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Synopsis (from Goodreads):
From the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes a novel set in glamorous 1950s Mexico.
After
receiving a frantic letter from her newlywed cousin begging for someone
to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemà Taboada heads to High Place, a
distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will
find - her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and
Noemà knows little about the region.
Noemà is also an unlikely
rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red
lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing.
But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not
afraid: not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and
alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be
fascinated by NoemÃ; and not even of the house itself, which begins to
invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.
Her only
ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and
gentle, he seems to want to help Noemà but might also be hiding dark
knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the
walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining
empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemà digs deeper she unearths
stories of violence and madness.
And NoemÃ, mesmerized by the
terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it
impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.
Review:
More and more, I have come to appreciate the Gothic Horror genre. Just from the title, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, you know there will be an isolated mansion, a creepy family, and dark secrets. Add to this a strong female main character and the glamour of the 1950's, and you have a highly entertaining book.
What I Liked:
Setting:
The novel begins in 1950's Mexico City. This is a world of wealth, glamour clothes, parties, and pampered daughters. But this is also a world where once a woman is married she is part of her husband's family. Any independence she may have had is gone, replaced by total subservience to her husband.
When Noemà leaves Mexico City to check on her cousin, Catalina, she encounters remote tropical jungles and a village dominated by a wealthy English family living in a strange mansion. They represent the colonial power that dominated Mexico's past. These are people who feel superior to the locals, and are only too willing to raid the resources of the land for their own benefit.
The village and remote mansion are full of atmospheric dread. If there isn't a thick fog, it's unceasingly raining. Everything smells of rot. And there is a terrible silence, particularly in the Doyle's mansion. Unless you count the voices of the dead...
Characters:
Noemà is a glamorous young woman who's biggest dilemma is choosing which dress to wear to the next party. She is used to being indulged by her father, changing hobbies (and a variety of dates) constantly. But her family is getting impatient for Noemà to settle down and get married. She wants to hold off on this as long as possible by going to university (and not just the ladies college that proper young women attend). So she makes a deal. She will check on her cousin in exchange for getting her shot at a real education.
I liked Noemà for her strong, independent nature. She wants more than society's confining roles for women. She also knows her own self-worth. Even faced with the racist English family of her cousin' husband (the Doyles), she never allows herself to feel inferior.
Francis is a member of the Doyle family who is about NoemÃ's age. Unlike the rest of his family, Francis does not share his family's racist views. He wants to help Noemà understand what happened to Catalina. But he is also completely stuck with this terrible family. This means he can't really warn Noemà of the very real dangers she faces. Some may feel that he is rather cowardly, but I felt a lot of sympathy with Frances. As he was completely dependent on his family, it was nearly impossible for him to rebel without paying a steep price.
Story:
This is a twisted, creepy story! On the one hand, it's about the overt oppression of women in Mexican society in the 1950's. Noemà may be wealthy, but she is dependent on her family. She doesn't have any way to make her own choices in regards to how she will live her life (strangely, Francis, the young male in the Doyle family, shares a similar fate). She must learn to strike a balance between pleasing her father, and total rebellion.
But this is also a straight up horror story. Is Catalina hearing ghosts or is she mentally unstable? Why won't the Doyles let Catalina leave to seek medical help? Is her husband Virgil overprotective, or is he holding on to her to gain access to her money? And what is that strange mold in her room (the one pulsating on the wall)? Noemà wants to find the answers, but there are obstacles at every turn.
As we learn more about the Doyles there are even more mysteries. Why did their silver mine close down? How did all the workers die? And how old is the patriarch of the family, anyway? The answers are deeply disturbing.
What I Didn't Like:
Narration:
This is one of the few audiobooks where I wasn't impressed with the narration by Frankie Corzo. The narrator's performance was delivered in an almost monotone voice. I really wanted to hear more emotion in NoemÃ's voice. There were some genuinely scary moments. But the narrator kept the performance at the same steady tone. I wanted more in such a creepy book.
Rating:
Release Date: June 30th, 2020
Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Genre: Gothic Horror
Audiobook Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio
Narrator: Frankie Corzo
Audio Length: 10 hours, 39 minutes
Book Publisher: Del Rey
Book Length: 301 Pages
Source: Bought on Libro.fm
Format: Audiobook
Recommendation: A creepy fun book, perfect for the fall season.
