before Noemí showed up.
What are you reading? Let me know in the comments.