A review by megsbookishtwins
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

4.0

disclaimer: I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

rating: 3.5 stars

content warnings: blood, gore, violence, rape, murder

'When a man makes a promise, he makes it on his honour. When a witch makes a promise, they feel it in their bones.'

The Hacienda is described as Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca & takes place in a remote & sinister house after the Mexican war of independence. It is a gothic novel and while the tense atmosphere was done well - the feeling of dread could have been better & I would have loved more depth into the generational trauma, wickedness, & impact it can have on a home. Our two protagonists were likeable & easy to root for and I adored their 'forbidden romance' - a priest and a newlywed - and one thing Cañas does well is yearning. What I would have loved to have seen done better were the complex relationship between all these women & that it was really explored in more depth. A solid gothic horror read.