Slow moving and atmospheric. The creepy, gothic vibe was well done. The â??twistâ?? was unexpected and interesting. I loved the 1950â??s settling and Naomi was a great lead character.

This was an interesting read. I really loved the gothic elements in the beginning and the setting was equally interesting, but it lost steam about two-thirds of the way into the story. It then took a decidedly weird twist, but in the end I was glad that I read it. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's descriptions pull the reader into the atmospheric details of the creepy tale. Her writing is beautiful, but the plot was predictable in some spots and way out in others. It will definitely be on your mind long after the last page.

I don't want to give away the plot but it was a struggle to finish it.

Good.

Pros: I learned some interesting facts about Mexico and its history as a result of researching some of the references in this novel.

Cons:There were too many tropes and nods to other gothic works. Perhaps the translation was bad?? Overall it seemed rather pointless, and at least one scene was downright disgusting. Perhaps I wasn't in the mood to appreciate the goofy theme. I have been trying to train myself to tolerate mushrooms; so maybe once I have succeeded in that endeavor I should revisit this novel!

Hard to put down. Beautifully written.