What do you think?
Rate this book
Rooted
Author of Piñata, Leopoldo Goût's latest horror novel Rooted is a "a blood reckoning" (Marlon James) where one woman's return to Mexico City digs away the layers of her forgotten past and the Aztec gods she awakened.
Aurora, a successful art lawyer, has returned to Mexico to celebrate a recent campaign for the repatriation of stolen artifacts. In particular a mysterious statue of an Aztec god.
There’s nothing wrong with Aurora.
But Mexico City isn’t as she remembered, and as she cares for her ailing mother, home isn’t as she remembered either. Nothing is as she remembered. Elements of her past hint at darkness and power, and reality begins to crack and warp the streets.
There’s nothing wrong with Aurora.
But some sicknesses can’t be healed. As Aurora’s sanity unravels, she must pry apart her family’s secrets and accept the simplest of The Flayed One cannot stay buried.
Other Books by Leopoldo Goût
Piñata
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Aurora, a successful art lawyer, has returned to Mexico to celebrate a recent campaign for the repatriation of stolen artifacts. In particular a mysterious statue of an Aztec god.
There’s nothing wrong with Aurora.
But Mexico City isn’t as she remembered, and as she cares for her ailing mother, home isn’t as she remembered either. Nothing is as she remembered. Elements of her past hint at darkness and power, and reality begins to crack and warp the streets.
There’s nothing wrong with Aurora.
But some sicknesses can’t be healed. As Aurora’s sanity unravels, she must pry apart her family’s secrets and accept the simplest of The Flayed One cannot stay buried.
Other Books by Leopoldo Goût
Piñata
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2026
About the author
Leopoldo Gout
13 books308 followersLeopoldo Gout, author of Genius, is a writer, artist, and filmmaker who hails from Mexico. After studying in London, Gout produced the award-winning film Days of Grace, which A. O. Scott of the New York Times called “potent and vigorous.” He is the executive producer of the number one new show of the summer, sci-fi drama Zoo on CBS and is partnered with James Patterson Entertainment to produce Maximum Ride. Leopoldo Gout resides in New York City with his wife and two children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A quick review of what felt like a very long book for me.
Aurora has been away from Mexico for quite some time, so maybe it's not that unusual that things are markedly changed from her memories. But how can she have memories from before she was born? What mysterious illness is her mother suffering? And is she having some sort of breakdown, or are these dreams and hallucinations real?
I loved the prologue, but it gave away most of the plot.
"Mothers always hide things from their children. It's what we do. We carry burdens so our children don't have to."
History, folklore, body horror, mystery, it's all here if you can wait it out. The pace is very slow. I don't mean slow burn horror; I mean slow as molasses, especially compared to the prologue, which pulled me in right away. I wanted to love this as much as the author's previous book, Pinata, but it was just an ok read for me.
My thanks to Tor Nightfire for the paperback.
Aurora has been away from Mexico for quite some time, so maybe it's not that unusual that things are markedly changed from her memories. But how can she have memories from before she was born? What mysterious illness is her mother suffering? And is she having some sort of breakdown, or are these dreams and hallucinations real?
I loved the prologue, but it gave away most of the plot.
"Mothers always hide things from their children. It's what we do. We carry burdens so our children don't have to."
History, folklore, body horror, mystery, it's all here if you can wait it out. The pace is very slow. I don't mean slow burn horror; I mean slow as molasses, especially compared to the prologue, which pulled me in right away. I wanted to love this as much as the author's previous book, Pinata, but it was just an ok read for me.
My thanks to Tor Nightfire for the paperback.
Read
September 13, 2026Thank you Tor Nightfire for my free ARC of Rooted by Leopoldo Goût — out Sep 15!
» READ IF YOU «
🗿 know how terrifying Aztec mythology can be
🏙️ want your horror steeped in colonial reckoning
🐢 can handle a slow pace and an MC who does dumb things
» SYNOPSIS «
Aurora returns to Mexico City to celebrate the repatriation of a stolen Aztec artifact, a statue of a god known as the Flayed One. But the city seems foreign to her now, and she keeps seeing odd things. Caring for her sick mother, Aurora starts to question her grip on reality as old family secrets resurface and it becomes clear the Flayed One has no intention of resting quietly.
» REVIEW «
Firstly, I will be upfront and let y'all know that this book was a genuine struggle for me. Mostly because of the FMC, Aurora. She is described as 34 years old and an accomplished lawyer, but she reads more like 14 years old for a lot of the story. Her actions were sometimes so baffling that I had a hard time rooting for her, even when I wanted to. The disconnect between who she's supposed to be and how she actually reads on the page made it tough for me to invest in her unraveling.
Something that might have contributed to this, for me anyway, is the audio narration—I'd (for once) recommend reading this one with your eyeballs rather than your earballs. The narrator is wonderful, but her performance leaned youthful, and it might have influenced me even further in that direction. So if you go in via text instead, Aurora's age might land more convincingly for you. Let me know if so!
The mythology and the setting are the strongest, most enjoyable parts of the book. Goût clearly knows how to make Mexico City itself feel alive and unstable, and the Aztec lore woven into the heart of the story is compelling and terrifying. The prologue alone SLAPS! I just wish I had connected with the character carrying us through this journey.
» RATING «
🗿 I'm Uprooted 🗿
» READ-A-LIKES «
• No Place to Bury the Dead by Karina Sainz Borgo
• Bochica by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro
• Eating Ashes by Brenda Navarro
• Coco (2017 film)
» READ IF YOU «
🗿 know how terrifying Aztec mythology can be
🏙️ want your horror steeped in colonial reckoning
🐢 can handle a slow pace and an MC who does dumb things
» SYNOPSIS «
Aurora returns to Mexico City to celebrate the repatriation of a stolen Aztec artifact, a statue of a god known as the Flayed One. But the city seems foreign to her now, and she keeps seeing odd things. Caring for her sick mother, Aurora starts to question her grip on reality as old family secrets resurface and it becomes clear the Flayed One has no intention of resting quietly.
» REVIEW «
Firstly, I will be upfront and let y'all know that this book was a genuine struggle for me. Mostly because of the FMC, Aurora. She is described as 34 years old and an accomplished lawyer, but she reads more like 14 years old for a lot of the story. Her actions were sometimes so baffling that I had a hard time rooting for her, even when I wanted to. The disconnect between who she's supposed to be and how she actually reads on the page made it tough for me to invest in her unraveling.
Something that might have contributed to this, for me anyway, is the audio narration—I'd (for once) recommend reading this one with your eyeballs rather than your earballs. The narrator is wonderful, but her performance leaned youthful, and it might have influenced me even further in that direction. So if you go in via text instead, Aurora's age might land more convincingly for you. Let me know if so!
The mythology and the setting are the strongest, most enjoyable parts of the book. Goût clearly knows how to make Mexico City itself feel alive and unstable, and the Aztec lore woven into the heart of the story is compelling and terrifying. The prologue alone SLAPS! I just wish I had connected with the character carrying us through this journey.
» RATING «
🗿 I'm Uprooted 🗿
» READ-A-LIKES «
• No Place to Bury the Dead by Karina Sainz Borgo
• Bochica by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro
• Eating Ashes by Brenda Navarro
• Coco (2017 film)
June 28, 2026
What an absolute banger of a prologue. I was impressed by how visceral and emotionally strong the opening felt. Anger, rage, sadness, hope, gruesome death, and a terrifying statue.
Therein lies the dilemma. It was so hard to live up to this. The subsequent story does not add significantly to what we learn in the opener by inference (if you have decent reading comprehension skills).
If you are interested in the Aztec god(s) and learning more of the culture it is a worthwhile read but would have been stronger as a shorter novella. I’ll still look forward to reading more by Leopoldo Gout in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Therein lies the dilemma. It was so hard to live up to this. The subsequent story does not add significantly to what we learn in the opener by inference (if you have decent reading comprehension skills).
If you are interested in the Aztec god(s) and learning more of the culture it is a worthwhile read but would have been stronger as a shorter novella. I’ll still look forward to reading more by Leopoldo Gout in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Did Not Finish
June 15, 2026Piñata is one of my favorite books of all time, so I was incredibly excited for Rooted! However, this just fell flat for me. I couldn’t finish it.
This story started off so disturbing. I was hooked from the prologue. And I can say that it was consistently creepy throughout the story. However, the pacing was sooo slow. Although there were these creepy moments throughout, the pacing was TOO consistent to the point where the story became repetitive. There were no exciting moments or big reveals. It was consistently creepy, but nothing new was happening. And I feel like I figure out the “big reveal” pretty early on in the book. And since the story became very boring to me, I never felt called to finish. I stopped reading at 79%.
