Mexican Gothic – Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2020) Book Review

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“Books, moonlight, melodrama.”

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Set in 1950s Mexico, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic follows glamorous Mexico City socialite Noemi Taboada after she receives a frantic letter from her newlywed cousin, Catalina. Sent by her father to investigate High Place – the isolated, fog-covered estate belonging to the mysterious Doyle family – Noemi steps into a decaying mansion shrouded in dark secrets, disturbing family histories, and an unsettling fungal rot. What starts out as a classic rescue mission soon spirals into an unsettling blend of haunted house mystery, visceral body horror, and anti-colonial critique. 

Having been on my TBR pile for so long, this review will break down what makes Mexican Gothic such a deliciously eerie read, exploring its standout heroine, lush atmosphere and subversion of classic Gothic tropes. I’ll also explain where the novel falters, from its formulaic antagonists to the missed opportunities to truly immerse us in an authentic Mexican backdrop. 

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Date Published: 2020

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Genre: Horror, Gothic

Pages: 320

Goodreads Rating: 3.66/5

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Mexican Gothic Summary

After receiving a frantic letter from her newlywed cousin, Noemi Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. Noemi is an unlikely rescuer: she’s a glamorous debutante whose chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. Yet she’s tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she’s not afraid, even as the house begins to invade her dreams with visions of blood and doom.

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 Noemi digs deeper, she unearths stories of violence and madness. And Noemi, mesmerised by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic place behind. 

What Worked

From the outset, “lush” is definitely the defining word for Mexican Gothic, courtesy of Moreno-Garcia’s prose. The lingering sense of dread surrounding the decaying, fog-drenched manor of High Place is palpable throughout the narrative. Moreno-Garcia masterfully blends classic Gothic suspense with unsettling body horror – using parasitic fungal rot, mould, and spores as a skin-crawling metaphor for control and decay. 

At the heart of this eerie mystery is Noemi Taboada herself. Bold, sharp-tongued and fiercely capable even against the most vile of circumstances, she is an absolute delight to follow. She bridges the gap between a traditional Gothic damsel-in-distress and a sharp, modern hero. 

Through her, the novel delivers a genuinely compelling thematic punch: using the alienating, parasitic culture of patriarchal colonialists as the primary source of horror, echoing the very real histories of exploitation both inside Mexico and beyond. 

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What Didn’t

Where Mexican Gothic does fall short is in its secondary cast and setting. For a book that works so hard to blend and subvert genre conventions, the antagonist Doyle family falls disappointingly flat. The sinister patriarch, the charismatic villain-son, and the cold housekeeper all fall into their respective roles and stay there. 

Fuelled by eugenics, racism and greed, their motivations are on the heavy-handed side compared to the true nuanced greats of the Gothic genre like Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. 

On top of that, the title promises a depth of local culture that the narrative doesn’t ever really deliver on. Outside brief glimpses of Noemi’s socialite life in Mexico City and a handful fo village interactions, the story is firmly grounded in its English-style manor house. Whilst this does work in evoking some more classic Gothic vibes, it does leave the rich and interesting backdrop of Mexico and its customs, traditions and regional flavours feeling somewhat underbaked. 

Verdict

Mexican Gothic is a lot of fun, and just the sort of read I needed after a bit of a slump. It’s inventive, visually haunting, and brimming with descriptions and imagery that combine for a chilling piece of genre-blending body horror. 

While its villains lack a bit of subtlety and its setting leans heavily on the traditional English Gothic architecture we’ve all become accustomed to by now, Noemi’s vibrant presence, delightfully disturbing mystery, and Moreno-Garcia’s skills as an immersive novelist all make a trip to High Place well worth a visit. 

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Our Rating: 4/5

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