THE HACIENDA Book Review

The Hacienda is one of those books that’s received a lot of buzz – and I’m happy to report that it lived up to the hype.

I’ve seen a lot of bloggers/reviews comparing The Hacienda to Mexican Gothic, which was a DNF for me. So, it took me awhile to gather the courage to attempt The Hacienda.

I’m not sure why people keep comparing these two novels. Maybe — disappointingly — it’s because they’re both set in Mexico?? Sigh. It’s a shame because Mexican Gothic and The Hacienda couldn’t be more different.

Because The Hacienda is actually good. In fact, it’s fantastic.

What I loved about The Hacienda

I love a good, ol’ fashioned haunted house story, and that’s what this supernatural thriller by Isabel Cañas delivers. The novel starts off eerie and foreboding, then quickly moves into the downright terrifying and stays there for a joyful amount of time.

You’ve got both Rebecca and The Exorcist vibes going on, so it’s spooky and atmospheric and suspenseful. There’s also a bit of a forbidden romance between main character Beatriz and, well, someone who’s not her husband – and that’s always fun, too. **wink**

Cañas is a beautiful writer, and the way her words flow on the page keeps drawing you in. I finished The Hacienda in about two days because I just didn’t want to put it down, despite the nightmares it was giving me.

Should you read The Hacienda?

If your spooky story kryptonite is haunted houses with a touch of demonic possession, you should definitely read The Hacienda. I also think you’ll really like this novel if you’re a fan of Simone St. James or Jennifer McMahon. Keep an eye out for more books from Isabel Cañas, Tartlets. She’s one to watch.

Bonus: Read The Hacienda if you’re a historical fiction fan. You know I’m always looking for historical fiction that’s not centered around WW2 (because we have enough books on that topic, thankyouverymuch), and it was wonderfully refreshing to read something set in a time period and setting that’s “new” to me – 1820s Mexico. Cañas doesn’t delve too deeply into the nitty-gritty, but you get a good sense of the political and social upheaval going on in Mexico as you see it through Beatriz’s eyes.