I feel like this story would’ve been much better as a novella.
Thank you Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.
This story started off so disturbing. I was hooked from the prologue. And I can say that it was consistently creepy throughout the story. However, the pacing was sooo slow. Although there were these creepy moments throughout, the pacing was TOO consistent to the point where the story became repetitive. There were no exciting moments or big reveals. It was consistently creepy, but nothing new was happening. And I feel like I figure out the “big reveal” pretty early on in the book. And since the story became very boring to me, I never felt called to finish. I stopped reading at 79%.
I feel like this story would’ve been much better as a novella.
Thank you Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.
September 12, 2026
2.5 rounded up
The prologue got me hooked. The history in this book was super interesting but everything else just fell flat for me. The prologue is the book. That’s it. The pacing is absolutely brutal and the horror was just ok at times. This felt more like a mystery for MC than anything the way she’s always confused and trying to figure things out. I also got whiplash from her calling her mother by her government name and back to mama? Is it regular for children in this culture to call their parents by their full names? Or elders in general? I hate that I didn’t enjoy this because I had high hopes.
The prologue got me hooked. The history in this book was super interesting but everything else just fell flat for me. The prologue is the book. That’s it. The pacing is absolutely brutal and the horror was just ok at times. This felt more like a mystery for MC than anything the way she’s always confused and trying to figure things out. I also got whiplash from her calling her mother by her government name and back to mama? Is it regular for children in this culture to call their parents by their full names? Or elders in general? I hate that I didn’t enjoy this because I had high hopes.
July 15, 2026
First, thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
After loving Piñata, I was incredibly excited to pick up another horror novel by Leopoldo Goût, and Rooted absolutely delivered what I’ve come to expect from his writing.
This is not fast-paced, jump-scare horror.
It’s a slow burn steeped in Mesoamerican mythology, family secrets, identity, sacrifice, and history. If you’ve read Piñata, you’ll recognize that same deliberate pacing and richly layered storytelling. Personally, I think it works. The slower pace allows the tension to build naturally, making Aurora’s gradual unraveling feel all the more unsettling.
And that opening…
The prologue immediately grabs your attention with some wonderfully grotesque body horror, setting the tone for a story that’s creepy, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling. While this is undeniably a horror novel, it’s also so much more than that. Beneath the horror lies a thoughtful exploration of cultural identity, repatriation, family, and the complicated relationship between history and the present.
One of my favorite aspects was the setting itself. As someone who’s very familiar with Mexico City, I loved how vividly Goût brings it to life. Whether Aurora was walking through the Centro Histórico, passing Templo Mayor, or making her way to the Metro, I could picture every street and every landmark. The city isn’t just a backdrop—it feels like another character in the story.
That said, I do think the pacing occasionally became too slow. There were stretches that felt a bit repetitive, and I found myself wishing some of that time had been spent expanding the mythology even further. Xipe Totec has such an incredible presence throughout the novel that I wanted even more. The same goes for the repatriated artifacts themselves—they’re fascinating, and I would’ve loved to see their role explored in greater depth. Likewise, Ociel’s storyline felt a little rushed by the end, especially after such a carefully paced build-up.
Even with those criticisms, I found this to be a beautifully written novel. Goût has such a poetic writing style, and he has a remarkable ability to weave horror together with culture, history, and mythology without sacrificing either. The result is a story that’s eerie, thought-provoking, and deeply immersive.
This won’t be for everyone. It’s a patient, atmospheric horror novel that asks you to sit with its themes as much as its scares. But if you’re looking for horror that’s rooted in mythology, culture, and identity—and especially if you enjoyed Piñata—I think you’ll find a lot to appreciate here.
After loving Piñata, I was incredibly excited to pick up another horror novel by Leopoldo Goût, and Rooted absolutely delivered what I’ve come to expect from his writing.
This is not fast-paced, jump-scare horror.
It’s a slow burn steeped in Mesoamerican mythology, family secrets, identity, sacrifice, and history. If you’ve read Piñata, you’ll recognize that same deliberate pacing and richly layered storytelling. Personally, I think it works. The slower pace allows the tension to build naturally, making Aurora’s gradual unraveling feel all the more unsettling.
And that opening…
The prologue immediately grabs your attention with some wonderfully grotesque body horror, setting the tone for a story that’s creepy, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling. While this is undeniably a horror novel, it’s also so much more than that. Beneath the horror lies a thoughtful exploration of cultural identity, repatriation, family, and the complicated relationship between history and the present.
One of my favorite aspects was the setting itself. As someone who’s very familiar with Mexico City, I loved how vividly Goût brings it to life. Whether Aurora was walking through the Centro Histórico, passing Templo Mayor, or making her way to the Metro, I could picture every street and every landmark. The city isn’t just a backdrop—it feels like another character in the story.
That said, I do think the pacing occasionally became too slow. There were stretches that felt a bit repetitive, and I found myself wishing some of that time had been spent expanding the mythology even further. Xipe Totec has such an incredible presence throughout the novel that I wanted even more. The same goes for the repatriated artifacts themselves—they’re fascinating, and I would’ve loved to see their role explored in greater depth. Likewise, Ociel’s storyline felt a little rushed by the end, especially after such a carefully paced build-up.
Even with those criticisms, I found this to be a beautifully written novel. Goût has such a poetic writing style, and he has a remarkable ability to weave horror together with culture, history, and mythology without sacrificing either. The result is a story that’s eerie, thought-provoking, and deeply immersive.
This won’t be for everyone. It’s a patient, atmospheric horror novel that asks you to sit with its themes as much as its scares. But if you’re looking for horror that’s rooted in mythology, culture, and identity—and especially if you enjoyed Piñata—I think you’ll find a lot to appreciate here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2026
This book has one of the most killer openings that I’ve read, and I’ll certainly be thinking about the setup for some time. The rest of the book is definitely more slow-burn horror, but it is visceral and raw in a way that I really enjoyed.
This book certainly won’t be for everyone. If I had one critique, I would say the book feels repetitive in some spots. But I do applaud the author for writing a book that doesn’t feel like any other horror book that I’ve read. By beautifully capturing Mexican/Aztec history and Nahua culture/mythology, he has created something truly singular. While the story and mythologies relied upon may be different, the themes are wholly relatable.
This book ultimately grapples with identity and the idea of home - is home a place or where your people are? Since this book deals so heavily with Nahua culture and folklore, this is a particularly interesting idea as with many indigenous groups, the idea of home becomes difficult to grasp when your home was taken or colonized. With the setup of this book being about artifacts being repatriated from colonizer countries back to Mexico, these ideas really resonate and spread throughout the novel. Having our main character, Aurora, also returning to Mexico after years away, the connections can be made at both the societal and personal level about what home is and what happens to your identity when you lose your home.
This book deals with some heavy topics for a horror novel, but I think the author does a spectacular job of keeping things grounded while also having a lot to say on the legacy left behind by colonialism in Mexico on both the people and the land. The horrors of this novel, while graphic and truly chilling, pale in comparison to the violence inflicted on the original inhabitants and the land itself. This book in parts reads like an eco-horror which I really enjoyed. I hope this book finds its audience because I definitely think the themes will resonate with so many readers, and I think this is the kind of story that needs to be told more often.
This book certainly won’t be for everyone. If I had one critique, I would say the book feels repetitive in some spots. But I do applaud the author for writing a book that doesn’t feel like any other horror book that I’ve read. By beautifully capturing Mexican/Aztec history and Nahua culture/mythology, he has created something truly singular. While the story and mythologies relied upon may be different, the themes are wholly relatable.
This book ultimately grapples with identity and the idea of home - is home a place or where your people are? Since this book deals so heavily with Nahua culture and folklore, this is a particularly interesting idea as with many indigenous groups, the idea of home becomes difficult to grasp when your home was taken or colonized. With the setup of this book being about artifacts being repatriated from colonizer countries back to Mexico, these ideas really resonate and spread throughout the novel. Having our main character, Aurora, also returning to Mexico after years away, the connections can be made at both the societal and personal level about what home is and what happens to your identity when you lose your home.
This book deals with some heavy topics for a horror novel, but I think the author does a spectacular job of keeping things grounded while also having a lot to say on the legacy left behind by colonialism in Mexico on both the people and the land. The horrors of this novel, while graphic and truly chilling, pale in comparison to the violence inflicted on the original inhabitants and the land itself. This book in parts reads like an eco-horror which I really enjoyed. I hope this book finds its audience because I definitely think the themes will resonate with so many readers, and I think this is the kind of story that needs to be told more often.
