La Hacienda / The Hacienda

I was blown away by this wonderful gothic novel and even more when I've read the afterword by the author. Being a mixed person growing up in the Eighties, it was always difficult to find representation in stories, no matter in books or in movies. It is wonderful to see how stories are getting more and more diverse and own voice authors are being featured by main publishers. I instantly fell in love with this book- the setting in 19th century Mexico, a haunted house, a mystery husband, the confused heroine and a handsome priest who is not only a man of god but also a witch. There are not many books about syncretism and it was fascinating to read this story. Another subplot is the strange death of the former wife which gave me Rebecca-vibes. Some of the characters are rather morally grey, not 100 percent good or evil like in real life. I like that the main character has its flaws and edges. The most interesting character for me was Padre Andres who needs to decide wether he wants to be a priest or a witch - or both? I would recommend this book to all readers who love to read eerie, sinister own-voice gothic novels. If you'd liked "Mexican Gothic" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia or "Torn into Pieces" by Mo Schneyder, you should definitely read this gem!