Mexican Gothic

This book came up as a potential book for last October's book club theme and a lot of people opted to read it. One of my co-workers said she wished it had been about more than the fog and her clothes. I went in to read it anyway, partially because of the hype and partially to understand what fog and clothes had to do with each other in a book that has been so lovingly referred to as “gothic horror.”

I've come away feeling more hopeful than I usually do when I read gothic literature. I love that this book turns so much of the genre on its head. We ahve a strong female lead that culturally and (according to the genre) should bend and break to the storyline. And we do see the “what should have been” in her cousin. I love all of this getting flipped.

Yes, the story did drags at parts. But it needed to. No good horror goes from 0-100 on the fear scale without setting the scene.

The horror elements were also fantastic and did cause me to blaze through the ending. I also loved the lingering horror of the ending. Has this centuries-long nightmare ended or is the real horror that it is just beginning again?

I also love that it is a socialite–someone with so much handed to them. She has to figure it all out and save herself. Part of me does wonder why the father never came. The beloved daughter going into the questionable circumstance would definitely be a cause for concern. Then, the extended absence and lack of communication–I was left wondering how Daddy could be so clueless.

Overall, probably one of my favorites of 2021 so far! So glad I didn't listen to book club and dove in. :D