Mexican Gothic had exciting potential. If the beautiful woman on the cover didn’t catch your attention, then the gothic mansion filled with shadows, secrets, and a mysterious sickness, as well as the 1950s Mexican setting, would compel you to read it. Stunning, sassy main character Noemí Taboada must leave vibrant Mexico City to investigate a strange letter from her recently-married cousin. The rest of the story is set at High Place, a massive rural estate owned by a stuffy, secretive British family. Elements of the gothic fiction tale, from the writing to the plot, fell disappointingly flat, although author Silvia Moreno-Garcia did successfully portray a dusty, decaying mansion with a dark secret.
“Books, moonlight, melodrama.”
I appreciated Moreno-Garcia’s ability to create a gross, disturbing scene using body parts and bodily functions, but overall, I would’ve considered the writing in Mexican Gothic simply fine – until I noticed certain phrases and descriptions becoming repetitive. An example can be found in the British family’s crest, or symbol: an ouroboros, which is a snake eating its tail. The symbol was abundant in the mansion and its grounds, and Noemí pointed it out to the reader every time she saw it. She aways described it as “a serpent eating its own tail,” with very little variation. Mentioning the symbol at just a few opportune times would have successfully alerted the reader to its significance.
“The world might indeed be a cursed circle; the snake swallowed its tail and there could be no end, only an eternal ruination and endless devouring.”
I don’t mind a slow plot pace if I enjoy other aspects of a book, such as its writing style, characters, and/or theme(s). The Covenant of Water is an excellent example of a slow-moving plot with beautiful, descriptive writing and three-dimensional, complicated characters. Unfortunately, the plot of Mexican Gothic was slow without any other fantastic elements to support it. Three-fourths of the book was a frustratingly unproductive investigation of a mystery. The beginning of a scene would seem as if it was heading in an exciting direction but would actually contain a mild conclusion. I nevertheless continued reading, if not because of my stubbornness then because I harbored hope of a redeeming ending. Perhaps I just missed an important element or detail, but I was underwhelmed and confused by the explanation of the mystery. It also felt rushed because it was packed into the last fourth of the book. Overall, I was disappointed by the slow lead up to a puzzling conclusion.
“It was easy to kiss someone when it didn’t matter; it was more difficult when it might be meaningful.”
The characters were the best part of Mexican Gothic. Noemí was a bright spot amongst a dour cast of British characters stuck in a patriarchal family system. My favorite character was sweet, smart Francis, the youngest member of High Place’s inhabitants. Overall, the characters were reliably consistent in their beliefs and actions throughout the story, making them the highlight of the novel.
“Noemí’s father said she cared too much about her looks and parties to take school seriously, as if a woman could not do two things at once.”
Mexican Gothic provided commentary on the evils of colonialism, exploitation, eugenics, and misogyny. The British family occupying High Place employed the Mexican inhabitants of the nearest town and forced them to toil in deathly conditions. The patriarch of the family is obsessed with selective human breeding and treats Noemí like she’s a prized dog for reproduction. The men believe they can forcibly subdue Noemí and are frustrated by her outgoing personality. Although I was disappointed by the writing and plot of Mexican Gothic, I appreciated the lessons and warnings Moreno-Garcia was attempting to convey.
“…she was trapped between competing desires, a desire for a more meaningful connection and the desire to never change. She wished for eternal youth and endless merriment.”
I don’t often read gothic fiction, so I was excited to pick up Mexican Gothic. Although it didn’t meet my expectations based on its synopsis, it had noteworthy characters and themes. People who read a large amount of books in the genre may not enjoy it as much, but I do recommend it to those who are searching for an atmospheric story.
You might like Mexican Gothic if you enjoy:
- Atmospheric, immersive settings
- Slow-burn suspense and tension
- Genre-blending books
- Strong female characters
- Themes of colonialism and racism
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