Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia tops a lot of reader’s “best horror lists.” It not only figures on many “best” lists for its year, but it also lands on many best of the 2020s decade.
In the 1950s, Noemí Taboada travels to an old English estate, High Place, in Mexico. She’s there on request from her father to rescue her cousin, a relative who is as close as a sister. Her cousin, Catalina, had written a frantic note that the family is poisoning her and that she’s seeing things.
Noemí meets the inhospital Doyle family: lecherous father, cruel son, bitter aunt, and indifferent cousin. At first, her visits to Catalina and her excursions to the nearest town seem fairly normal, though she’s clearly not welcome at High Place. As Noemí discovers more about the Doyles and their history, she becomes more determined to save her cousin. That is, until she finds she may be the one that needs saving.
This novel is strange. On a positive note, the book lives up to its creepy horror reputation. That said, it’s overhyped. Enjoy it for what it is, not for its numerous entries on reader’s lists. Reviewers mention the slow pacing in the first half of the novel. I didn’t find it slow. I thought it builds suspense in a traditional Gothic manner. Gothics generally aren’t exciting Indiana Jones adventures.
I enjoyed the vivid and creative imagery of Noemí’s dreams and later encounters. The author channeled cosmic horror without going over the thousand-eyes-and-tentacles top. Instead of remaining obtuse, Mexican Gothic explains what is going on, points for that, too. I thought the idea was absurd, but absurdly fun, and I appreciate a fresh take on the tired tropes of Lovecraftian horror.
Still, I found a few plot inconsistencies. Yes, Noemí possesses something she doesn’t use to her advantage at all. And yes, Noemí should’ve heeded the warnings and escaped while she could. Our main character has some serious lapses of logic, but these are minor points. More major is the dramatic shift from classic language and style to a more modern tone as the situation grows dire. Suddenly, people who were using language appropriate for the 1950s are swearing like 2020s characters and engaging in activities reserved more for this decade. This shift took me out of the atmosphere the book created in the beginning.
Nonetheless, Mexican Gothic is a worthwhile read. Fun, scary, and creative are the highest praise I can give it. Do yourself a favor and follow Noemí up to High Place for a gothically good time.