Book Review: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Hardcover, 301 pages

Published June 30th 2020 by Del Rey 

 

Mexican Gothic is SMG's sixth novel and the third I have read personally. I was at her book signing for her crime novel  Untamed Shores at Mysterious Galaxies here in San Diego when some leaned over and told me that NBA had postponed the season. So until further notice, Silvia Moreno-Garcia remains the last book event I ever went to in person. This was a book I was looking forward to. While it is probably not the most popular of SMG's book  I loved her Mexico City crime/vampire novel Certain Dark Things.  Her novel Signal to Noise is one of the most unique reads I have ever read. That one felt like it could only come from her. The genres change and SMG finds a way to make that jump with skill each time he hits another genre.

Mexican Gothic for good reason is not as unique, but that is on purpose. SMG is playing with well know gothic tropes and even a classic of feminist literature. That being said we up with a setting, characters, and a subtle political theme that makes the execution 100% unique and totally the product of a singular voice Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This is a spooky atmospheric gothic that has a setting and characters that can only be a product of this author and that is the best feeling when you open a book.
 
SMG has found a really good role for herself in this period and historical settings, she clearly does her research and is very good at getting lost in these other time periods. The opening of this book hits at the 1950s Mexico City glamor that our lead character Noemi Taboada is a part of. If there was anything disappointing about the novel, is I could have really dug a whole novel in that setting. Here is hoping SMG  comes back to 50s Mexico City. She did say at Mysterious Galaxies that she loved that setting too, and in the short parts that is clear.
 
The novel really gets going when Noemi gets a strange letter from her cousin Catalina who married the son of a English silver mine owner in the Mexican mountains. The letter is your classic gothic plea for help that pulls Noemi into the countryside. The novel appears to playing with and updating themes from the classic of feminist literature The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I admit I read in college and my memories of it are thin. I remembered the story but had to look it up to remember the title. That said Mexican Gothic evokes it well and I believe that was intentional.

Once Noemi gets to this English manor in the mountains the slow-burn build towards the final act is one. Noemi tries to confirm what she initially believes is Catalina's paranoia. As the story goes on she learns details that lay out the history of the house, the cult, the mine, and get into levels of supernatural horror I actually didn't expect.

The first two acts are filled with atmosphere as you expect from a gothic, the final act is pretty bonkers but I was surprised by the balance of social justice message that is delivered with a subtle touch. It might get overlooked by some readers who are having fun with the weird and monster driven final act. Everything that happens in the closing moments of the book is earned.

This novel wouldn't work with the characters and setting was interesting. SMG gives the setting a creeping beauty that evokes the classic gothic feel. It sucks you in, it makes you feel comfortable and then upsets those expectations in the final pages. I really enjoyed this book.

 

 

My Certain Dark things review 

My Signal to Noise review