Read
September 14, 2026ARC review; thanks to Tor Publishing Group, Tor Nightfire, and NetGalley for the early access to this ebook. Pub date: Sep 15, 2026.
I have mixed feelings about this book, but I can say that, overall, I liked it well enough; I just thought and expected it to be better.
It started very strong, with a prologue that's easily a 5-star short story on its own. But then, when we start with the main story, this kind of fell off for me because it became incredibly slow. Borderline uninteresting until the 60 to 70% mark. While it wasn't super engaging, that chunk of the book was still easy to get through, I just wish it wasn't so long. It would've benefitted the story if it was cut down, in my opinion.
Then, at the 60 to 70% mark, things start picking up again and getting more engaging, and I liked the ending. I still think the story leaves a few things up in the air, and there are a couple of plot holes that defy logic a bit, but hey, this is magical realism mixed with horror, so I guess that kind of thing can be forgiven.
I wish I connected more with the main character, Aurora, and I wish this had more of The Flayed One's presence, but I still liked how the deity was used and there is quite a lot of disturbing, gorey imagery in this story, which is always fun.
Overall, a solid 3-star book that could've been 5 stars for me if some things were different.
I have mixed feelings about this book, but I can say that, overall, I liked it well enough; I just thought and expected it to be better.
It started very strong, with a prologue that's easily a 5-star short story on its own. But then, when we start with the main story, this kind of fell off for me because it became incredibly slow. Borderline uninteresting until the 60 to 70% mark. While it wasn't super engaging, that chunk of the book was still easy to get through, I just wish it wasn't so long. It would've benefitted the story if it was cut down, in my opinion.
Then, at the 60 to 70% mark, things start picking up again and getting more engaging, and I liked the ending. I still think the story leaves a few things up in the air, and there are a couple of plot holes that defy logic a bit, but hey, this is magical realism mixed with horror, so I guess that kind of thing can be forgiven.
I wish I connected more with the main character, Aurora, and I wish this had more of The Flayed One's presence, but I still liked how the deity was used and there is quite a lot of disturbing, gorey imagery in this story, which is always fun.
Overall, a solid 3-star book that could've been 5 stars for me if some things were different.
September 10, 2026
An interesting read that deals with Aztecs, dark gods and cursed families.
Practices of families that once used to worship to Gods that provided abundance of crops, well needed rain for drought driven land and the promise of cooler air through powerful winds.
Aurora, the MC, has procured the rights to return certain artifacts and art from European museums back to their place of origin-Mexico, in this case. Inside one of the crates is a statue dating back to early 1800’s and that is where the terror, truly begins.
Night terrors, sleepwalking, ghostly images and realizing one’s fears are based off actual happenings in one’s own family history, is most unsettling.
Is it the belief that a non worshipped god can be vengeful? That if one person mocks its previous family’s beliefs and ownership of a god statue, it can curse the next generation?
Truly fascinating and yet deeply disturbing.
Thanks to TOR Nightfire for this arc and a chance at another new horror author.
Practices of families that once used to worship to Gods that provided abundance of crops, well needed rain for drought driven land and the promise of cooler air through powerful winds.
Aurora, the MC, has procured the rights to return certain artifacts and art from European museums back to their place of origin-Mexico, in this case. Inside one of the crates is a statue dating back to early 1800’s and that is where the terror, truly begins.
Night terrors, sleepwalking, ghostly images and realizing one’s fears are based off actual happenings in one’s own family history, is most unsettling.
Is it the belief that a non worshipped god can be vengeful? That if one person mocks its previous family’s beliefs and ownership of a god statue, it can curse the next generation?
Truly fascinating and yet deeply disturbing.
Thanks to TOR Nightfire for this arc and a chance at another new horror author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rooted by Leopoldo Goût is all about family and roots. There are scenes from this book that grossed me out and horrified me. I couldn’t believe the twist as I never even thought it could happen but happen it does. I want everyone to read it so I have someone to talk about it with. Restoration of Aztec statues is just the beginning. Krysta Gonzales rocked it as the narrator. I’m going to have to rate this 5 stars because it got under my skin. Winky face! ALC was provided by Spotify Audiobooks via NetGalley. I received an audiobook listening copy for free and I am leaving this feedback voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you can't trust what you see with your eyes, how can you know it's real?
Leopoldo Goût writes amazing horror. I never know what is coming, but I know it's going to be creepy and slightly disturbing.
I recommend going in as blind as you can to Rooted. You will never guess what comes out of the novel. Goût builds the tension so well, with a blend of grotesque, I was shocked and anxious for Aurora throughout.
Thank you Netgalley, Leopoldo Goût, and Tor for the advanced copy. My review is voluntary and honest
Leopoldo Goût writes amazing horror. I never know what is coming, but I know it's going to be creepy and slightly disturbing.
I recommend going in as blind as you can to Rooted. You will never guess what comes out of the novel. Goût builds the tension so well, with a blend of grotesque, I was shocked and anxious for Aurora throughout.
Thank you Netgalley, Leopoldo Goût, and Tor for the advanced copy. My review is voluntary and honest
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an advance copy of this novel or horror set in the modern capital city of Mexico, about a young woman returning home for the first time, and feeling out of place, haunted by dreams, strange people in the streets, and a statue from the past that seems oddly familiar.
Home doesn't mean the same thing for many people. While some think of no place like home, home is where the heart is, others know that sometimes one can't go home. Especially a home that looks the same as when you left it years before, a home a mother never admitted to giving up. A home with the same shadows, same darkness where dreams came to life and everybody seemed haunted, and not alone. Even success doesn't bring peace, in fact this success might have brought something even darker into the home. Something ancient, something with a desire and need for blood. Rooted by Leopoldo Goût is a story of horror, mixing modern stories of alienation, colonialism and the theft of art, pharmaceuticals, and folk horror, into a tale uniquely its own.
Aurora is returning to Mexico City for the first time since her family left for Texas. Aurora was once a lawyer, a good one, but the life of corporate law was not for her. Aurora instead turned her skills to returning stolen works, bringing the past of her country home so they can be seen, not sitting in far away museums. Aurora is celebrating a big win, and seeing her old family apartment for the first time in years. A place Aurora didn't even know her mother kept. Emotions and thoughts come flooding back to her, which is not good, as Aurora has a problem both with her dreams, and with seeing odd things in people. Coming home has only made this worse. This is before a strange statue, one without provenance is found in her repatriated art. A statue of the Flayed One, an old Aztec God, that hides quite a lot under its peeling stone. Something dark, and something that knows Aurora, and the secrets inside her family.
A really atmospheric story, a mix of folk, ancient gods, and the art history of stolen works and reparations. The story starts of icky, and keeps going, dropping hints, suggestions and secrets as the book goes on. The characters are quite good, Aurora and her mother, along with long gone grandmother, are developed well, with a past that slowly unravels itself. Goût does a very good job keeping things moving. Dropping in a bit of medical lore in Zoom therapy sessions, a bit of family past, along with strangers on the streets talking about things under the skin. I liked the build of the story, the knowing that something bad was coming, but not what, and how bad things were going to get. A really strong story, with a bit a lot of information, a strong setting that helps in the scares, and characters one cares about.
This was my first reading of anything by Goût, and I really enjoyed it. I liked the different places the book took me, the mythology that I was unfamiliar with, and how things made sense, at least until madness came about. A very dark book, but one I really enjoyed, by an author I can't wait to read more of.
Home doesn't mean the same thing for many people. While some think of no place like home, home is where the heart is, others know that sometimes one can't go home. Especially a home that looks the same as when you left it years before, a home a mother never admitted to giving up. A home with the same shadows, same darkness where dreams came to life and everybody seemed haunted, and not alone. Even success doesn't bring peace, in fact this success might have brought something even darker into the home. Something ancient, something with a desire and need for blood. Rooted by Leopoldo Goût is a story of horror, mixing modern stories of alienation, colonialism and the theft of art, pharmaceuticals, and folk horror, into a tale uniquely its own.
Aurora is returning to Mexico City for the first time since her family left for Texas. Aurora was once a lawyer, a good one, but the life of corporate law was not for her. Aurora instead turned her skills to returning stolen works, bringing the past of her country home so they can be seen, not sitting in far away museums. Aurora is celebrating a big win, and seeing her old family apartment for the first time in years. A place Aurora didn't even know her mother kept. Emotions and thoughts come flooding back to her, which is not good, as Aurora has a problem both with her dreams, and with seeing odd things in people. Coming home has only made this worse. This is before a strange statue, one without provenance is found in her repatriated art. A statue of the Flayed One, an old Aztec God, that hides quite a lot under its peeling stone. Something dark, and something that knows Aurora, and the secrets inside her family.
