A review by vengefuldime
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

4.0

The imagery of the decaying house and Noemí's "dreams" are vivid. The glowing lights are juxtaposed with examples of decay that make the surroundings very clearly disgusting. The danger is always near. Although the writing could be repetitive (in both specific words and the ways that characters such as Francis were described), the overall effect is successful, making the tone both ominous and beautiful. Noemí herself is a strong, flawed character who is able to use her socialite gifts as protection. I really liked her growing relationship with Francis- they complement each other very well and can work as a good team. (A refreshing pathetic love interest. I believe I described him as a wet kitten of a man.) I enjoyed both their characters, and Noemí is a perfect protagonist for this book, full of life against the odds. Without her the gloom would be much more powerful, and her strength gives necessary hope to the book. Although the pace is slow I was never bored. In fact, I was often interested and horrified/disgusted.