AP English Language/Composition and British Literature teacher Kelly Corallo recently read “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

“I thought it was a rather unique take,” Corallo said. “It was compelling because there’s the mystery aspect of it.”

The book is post-colonial gothic horror set in 1950s Mexico with supernatural elements. It is often referred to as a retelling of “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe. It follows the story of Noemí who gets an odd message from her newly married cousin. When she goes to see if her cousin is okay, she realizes that the remote house is corrupting everyone inside it. Noemí works to rescue her cousin from her husband’s crazy family and house.

“It’s actually a book for AP Lit,” Corallo said. “It’s actually been on my reading list for a while.”

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a Canadian novelist, short story author, editor, and publisher. She is most known for “Mexican Gothic” along with “Gods of Jade and Shadow” and “Velvet was the Night.” 

“I think it’s good for people that like mysteries, psychological thrillers, and the supernatural,” Corallo said. 

The book combines messages of colonial corruption, patriarchal dominancy, and breaking free from toxic situations and control.