A really atmospheric story, a mix of folk, ancient gods, and the art history of stolen works and reparations. The story starts of icky, and keeps going, dropping hints, suggestions and secrets as the book goes on. The characters are quite good, Aurora and her mother, along with long gone grandmother, are developed well, with a past that slowly unravels itself. Goût does a very good job keeping things moving. Dropping in a bit of medical lore in Zoom therapy sessions, a bit of family past, along with strangers on the streets talking about things under the skin. I liked the build of the story, the knowing that something bad was coming, but not what, and how bad things were going to get. A really strong story, with a bit a lot of information, a strong setting that helps in the scares, and characters one cares about.
This was my first reading of anything by Goût, and I really enjoyed it. I liked the different places the book took me, the mythology that I was unfamiliar with, and how things made sense, at least until madness came about. A very dark book, but one I really enjoyed, by an author I can't wait to read more of.
August 30, 2026
Such a chilling and complex twist on the more recent folk horror trend (which I’m fully subscribed to btw). I’ve had this on my TBR for a while and I’m grateful to the publisher for allowing access to the arc early so I can let you know that this will be one of the horror Bangers capital B of 2026 and I hope it inspires a wave of indigenous Mexican fiction in the horror space
The construction of this book mirrors the content here, with the roots of the story slowly squirmy their way through dirt and debris and erupting into a beautiful bloom in the final act. The slow burn horror vines of this do require a bit of patience, but as someone who appreciates literary horror that leans more character-forward, I LOVED how the body horror and the more cosmic horror sinks into your skin slowly like this
The horror of this book is familiar and unsettling in a way you haven’t felt since you were a child; avoiding that one spot in your grandma’s house you couldn’t look at directly at night. That vulnerable fear of the dark as a kid in a place you’re meant to be the safest and there’s no way anyone could protect you from things they can’t see
The story is largely about Aurora’s reconnection with her family, confronting childhood trauma, rebirth, and accepting love and sacrifice. Of course there is the backdrop of Mexico City imbued with the certainty that the gods will take back what is rightfully theirs; this ancient land will always take precedence over the colonizers who built on top of its roots. Personally, I was more intruiged by those themes of reclamation on a macro-scale in relation to Mexico and the Aztec empire over the more quaint moments of Aurora’s upbringing, but both complement each other well. There were just moments where I wished the emphasis on that from the beginning of the book was stronger in the middle sections but it could be a matter of personal interest
I’ll also say that the resolution of this book felt slightly muddled and unsure to me. It was a beautiful statement about love and sacrifice, especially as an metaphor for Aurora’s experience with her identity, but I’m left slightly unsatisfied by how some of the TERRIFIC and HORRIFIC moments from earlier in the book sort of petered out. I mean, it wasn’t totally unresolved but the horror elements are so well done here, I was hoping to land the plane in a way that would tie all the strings together and there was just a few loose strings.
Also, since the horror was so delicious to me at the beginning, the ending sort of loses that freakish magic. Without spoiling, I understand it kind of has to lose the horror for it to work but it did make it a bit harder to want to pick up toward the end. Still a beautiful ending in its message though
Anywhosies. I really did quite love this one and I recommend picking it up!
The construction of this book mirrors the content here, with the roots of the story slowly squirmy their way through dirt and debris and erupting into a beautiful bloom in the final act. The slow burn horror vines of this do require a bit of patience, but as someone who appreciates literary horror that leans more character-forward, I LOVED how the body horror and the more cosmic horror sinks into your skin slowly like this
The horror of this book is familiar and unsettling in a way you haven’t felt since you were a child; avoiding that one spot in your grandma’s house you couldn’t look at directly at night. That vulnerable fear of the dark as a kid in a place you’re meant to be the safest and there’s no way anyone could protect you from things they can’t see
The story is largely about Aurora’s reconnection with her family, confronting childhood trauma, rebirth, and accepting love and sacrifice. Of course there is the backdrop of Mexico City imbued with the certainty that the gods will take back what is rightfully theirs; this ancient land will always take precedence over the colonizers who built on top of its roots. Personally, I was more intruiged by those themes of reclamation on a macro-scale in relation to Mexico and the Aztec empire over the more quaint moments of Aurora’s upbringing, but both complement each other well. There were just moments where I wished the emphasis on that from the beginning of the book was stronger in the middle sections but it could be a matter of personal interest
I’ll also say that the resolution of this book felt slightly muddled and unsure to me. It was a beautiful statement about love and sacrifice, especially as an metaphor for Aurora’s experience with her identity, but I’m left slightly unsatisfied by how some of the TERRIFIC and HORRIFIC moments from earlier in the book sort of petered out. I mean, it wasn’t totally unresolved but the horror elements are so well done here, I was hoping to land the plane in a way that would tie all the strings together and there was just a few loose strings.
Also, since the horror was so delicious to me at the beginning, the ending sort of loses that freakish magic. Without spoiling, I understand it kind of has to lose the horror for it to work but it did make it a bit harder to want to pick up toward the end. Still a beautiful ending in its message though
Anywhosies. I really did quite love this one and I recommend picking it up!
August 29, 2026
Disclosure Statement: I received a finished copy of this novel from the publisher. My thoughts and opinions have not been influenced in any way by either the publisher or the author.
Rooted is Mexican Gothic through and through, picking at postcolonial concepts and grasping for a future released from the historic subjugation of indigenous peoples by European culture. Set in Mexico City and dealing with the civic decay of the city, the book sets out to recover history and the philosophy of life of earlier Mesoamerican cultures as a lens to refocus our attention on the world we live in.
One of the things I love the most about this book is how much is done to resituate indigenous culture back into the dialogue of how we should move toward a better, more equitable future. I don't mean to say that figures like Xipe Totec are intended as egalitarian figures, but that the book revisits indigenous culture without the lens of colonialism and its specific oppressions, allowing for an alternative imagining of what Mexico City's future could be. It's the book's fearless ability to think outside the pressures of modern capital that have me the most excited about Goût's work.
His Xipe Totec thus becomes less a central figure of horror and one of potential renewal, even if some of his horrifying aspects remain. But Goût asks us what we really think of as horror, and why it so often is predicated on the colonial mindset. Rather than something that must be suppressed and contained, Goût insists throughout the novel that these figures should be part of our modern discourse, and deserve to be read not as white Europeans might have us read them, but as indigenous cultures would have presented them, with all their nuances and rich themes.
The book also ties together these aspects of repression with a reflection on how we sublimate our own power away in favor of a more palatable presentation of self, how we carve away the powerful parts of our histories and our personalities to make us more presentable to the world--and how much that can cost when it comes to how we navigate society. Rather than fetter ourselves, our histories, our stories, the book insists that we confront our power, that we think of what we can do to rejuvenate our communities, and to restore the wonders hidden away and buried beneath the crumbling facade of a society imperiled by the appetites and attitudes of colonialism and capital.
Deeply rooted in personal and emotional stakes and keenly aware of our cultural moment, Rooted presents a powerful statement on our relationship to the past and the importance of our futures.
Rooted is Mexican Gothic through and through, picking at postcolonial concepts and grasping for a future released from the historic subjugation of indigenous peoples by European culture. Set in Mexico City and dealing with the civic decay of the city, the book sets out to recover history and the philosophy of life of earlier Mesoamerican cultures as a lens to refocus our attention on the world we live in.
One of the things I love the most about this book is how much is done to resituate indigenous culture back into the dialogue of how we should move toward a better, more equitable future. I don't mean to say that figures like Xipe Totec are intended as egalitarian figures, but that the book revisits indigenous culture without the lens of colonialism and its specific oppressions, allowing for an alternative imagining of what Mexico City's future could be. It's the book's fearless ability to think outside the pressures of modern capital that have me the most excited about Goût's work.
His Xipe Totec thus becomes less a central figure of horror and one of potential renewal, even if some of his horrifying aspects remain. But Goût asks us what we really think of as horror, and why it so often is predicated on the colonial mindset. Rather than something that must be suppressed and contained, Goût insists throughout the novel that these figures should be part of our modern discourse, and deserve to be read not as white Europeans might have us read them, but as indigenous cultures would have presented them, with all their nuances and rich themes.
The book also ties together these aspects of repression with a reflection on how we sublimate our own power away in favor of a more palatable presentation of self, how we carve away the powerful parts of our histories and our personalities to make us more presentable to the world--and how much that can cost when it comes to how we navigate society. Rather than fetter ourselves, our histories, our stories, the book insists that we confront our power, that we think of what we can do to rejuvenate our communities, and to restore the wonders hidden away and buried beneath the crumbling facade of a society imperiled by the appetites and attitudes of colonialism and capital.
