Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell's Reviews > The Hacienda
The Hacienda
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THE HACIENDA has been on my to-read list ever since I learned of its existence. As someone who is a huge fan of old skool gothic novels, this sounded like it was going to be everything I loved about the genre, infused with Mexican history and culture.
Beatriz's father was killed as a traitor during the overthrowing of the Mexican government. After that, she and her mother were left at the mercy of distant relatives, who resented their presence and treated Beatriz cruelly for being too dark. When she meets Rodolfo and he proposes marriage, it seems like a dream come true: he has the fair good looks of the upper-class and runs an agave plantation that is used to make pulque. San Isidro is so massive that there is plenty of room to send for her mother and have the two of them live happily ever after.
But pretty soon it becomes obvious that a traditional ending is not in the cards. Beatriz sees and hears what appear to be apparitions and there is a darkness, a coldness, that runs through the house. Her new sister in law, Juana, does not appear to care for her, and there are terrible rumors about her husband, Rodolfo. The only one who can help her is a priest named Andres, but he has secrets as well. If Beatriz is unable to fix what is wrong with the hacienda, her life might be in terrible danger. But so might be everyone else's, too.
So this was really good. The writing was beautiful and spare and I thought the atmosphere was amazing. Cañas did a great job staying true to the classic gothic formula, and there were scenes in it that scared the shit out of me. I liked all the characters I was supposed to like and hated all the characters I was supposed to hate. The ending was fantastic, too. My only qualm was that the characterization was a little bland. I guess I was hoping for more nuance from some of the characters. Beatriz and Andres felt pretty interchangeable as narrators. It sure was great for a debut, though, and I honestly thought it was a lot better than MEXICAN GOTHIC (it's weird that they're being compared so much because they have totally different writing styles and HACIENDA runs circles around MG, in my opinion).
3 to 3.5 stars
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Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell's review
bookshelves: historical-fiction, doth-the-goth, poc-interracial, horror
Oct 05, 2021
bookshelves: historical-fiction, doth-the-goth, poc-interracial, horror
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1459070464i/18565492.jpg)
Instagram || Twitter || Facebook || Amazon || Pinterest
THE HACIENDA has been on my to-read list ever since I learned of its existence. As someone who is a huge fan of old skool gothic novels, this sounded like it was going to be everything I loved about the genre, infused with Mexican history and culture.
Beatriz's father was killed as a traitor during the overthrowing of the Mexican government. After that, she and her mother were left at the mercy of distant relatives, who resented their presence and treated Beatriz cruelly for being too dark. When she meets Rodolfo and he proposes marriage, it seems like a dream come true: he has the fair good looks of the upper-class and runs an agave plantation that is used to make pulque. San Isidro is so massive that there is plenty of room to send for her mother and have the two of them live happily ever after.
But pretty soon it becomes obvious that a traditional ending is not in the cards. Beatriz sees and hears what appear to be apparitions and there is a darkness, a coldness, that runs through the house. Her new sister in law, Juana, does not appear to care for her, and there are terrible rumors about her husband, Rodolfo. The only one who can help her is a priest named Andres, but he has secrets as well. If Beatriz is unable to fix what is wrong with the hacienda, her life might be in terrible danger. But so might be everyone else's, too.
So this was really good. The writing was beautiful and spare and I thought the atmosphere was amazing. Cañas did a great job staying true to the classic gothic formula, and there were scenes in it that scared the shit out of me. I liked all the characters I was supposed to like and hated all the characters I was supposed to hate. The ending was fantastic, too. My only qualm was that the characterization was a little bland. I guess I was hoping for more nuance from some of the characters. Beatriz and Andres felt pretty interchangeable as narrators. It sure was great for a debut, though, and I honestly thought it was a lot better than MEXICAN GOTHIC (it's weird that they're being compared so much because they have totally different writing styles and HACIENDA runs circles around MG, in my opinion).
3 to 3.5 stars
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Reading Progress
October 5, 2021
– Shelved
October 5, 2021
– Shelved as:
to-read
September 19, 2022
–
Started Reading
September 19, 2022
– Shelved as:
historical-fiction
September 19, 2022
– Shelved as:
doth-the-goth
September 19, 2022
– Shelved as:
poc-interracial
September 27, 2022
–
28.98%
"Read some of this on my lunch break today. I like how it adheres to all of the tropes of '70s gothic romances and a little bit of old skool horror as well."
page
102
September 28, 2022
–
60.23%
"I only have about one hundred pages left and I LITERALLY have NO idea what's going to happen. But the plot kind of reminds me of this TV mini series called Crooked House and it's literally Too Scary to Read at Night™"
page
212
September 28, 2022
–
Finished Reading
October 1, 2022
– Shelved as:
horror
Comments Showing 1-29 of 29 (29 new)
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message 1:
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Rainz
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added it
Sep 12, 2022 01:42AM
![Rainz ❤️rainnbooks❤️(on a break)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1706879735p1/26511057.jpg)
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message 2:
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Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨
(last edited Sep 12, 2022 01:44AM)
(new)
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rated it 3 stars
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
I'm hoping to get to it this weekend because based on what I've read so far, I'm not going to want to put it down once I start. 😂
![debbicat *made of stardust*](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1671473323p1/12436728.jpg)
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Victoria Holt is perfect fall mood reading
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Do you read Phyllis A. Whitney as well?
![debbicat *made of stardust*](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1671473323p1/12436728.jpg)
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
go figure keep in mind I am not the most experienced book reviewer however I went for a certain arc and I got a really rude reply saying I am sorry but the author doesn't like the way your page looks if that isn't snooty I don't know what is
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Like your Goodreads??? :(
I once got a really rude response from a publisher accusing me of submitting a poorly formatted query when I submitted my request. They were like YOU DIDN'T PUT THE TITLE OF THE BOOK YOU WANTED IN THE HEADER when my header was literally "ARC REQUEST: NAME OF BOOK BY AUTHOR."
That is what I am thinking :(
oh well
oh well
![debbicat *made of stardust*](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1671473323p1/12436728.jpg)
oh you would be mad if you saw how. many I have. I have more Holt than anything else. (used hardbacks). Whitney gets a little out there sometimes. Holt is so easy to relax too. I have read more of Holt. I will have to add more on ebook tho. My eyes get so tired at times . I do love the advantages of an ereadrer.
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Sameeeee. Although I'm trying to switch to paperbacks at night because of the blue light.
Omg I am jealous. That sounds like an awesome collection.
![debbicat *made of stardust*](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1671473323p1/12436728.jpg)
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
It really is 😭
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
Fingers vrossed it's good fingers crossed it's good"
I really like it so far although I'm only about fifty pages in and it's all been build up. The atmosphere tho. 👌
message 22:
by
debbicat *made of stardust*
(last edited Sep 20, 2022 12:53PM)
(new)
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rated it 3 stars
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
The atmosphere is so good
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
It's a great haunted house story. If you're looking for things to watch, I also recommend the 2008 TV mini series, Crooked House, on Amazon Prime. 👻
![debbicat *made of stardust*](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1671473323p1/12436728.jpg)
![debbicat *made of stardust*](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1671473323p1/12436728.jpg)
It's a great haunted house story. If you're looking for things to watch, I also recommend the 2008 TV mini series, Crook..."
That is on my watchlist! Looks good!
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
I can't wait to see what you think ☺️
![Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images.gr-assets.com/users/1656046803p1/2190064.jpg)
It's a great haunted house story. If you're looking for things to watch..."
Yeah I don't like horror normally but it reminded me of some gothics I really liked, such as those by Marilyn Harris.