Deeply rooted in personal and emotional stakes and keenly aware of our cultural moment, Rooted presents a powerful statement on our relationship to the past and the importance of our futures.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I saw this book on Net Galley and was immediately smitten with the cover. It is both terrifying and compelling to me. Unfortunately I had requested a few too many "Eyeball" reader copies, but when I saw the audio from Spotify, I RAN for it so so fast.
I have been burned a few times by covers, so I did look at the blurb. AND, YES I did want to read a book involving an ancient Aztec God called The Flayed One. I mean, really...releasing in early fall, this is PRIME Autumnal reading material. The leaves crunching under my feet, chilly mornings with fog rolling in, and cold nights with a crackling fire.
Without any spoilers- we join Aurora, and her ex boyfriend as they work together as a team to repatriate Mexican artifacts to their rightful place. It's a bit unclear where the artifacts have been, but some appear to have been living, and wreaking havoc in Spain for centuries. One of the artifacts is a mysterious status of the Flayed one- an Aztec god who would flay parts of his body off for seeds and nutrients for the soil. It sounds creepy- and honestly it really is creepy. I suggest a bit of a google of this one. I went down a rabbit hole and I am grateful to the author because that was one amazing and cool rabbit hole.
Things in Mexico City aren't right. Aurora herself was prone to odd hallucinations and headaches as a child, and with her main narration, readers aren't ever sure if she is having a breakdown or, if unusual plants are really sprouting across the pavement. As she is doing her best to complete the work, navigate her ill mother and her ex boyfriend she becomes increasingly disturbed. The museum artifacts seem to be almost speaking to her, and she has found documents at her childhood home that indicate she may not be exactly who she believed herself to be.
As Aurora unravels, and the story picks up steam readers can expect botanical horror, body horror, secrets unveiled all occurring at a rapid pace. Gout leads the reader to one conclusion only to pivot to one that is broader and more astounding. I loved it!
Krysta Gonzalez is the narrator, and I appreciated that she took on a tough task of voicing Aurora at many ages and life stages. Her narration was smooth and pleasant to listen to- in fact, I finished this book in about 3 days - a record for me.
I have been burned a few times by covers, so I did look at the blurb. AND, YES I did want to read a book involving an ancient Aztec God called The Flayed One. I mean, really...releasing in early fall, this is PRIME Autumnal reading material. The leaves crunching under my feet, chilly mornings with fog rolling in, and cold nights with a crackling fire.
Without any spoilers- we join Aurora, and her ex boyfriend as they work together as a team to repatriate Mexican artifacts to their rightful place. It's a bit unclear where the artifacts have been, but some appear to have been living, and wreaking havoc in Spain for centuries. One of the artifacts is a mysterious status of the Flayed one- an Aztec god who would flay parts of his body off for seeds and nutrients for the soil. It sounds creepy- and honestly it really is creepy. I suggest a bit of a google of this one. I went down a rabbit hole and I am grateful to the author because that was one amazing and cool rabbit hole.
Things in Mexico City aren't right. Aurora herself was prone to odd hallucinations and headaches as a child, and with her main narration, readers aren't ever sure if she is having a breakdown or, if unusual plants are really sprouting across the pavement. As she is doing her best to complete the work, navigate her ill mother and her ex boyfriend she becomes increasingly disturbed. The museum artifacts seem to be almost speaking to her, and she has found documents at her childhood home that indicate she may not be exactly who she believed herself to be.
As Aurora unravels, and the story picks up steam readers can expect botanical horror, body horror, secrets unveiled all occurring at a rapid pace. Gout leads the reader to one conclusion only to pivot to one that is broader and more astounding. I loved it!
Krysta Gonzalez is the narrator, and I appreciated that she took on a tough task of voicing Aurora at many ages and life stages. Her narration was smooth and pleasant to listen to- in fact, I finished this book in about 3 days - a record for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
TL;DR: A genuinely creepy and beautiful story about a child’s choices.
Source: NetGalley, so many thanks to the publisher!
Plot: A woman struggles with nightmares and possible memories after returning home to Mexico.
Characters: These characters worked so well in their roles here. I was genuinely afraid and worried for them.
Setting: Mexico City felt like a fantastic character here, the way the city changed and evolved just enough for the shape of the story was excellent.
Horror: This is the type of horror that makes you question reality and what the character is seeing, excellent stuff.
Thoughts:
I love a good horror that makes you question the character more than anything else in the story. What are they seeing, what is real? Especially when memories come into question. Not the absence of them but how valid are they? A good writer can really make this work in their favor, and Leopoldo Goût is that kind of a writer.
Aurora has returned to Mexico City on the tails of a group of artifacts she has been working to return to home and to her people. She’s a intelligent and respected lawyer, and there is nothing wrong with her. Yet when the artifacts begin to reveal themselves and she spends some time in the apartment that has plagued her nightmares, things begin to unravel.
This one was incredibly atmospheric. From the jump I adored the setting. I’ve never been to Mexico City but it felt like a living, breathing place in the story. I could feel the dry air, the heat, and each time it changed or evolved I was entranced. Aurora herself was a character I loved as well. Her ideas, and personality. She wasn’t perfect but she was smart. We didn’t get any of the classic ‘what an idiot’ moments so many horror novels and books have.
This one also had themes of art history, culture, and history in general that added a lot of wonderful depth without overwhelming the story. I just genuinely loved this. Even after a day on my feet in the heat doing work I wanted nothing but to lay down with this and find out it’s secrets.
This was a hit for me and I really recommend it.
Source: NetGalley, so many thanks to the publisher!
Plot: A woman struggles with nightmares and possible memories after returning home to Mexico.
Characters: These characters worked so well in their roles here. I was genuinely afraid and worried for them.
Setting: Mexico City felt like a fantastic character here, the way the city changed and evolved just enough for the shape of the story was excellent.
Horror: This is the type of horror that makes you question reality and what the character is seeing, excellent stuff.
Thoughts:
I love a good horror that makes you question the character more than anything else in the story. What are they seeing, what is real? Especially when memories come into question. Not the absence of them but how valid are they? A good writer can really make this work in their favor, and Leopoldo Goût is that kind of a writer.
Aurora has returned to Mexico City on the tails of a group of artifacts she has been working to return to home and to her people. She’s a intelligent and respected lawyer, and there is nothing wrong with her. Yet when the artifacts begin to reveal themselves and she spends some time in the apartment that has plagued her nightmares, things begin to unravel.
This one was incredibly atmospheric. From the jump I adored the setting. I’ve never been to Mexico City but it felt like a living, breathing place in the story. I could feel the dry air, the heat, and each time it changed or evolved I was entranced. Aurora herself was a character I loved as well. Her ideas, and personality. She wasn’t perfect but she was smart. We didn’t get any of the classic ‘what an idiot’ moments so many horror novels and books have.
This one also had themes of art history, culture, and history in general that added a lot of wonderful depth without overwhelming the story. I just genuinely loved this. Even after a day on my feet in the heat doing work I wanted nothing but to lay down with this and find out it’s secrets.
This was a hit for me and I really recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rooted is a slow burn eco/religious/body horror centered around a jaded art lawyer and her mission to repatriate ancient artifacts to Mexico. What she doesn't anticipate is that much like a stunted plant, once both the relics, and herself, are free to dig their roots into their native soil, once they're home, the result is a rapid and unexpected awakening that affects not just Aurora's hard won mental stability, but the structural stability of Mexico City as a whole.
The story paints a tender and comprehensible portrait of an ancient god whose complexity has been thoroughly maligned outside of the context in which he was worshipped. Xipe Totec, a fleshless god robed in the skin of another, presents an unquestionably ghastly image; especially to a world so removed from its roots. Rooted does not flinch away from that, but asserts rather bluntly the cyclical nature of creation: life is death, death is decay, decay feeds the forest floor, and from that rich loam springs life eternal. There's no attempt at gentling the imagery to make The Flayed One more palatable, instead Goût leans into the full complexity of the fertility god: life, death, rebirth, rot, agriculture, skin afflictions, healing - I appreciate gods that are allowed to be as multifaceted as the people who worship them.
Aside from the obvious horror elements, Rooted is a testimony to the unconditional love of family and their willingness to shoulder unfathomable weight for those who cannot, or should not, bear it. Despite our main character being well into her adult years, Rooted is truly a coming-of-age story in which a lost little girl is finally in a position to accept her destiny and fully step into her power.
Written with a gentle rhythm and a fairly open ending, this may be one of the best slow burns I've read in a very long time. Thank you to NetGalley, Goût, and Tor for the opportunity.
The story paints a tender and comprehensible portrait of an ancient god whose complexity has been thoroughly maligned outside of the context in which he was worshipped. Xipe Totec, a fleshless god robed in the skin of another, presents an unquestionably ghastly image; especially to a world so removed from its roots. Rooted does not flinch away from that, but asserts rather bluntly the cyclical nature of creation: life is death, death is decay, decay feeds the forest floor, and from that rich loam springs life eternal. There's no attempt at gentling the imagery to make The Flayed One more palatable, instead Goût leans into the full complexity of the fertility god: life, death, rebirth, rot, agriculture, skin afflictions, healing - I appreciate gods that are allowed to be as multifaceted as the people who worship them.
Aside from the obvious horror elements, Rooted is a testimony to the unconditional love of family and their willingness to shoulder unfathomable weight for those who cannot, or should not, bear it. Despite our main character being well into her adult years, Rooted is truly a coming-of-age story in which a lost little girl is finally in a position to accept her destiny and fully step into her power.
Written with a gentle rhythm and a fairly open ending, this may be one of the best slow burns I've read in a very long time. Thank you to NetGalley, Goût, and Tor for the opportunity.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
Blending myth and culture with body horror, Rooted is also a mystery ‘rooted’ in family.
The prologue of this book is absolutely fantastic. It’s visceral, gory, and literally turns the theft of cultural objects into a crime punishable by blood.
This might have actually done the rest of the book a bit of a disservice, because after that the story does move at quite a slow pace. This is a descent into madness story, but it takes Aurora some time to get there. The turns in the narrative happen at good spots in the story, but I was often urging it to move just a bit faster.
Yet, the themes in this book and the direction the story takes regarding a family mystery were interesting and paralleled the concepts of colonialism and the reclamation of Mesoamerican culture. In a way, Aurora isn’t just a character; she’s representative of a culture wishing to blend its past with its present - to fuse the harsher aspects of its traditions with what it has become. The book has a lot more under the surface (much like the statue of Xipe Totec) than it seems.
While I sort of guessed the main twist early on, the route the story takes to get there is replete with eerie moments, family secrets, and … botanicals? I do think that one of the main characters sort of disappears from the story, and I could have used a bit more research/digging into the Xipe Totec artifact than a cursory Google search, especially given Aurora’s connection to archaeology, but if you’re looking for a horror with deeper themes that takes its time getting there but is full of evocative imagery and some body horror, you will enjoy this.
Blending myth and culture with body horror, Rooted is also a mystery ‘rooted’ in family.
The prologue of this book is absolutely fantastic. It’s visceral, gory, and literally turns the theft of cultural objects into a crime punishable by blood.
This might have actually done the rest of the book a bit of a disservice, because after that the story does move at quite a slow pace. This is a descent into madness story, but it takes Aurora some time to get there. The turns in the narrative happen at good spots in the story, but I was often urging it to move just a bit faster.
Yet, the themes in this book and the direction the story takes regarding a family mystery were interesting and paralleled the concepts of colonialism and the reclamation of Mesoamerican culture. In a way, Aurora isn’t just a character; she’s representative of a culture wishing to blend its past with its present - to fuse the harsher aspects of its traditions with what it has become. The book has a lot more under the surface (much like the statue of Xipe Totec) than it seems.
While I sort of guessed the main twist early on, the route the story takes to get there is replete with eerie moments, family secrets, and … botanicals? I do think that one of the main characters sort of disappears from the story, and I could have used a bit more research/digging into the Xipe Totec artifact than a cursory Google search, especially given Aurora’s connection to archaeology, but if you’re looking for a horror with deeper themes that takes its time getting there but is full of evocative imagery and some body horror, you will enjoy this.
August 21, 2026
3.75 stars⭐️
A slow build horror; a novel on cultural identity, family, and history.
‘Rooted’ follows Aurora whom has been working to bring artifacts and other pieces of art back to Mexico from European Museums and or private owners. She’s repatriating home for the first time in years as she’s returning those artifacts, and staying with her mother in her childhood home where *something* happened.
Prologue really said, “DAMN have fun”!! Goût was masterful in how he created suspense and an air of unease in this story. And when there was action? It was gruesome and hit home (some body horror is present). But this book was definitely slower paced at times, but after how jaw dropping that prologue was, I was sat to see where the story would go. While at times I wished for there to be more action, the writing was lyrical and descriptive, it almost made up for it. But I think that was my biggest hang up with the book, it felt like it dragged at times so I’d find my thoughts wandering.
Along with eloquent writing style and horror filled descriptions, the tone was haunting which worked perfectly for the story. We get to see Aurora’s past, slowly trying to unveil family secrets as she tries to navigate her current predicament (love a good character loses their mind trope). The author did a fantastic job at blurring reality, hallucinations, and the emotional toll it would take.
Something I also enjoyed about this book, was learning about Xipe Totec, an Aztec god, and other mythologies/histories adjacent to Mexico and Spain (and how Spain had colonized Mexico) which had correlation to the story.
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley*
US publishing date: September 15th 2026
A slow build horror; a novel on cultural identity, family, and history.
‘Rooted’ follows Aurora whom has been working to bring artifacts and other pieces of art back to Mexico from European Museums and or private owners. She’s repatriating home for the first time in years as she’s returning those artifacts, and staying with her mother in her childhood home where *something* happened.
Prologue really said, “DAMN have fun”!! Goût was masterful in how he created suspense and an air of unease in this story. And when there was action? It was gruesome and hit home (some body horror is present). But this book was definitely slower paced at times, but after how jaw dropping that prologue was, I was sat to see where the story would go. While at times I wished for there to be more action, the writing was lyrical and descriptive, it almost made up for it. But I think that was my biggest hang up with the book, it felt like it dragged at times so I’d find my thoughts wandering.
Along with eloquent writing style and horror filled descriptions, the tone was haunting which worked perfectly for the story. We get to see Aurora’s past, slowly trying to unveil family secrets as she tries to navigate her current predicament (love a good character loses their mind trope). The author did a fantastic job at blurring reality, hallucinations, and the emotional toll it would take.
Something I also enjoyed about this book, was learning about Xipe Totec, an Aztec god, and other mythologies/histories adjacent to Mexico and Spain (and how Spain had colonized Mexico) which had correlation to the story.
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley*
US publishing date: September 15th 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There’s something about horror rooted in mythology, family trauma, and unravelling sanity that always gets under my skin… and Rooted delivered that unsettling atmosphere.
After returning to Mexico City following a campaign to repatriate stolen artifacts, Aurora expects to reconnect with her roots and care for her ailing mother. Instead, she finds herself haunted by strange memories that shouldn’t exist, disturbing visions tied to an Aztec god known as The Flayed One, and a growing feeling that something ancient has followed her home.
This book genuinely felt eerie the entire time. Leopoldo Goût creates this creeping sense of dread that slowly tightens around Aurora as reality starts to blur while Mexico City feels rich with history, culture, and mythology.
There’s this constant feeling that the past refuses to stay buried, both literally and emotionally.
Aurora herself is such an interesting character because you’re never entirely sure what’s happening to her. Ahe is slowly unravelling while trying to piece together family secrets. The psychological horror mixed with body horror elements made certain scenes genuinely uncomfortable.
The pacing does slow down a bit in places, especially in the middle, but honestly, the atmosphere and tension carried me through. This was a haunting, unsettling read that blends mythology and horror beautifully.
Thank you so much Leopoldo Goût, Tor Publishing Group/Tor Nightfire, and NetGalley for the #gifted earc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
After returning to Mexico City following a campaign to repatriate stolen artifacts, Aurora expects to reconnect with her roots and care for her ailing mother. Instead, she finds herself haunted by strange memories that shouldn’t exist, disturbing visions tied to an Aztec god known as The Flayed One, and a growing feeling that something ancient has followed her home.
This book genuinely felt eerie the entire time. Leopoldo Goût creates this creeping sense of dread that slowly tightens around Aurora as reality starts to blur while Mexico City feels rich with history, culture, and mythology.
There’s this constant feeling that the past refuses to stay buried, both literally and emotionally.
Aurora herself is such an interesting character because you’re never entirely sure what’s happening to her. Ahe is slowly unravelling while trying to piece together family secrets. The psychological horror mixed with body horror elements made certain scenes genuinely uncomfortable.
The pacing does slow down a bit in places, especially in the middle, but honestly, the atmosphere and tension carried me through. This was a haunting, unsettling read that blends mythology and horror beautifully.
Thank you so much Leopoldo Goût, Tor Publishing Group/Tor Nightfire, and NetGalley for the #gifted earc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 Stars
As others have pointed out, the prologue is gnarly as hell, though I didn't have the same problem with the slower nature of the buildup in the main storyline. I thought that prologue did enough to whet the appetite for the story to come and the introduction of the main storyline did enough to establish characters, literary parallels, and some level of thematic exploration to keep me interested.
My overall problem then is that I'm not really sure what this book wanted me to feel. At the base level, I was supposed to feel horror - it is a horror novel after all - and I suppose I kinda felt that. But it almost feels like the horror aspects were the least important of all the elements. At its heart, the story is about family, identity, sacrifice and love. Because of that, the horror feels at best superfluous and at worst it actually detracts from the main storyline. I get the sense that if there were no horror and it was a more straightforward magical realism story, I would have enjoyed it more.
Of course, while the deeper narrative is the heart of this story, if what you're looking for is blood and gore, this book gets GRUESOME. If that's your jam, you'll walk away happy. But for someone like me who was just looking for an interesting story and was captured by the moody cover art and intriguing premise, the horror felt like it got in the way more than elevated the story.
As others have pointed out, the prologue is gnarly as hell, though I didn't have the same problem with the slower nature of the buildup in the main storyline. I thought that prologue did enough to whet the appetite for the story to come and the introduction of the main storyline did enough to establish characters, literary parallels, and some level of thematic exploration to keep me interested.
My overall problem then is that I'm not really sure what this book wanted me to feel. At the base level, I was supposed to feel horror - it is a horror novel after all - and I suppose I kinda felt that. But it almost feels like the horror aspects were the least important of all the elements. At its heart, the story is about family, identity, sacrifice and love. Because of that, the horror feels at best superfluous and at worst it actually detracts from the main storyline. I get the sense that if there were no horror and it was a more straightforward magical realism story, I would have enjoyed it more.
Of course, while the deeper narrative is the heart of this story, if what you're looking for is blood and gore, this book gets GRUESOME. If that's your jam, you'll walk away happy. But for someone like me who was just looking for an interesting story and was captured by the moody cover art and intriguing premise, the horror felt like it got in the way more than elevated the story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A beautiful psychological novel that embodied both botanical and body horror with its roots firmly planted in Mexican lore!
Full of the ghost pipe flowers, Nuhuatl ancient magic, mummies, and Forgotten Gods, this book is an instant staple for me now! Goût was able to capture that familiarity I felt (personally) and shift it into a space for the uncanny to be seen, on top of a dreadful eeriness that felt like watching a part of yourself in another skin.
I also felt incredibly nostalgic reading this one. Having recently lost my mom, reading about the same places she grew up in Mexico written here in the book, revisiting the places she took me to (such as the Museo Nacional de Antropologia) was both really cathartic and touching. The grief had me in tears a few times in this book, but in a beautiful way. The ending was deeply moving and fitting.
I also was so creeped out & disturbed in parts (in a good way!)
Well done. 5/5
❝𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘶𝘭𝘭.❞
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄. 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻.
𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 15𝘵𝘩
𝗧𝗪: Blood & Gore, Body Horror, Child Death, Pregnancy, Grief, Mental Breakdowns and Psychosis, Death of Family Member, Disembowelment, Suicide, Animal Death, Psychological terror, Colonialism
Full of the ghost pipe flowers, Nuhuatl ancient magic, mummies, and Forgotten Gods, this book is an instant staple for me now! Goût was able to capture that familiarity I felt (personally) and shift it into a space for the uncanny to be seen, on top of a dreadful eeriness that felt like watching a part of yourself in another skin.
I also felt incredibly nostalgic reading this one. Having recently lost my mom, reading about the same places she grew up in Mexico written here in the book, revisiting the places she took me to (such as the Museo Nacional de Antropologia) was both really cathartic and touching. The grief had me in tears a few times in this book, but in a beautiful way. The ending was deeply moving and fitting.
I also was so creeped out & disturbed in parts (in a good way!)
Well done. 5/5
❝𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘶𝘭𝘭.❞
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄. 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻.
𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 15𝘵𝘩
𝗧𝗪: Blood & Gore, Body Horror, Child Death, Pregnancy, Grief, Mental Breakdowns and Psychosis, Death of Family Member, Disembowelment, Suicide, Animal Death, Psychological terror, Colonialism
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rooted by Leopoldo Gout follows Aurora, a woman who returns to Mexico City for work after being away for years. When an artifact of an Aztec god is opened, things begin to get very strange for Aurora.
That is the very base premise and it’s really all you need to know before you go in. The prologue starts off really strong and then things slow down quite a bit before escalating a lot in the last act. I read Piñata by this author a few years ago so I was sort of expecting the story to move in a similar way and it definitely did. I love how much this goes into history and mythology and the discussions of stolen artifacts is still extremely relevant.
I think this book is the perfect length for the story it wants to tell. A little on the shorter side for a novel, it still manages to have some memorable characters and scenes. I loved Aurora’s relationship with her mother because it felt really natural. I also thought the grief discussions were done well.
If you have enjoyed reading from this author in the past, I’m sure you would love this one. I’m a fan of the bread crumbs he leaves leading up to the main conflict of the books he writes. I can’t wait to read whatever he comes out with next!
That is the very base premise and it’s really all you need to know before you go in. The prologue starts off really strong and then things slow down quite a bit before escalating a lot in the last act. I read Piñata by this author a few years ago so I was sort of expecting the story to move in a similar way and it definitely did. I love how much this goes into history and mythology and the discussions of stolen artifacts is still extremely relevant.
I think this book is the perfect length for the story it wants to tell. A little on the shorter side for a novel, it still manages to have some memorable characters and scenes. I loved Aurora’s relationship with her mother because it felt really natural. I also thought the grief discussions were done well.
If you have enjoyed reading from this author in the past, I’m sure you would love this one. I’m a fan of the bread crumbs he leaves leading up to the main conflict of the books he writes. I can’t wait to read whatever he comes out with next!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really wanted to love this one. Stories rooted in Aztec and Mexican culture (my culture) are an automatic yes for me. Unfortunately, this didn’t deliver.
Aurora, our main character, calling her mom, grandma, and dad by their legal names throughout most of the book? It felt off immediately. Not just stylistically weird, it didn’t ring true culturally, and it kept throwing me off.
The bigger issue: wasted potential. There were glimpses of something richer: Mexico City, repatriated artifacts, history, mythology, but none of it was explored deeply enough to matter. Even Xipe Totec, who could’ve added real weight and intrigue, felt underused and surface-level.
I was really frustrated with the ending. Ociel, who plays a meaningful role throughout, just disappears from the narrative with zero closure. It felt abrupt and unfinished, like the story just gave up. There was also no connection between the artifact and Aurora. How did they relate? No telling.
Overall, this was erratic, uncomfortable in the wrong ways, and ultimately unsatisfying. A story with roots that never fully took hold.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Aurora, our main character, calling her mom, grandma, and dad by their legal names throughout most of the book? It felt off immediately. Not just stylistically weird, it didn’t ring true culturally, and it kept throwing me off.
The bigger issue: wasted potential. There were glimpses of something richer: Mexico City, repatriated artifacts, history, mythology, but none of it was explored deeply enough to matter. Even Xipe Totec, who could’ve added real weight and intrigue, felt underused and surface-level.
I was really frustrated with the ending. Ociel, who plays a meaningful role throughout, just disappears from the narrative with zero closure. It felt abrupt and unfinished, like the story just gave up. There was also no connection between the artifact and Aurora. How did they relate? No telling.
Overall, this was erratic, uncomfortable in the wrong ways, and ultimately unsatisfying. A story with roots that never fully took hold.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 4, 2026
2.75⭐️
I was really hoping to like this, but it ultimately missed the mark for me. That said, I do think the right audience would absolutely devour it.
I was thrilled to pick this up after reading the synopsis. The Mexican and Aztec culture and folklore were entrancing. The focus on repatriation of historical artifacts opens an important dialogue about addressing historical injustices, colonialism, and reclaiming cultural identity. The blend of ecological and folklore horror was eerie and haunting, and the tension slowly built as secrets unraveled throughout the story.
Unfortunately, I’m not usually a fan of extremely slow-burn horror. When I do enjoy it, I need stronger horror elements to keep me fully engaged, and this lacked that intensity for me. Additionally, I felt the characters and folklore elements could have been more fleshed out. For a book centered around an Aztec god, there was surprisingly little information given about the god itself.
While this book didn’t work for me personally, I would still highly recommend it to readers who enjoy slow-burn horror with lighter folklore elements.
I was really hoping to like this, but it ultimately missed the mark for me. That said, I do think the right audience would absolutely devour it.
I was thrilled to pick this up after reading the synopsis. The Mexican and Aztec culture and folklore were entrancing. The focus on repatriation of historical artifacts opens an important dialogue about addressing historical injustices, colonialism, and reclaiming cultural identity. The blend of ecological and folklore horror was eerie and haunting, and the tension slowly built as secrets unraveled throughout the story.
Unfortunately, I’m not usually a fan of extremely slow-burn horror. When I do enjoy it, I need stronger horror elements to keep me fully engaged, and this lacked that intensity for me. Additionally, I felt the characters and folklore elements could have been more fleshed out. For a book centered around an Aztec god, there was surprisingly little information given about the god itself.
While this book didn’t work for me personally, I would still highly recommend it to readers who enjoy slow-burn horror with lighter folklore elements.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Spice: None that I recall
Rating: 4/5
I really enjoyed this horror book. There are some pacing issues, but overall, it was a solid read. I was a little bored and disengaged at the beginning, but by the end I was hooked. I loved the descriptions of the things that Aurora is seeing and her slow descent into questioning everything she has ever believed to be real. I was a little confused about some plot points that seemed inconsistent - I feel like there was an explanation for some things, but other events didn't really tie into that explanation, so they were left unexplained. The character of Aurora was well developed and complex, but I felt like the other characters could have benefitted from a little more attention. The ideas that Gout is examining are right up my alley, and I enjoyed learning more about this piece of Mexican heritage. It wasn't perfect, but the descriptions of what Aurora and those around her are experiencing are going to live rent free in my head for a while, so it definitely deserves at least 4 stars.
Spice: None that I recall
Rating: 4/5
I really enjoyed this horror book. There are some pacing issues, but overall, it was a solid read. I was a little bored and disengaged at the beginning, but by the end I was hooked. I loved the descriptions of the things that Aurora is seeing and her slow descent into questioning everything she has ever believed to be real. I was a little confused about some plot points that seemed inconsistent - I feel like there was an explanation for some things, but other events didn't really tie into that explanation, so they were left unexplained. The character of Aurora was well developed and complex, but I felt like the other characters could have benefitted from a little more attention. The ideas that Gout is examining are right up my alley, and I enjoyed learning more about this piece of Mexican heritage. It wasn't perfect, but the descriptions of what Aurora and those around her are experiencing are going to live rent free in my head for a while, so it definitely deserves at least 4 stars.
September 15, 2026
I was a huge fan of Piñata, so I was really excited to pick up Rooted. One of my favorite things about Leopoldo Gout’s writing is the way he incorporates Mexican culture, history, and folklore into his stories, and Rooted was no exception.
I think the pace worked well with the atmosphere. There’s this constant feeling of unease throughout the book, and I loved how the line between reality, hallucination, memory, and something much more sinister started to blur. The horror itself can get pretty gruesome, with some really unsettling body horror, but it’s the psychological aspect that stuck with me the most.
I also really enjoyed the historical and mythological elements. Learning more about Mexico’s history of colonization and the complicated relationship between Mexico and Spain. I love when horror can teach me something while also making me deeply uncomfortable.
Overall, another atmospheric and culturally rich horror from Leopoldo Gout! Thank you to the author, punlisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I can not wait to go out and purchase this for my bookshelf!
I think the pace worked well with the atmosphere. There’s this constant feeling of unease throughout the book, and I loved how the line between reality, hallucination, memory, and something much more sinister started to blur. The horror itself can get pretty gruesome, with some really unsettling body horror, but it’s the psychological aspect that stuck with me the most.
I also really enjoyed the historical and mythological elements. Learning more about Mexico’s history of colonization and the complicated relationship between Mexico and Spain. I love when horror can teach me something while also making me deeply uncomfortable.
Overall, another atmospheric and culturally rich horror from Leopoldo Gout! Thank you to the author, punlisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I can not wait to go out and purchase this for my bookshelf!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this ARC.
Rooted by Leopoldo Goût follows a woman returning to Mexico City as she begins to unearth layers of her forgotten past and awakens Aztec gods that soon begin to haunt her.
From its emotional and visceral prologue, it was clear that Goût had crafted something atmospheric and deeply rooted in Mexican culture and Aztec mythology. His writing is lyrical and richly descriptive, creating vivid imagery that made it easy for me to picture the world he was building. And when it comes to body horror, this was done right. Some of the imagery was genuinely unsettling in the best possible way.
My biggest issue was the pacing and payoff. I think this story may have worked better as a novella since the slow buildup ultimately didn’t lead to a climax that felt quite as satisfying as I originally hoped. The action felt somewhat lackluster at times, but the strength of the prologue kept me invested enough to see where everything would ultimately lead.
While the main arc does reach a resolution, I was still left with several unanswered questions, which made the ending feel a little less satisfying than I wanted it to be. In the end, Rooted is a strong piece of body horror that just didn’t quite stick the landing for me, but was still atmospheric, beautifully written, and wonderfully grotesque.
Rooted by Leopoldo Goût follows a woman returning to Mexico City as she begins to unearth layers of her forgotten past and awakens Aztec gods that soon begin to haunt her.
From its emotional and visceral prologue, it was clear that Goût had crafted something atmospheric and deeply rooted in Mexican culture and Aztec mythology. His writing is lyrical and richly descriptive, creating vivid imagery that made it easy for me to picture the world he was building. And when it comes to body horror, this was done right. Some of the imagery was genuinely unsettling in the best possible way.
My biggest issue was the pacing and payoff. I think this story may have worked better as a novella since the slow buildup ultimately didn’t lead to a climax that felt quite as satisfying as I originally hoped. The action felt somewhat lackluster at times, but the strength of the prologue kept me invested enough to see where everything would ultimately lead.
While the main arc does reach a resolution, I was still left with several unanswered questions, which made the ending feel a little less satisfying than I wanted it to be. In the end, Rooted is a strong piece of body horror that just didn’t quite stick the landing for me, but was still atmospheric, beautifully written, and wonderfully grotesque.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rooted was my first book by Leopoldo Goût, but definitely won’t be my last. In this book, we follow Aurora, an art lawyer, who helped a team successfully return art & artifacts back to Mexico from European Museums and private owners. This is her first time back in Mexico City and her childhood home since she was younger.
We eventually find out she suffers from horrific night terrors and self-medicates by micro-dosing mushrooms. As her nightmares get worse, she starts to dig and try to find answers. Aurora’s past was revealed very slowly, but I was engaged and intrigued the entire time.
I was really intrigued by the mystery of Aurora’s past Overall, I really loved the amount of Mexican culture woven into this book, including the lore of the ancient God, Xipe Totec.
I thought Rooted was really well-written. The sense of dread was there and the tone was haunting. This is definitely a slower paced read, but the scenes with action did NOT skip on the detail. The body horror was intense and really unique. If you like mythology and horror, I think you’d enjoy this!
Thank you to NetGalley & Tor Nightfire for the advanced copy!
We eventually find out she suffers from horrific night terrors and self-medicates by micro-dosing mushrooms. As her nightmares get worse, she starts to dig and try to find answers. Aurora’s past was revealed very slowly, but I was engaged and intrigued the entire time.
I was really intrigued by the mystery of Aurora’s past Overall, I really loved the amount of Mexican culture woven into this book, including the lore of the ancient God, Xipe Totec.
I thought Rooted was really well-written. The sense of dread was there and the tone was haunting. This is definitely a slower paced read, but the scenes with action did NOT skip on the detail. The body horror was intense and really unique. If you like mythology and horror, I think you’d enjoy this!
Thank you to NetGalley & Tor Nightfire for the advanced copy!
September 15, 2026
This was such a unique read, and I loved how Leopoldo Gout mixed Aztec mythology, family history, grief, and body horror into one story. There was a lot happening, but it kept me completely invested. I really liked Aurora as a main character, especially as she tries to figure out what is actually happening while everything around her gets stranger. There were so many moments where I was just sitting there thinking, “Okay… what the hell is going on?” And honestly, I mean that as a compliment.
The mythology and history were probably my favorite parts of the story. I also appreciated that there was more to the book than just the horror. The themes around family, identity, history, and the things we bury and pass down gave the story a lot more depth. And the body horror? Let’s just say there were a few moments where I needed a minute. Overall, this was completely different from what I expected, and I loved how original it felt.
The mythology and history were probably my favorite parts of the story. I also appreciated that there was more to the book than just the horror. The themes around family, identity, history, and the things we bury and pass down gave the story a lot more depth. And the body horror? Let’s just say there were a few moments where I needed a minute. Overall, this was completely different from what I expected, and I loved how original it felt.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews