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The Haunting of Las Lágrimas
Argentina, winter 1913.
Ursula Kelp, a young English gardener, travels to Buenos Aires to take up the role of head gardener at a long-abandoned estate in the Pampas. The current owner wishes to return to the estate with his family and restore the once-famous gardens to their former glory.
Travelling deep into the Pampas, the vast grasslands of South America, Ursula arrives to warnings from the locals that the estate is haunted, cursed to bring tragedy to the founding family of Las Lágrimas. And soon Ursula believes that her loneliness is making her imagine things – the sound of footsteps outside her bedroom door, the touch of hands on her shoulders when there’s no one there. Most strangely of all, she keeps hearing the frenzied sound of a man chopping down trees in the nearby forest with an axe, when all her staff are in sight.
As the strange occurrences intensify – with tragic consequences – Ursula questions if there’s truth in the rumours about the cursed estate. The family’s return is imminent – are they in danger? And the longer Ursula stays at the estate, the more she realises that she too is in mortal danger.
Ursula Kelp, a young English gardener, travels to Buenos Aires to take up the role of head gardener at a long-abandoned estate in the Pampas. The current owner wishes to return to the estate with his family and restore the once-famous gardens to their former glory.
Travelling deep into the Pampas, the vast grasslands of South America, Ursula arrives to warnings from the locals that the estate is haunted, cursed to bring tragedy to the founding family of Las Lágrimas. And soon Ursula believes that her loneliness is making her imagine things – the sound of footsteps outside her bedroom door, the touch of hands on her shoulders when there’s no one there. Most strangely of all, she keeps hearing the frenzied sound of a man chopping down trees in the nearby forest with an axe, when all her staff are in sight.
As the strange occurrences intensify – with tragic consequences – Ursula questions if there’s truth in the rumours about the cursed estate. The family’s return is imminent – are they in danger? And the longer Ursula stays at the estate, the more she realises that she too is in mortal danger.
397 pages, Paperback
First published February 22, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
December 6, 2022
Vendría a ser nuestro Argentinian Gothic jaja. Desde que leí Mexican Gothic (el cual AMO con todas mis fuerzas), sentí curiosidad por saber cómo sería la versión argenta. Este libro responde con exactitud a mi demanda, y me encanta. Desafortunadamente, no hay muchos datos sobre su autor/a, por lo que no sé precisamente su nacionalidad. El libro fue publicado originalmene en inglés, lo cual me hace pensar que quizá alguien de habla inglesa hizo una magnífica investigación en cuanto a las tradiciones argentinas. Pero también, es tanta la precisión y la rigurosidad de los detalles, que creo que tranquilamente podría tratarse de un autor argentino que sencillamente decidió escribir la novela en inglés. Como sea, la verdad es que disfruté muchísimo de esta historia sobre apariciones.
April 29, 2025
I really wanted to like this. The writing was immersive and gorgeous. The location (Argentina, the pampas, the house) was the strongest character in the book, and easy to fall in love with.
Unfortunately the pacing was painfully slow and the supernatural events repetitive and honestly not that scary. There was so much potential but the author spent too much time on nettles and weeds, not enough on the story.
What was up with the black stone wall? The quarry? We never find out.
Honestly another big bone I gotta pick is the protagonist. I just couldn't accept her as a woman, she was so clearly written by a man trying and failing to write a (strong, feminist, I'm not like other girls girl)woman.
She gets raped and it seems to barley register with her. We get a line or two about it, if you weren't paying attention you would miss that it even happened. She's an English lady born to a well to do family, this would have been a huge issue.
She's sometimes a feminist and yet lets Moyano walk all over her, abuse her, threaten her, and then she seems to... sympathize with him? Even after he rapes her and tries to condemn her to die on the estate. Even the way she views the other women, like Dolores, just doesnt feel authentic.
It just felt like the minute the Don shows up the story fell apart. The author was great at building up the tension, but when it came time to deliver he seemed completely at a loss. All the elements for action were there and he just... didn't use them. Truly disappointing.
Unfortunately the pacing was painfully slow and the supernatural events repetitive and honestly not that scary. There was so much potential but the author spent too much time on nettles and weeds, not enough on the story.
What was up with the black stone wall? The quarry? We never find out.
Honestly another big bone I gotta pick is the protagonist. I just couldn't accept her as a woman, she was so clearly written by a man trying and failing to write a (strong, feminist, I'm not like other girls girl)woman.
She gets raped and it seems to barley register with her. We get a line or two about it, if you weren't paying attention you would miss that it even happened. She's an English lady born to a well to do family, this would have been a huge issue.
She's sometimes a feminist and yet lets Moyano walk all over her, abuse her, threaten her, and then she seems to... sympathize with him? Even after he rapes her and tries to condemn her to die on the estate. Even the way she views the other women, like Dolores, just doesnt feel authentic.
It just felt like the minute the Don shows up the story fell apart. The author was great at building up the tension, but when it came time to deliver he seemed completely at a loss. All the elements for action were there and he just... didn't use them. Truly disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2023
Me encantan las novelas góticas, es algo que descubrí un par de años atrás y desde entonces intento leer más de este género. La verdad es que esta novela no la conocía de nada, solo por la editorial y fue un salto a ciegas. No me arrepiento, la pasé muy bien y mis problemas a la hora de disfrutarla, creo que fueron culpa mía.
Ursula es una inglesa viviendo en Argentina, su sueño es dedicarse a la jardinería por completo. Por eso cuando se entera del rol de jefe de jardinería de Las Lágrimas no duda en hacer todo lo que está en sus manos para conseguirlo. Lo que no esperaba era lo aterrador que sería el lugar ni las extrañas cosas que suceden en él.
El libro es una novela gráfica con todas sus reglas, así que tiene la narración centrándose en una protagonista, lo fuerte se centra casi todo en su ambientación, en los detalles pequeños que pueden ser su imaginación o algo real y una narración más lenta y descriptiva. Sin saber con fundamentos, solo de lo que he leído, mucho de estas novelas juega con el subestimar a la protagonista, creer que está loca o culpar a su condición de mujer. Por eso en estos libros lo que sucede suele ser sutil, casi como insinuaciones que al sumarse a la ambientación vuelven todo más aterrador.
En La maldición de Las Lágrimas no es tan sutil, Ursula ve y siente cosas, además, hay consecuencias de estas. Por lo que sigue siendo una novela gótica, pero por momentos cruza a un terror más directo. Sobre todo al final, por ejemplo, el libro toma un giro de lleno en lo que podría ser terror con escenas gráficas y perturbadoras.
Me gustó Ursula, dentro de todo mucho de estos libros funciona porque la protagonista se niega a ceder a impulsos o siente que tiene que demostrar algo. Sin embargo, acá de forma muy inteligente la pusieron en un lugar aislado y sin opciones de escapar, eso ayudó a que Ursula no se volviera una protagonista de esas que quieres sacudir para que se de cuenta, pero, a la vez, que está obligada a permanecer en este entorno aterrador.
La ambientación de Las Lágrimas me gustó mucho, este lugar perdido en la pampa argentina, pero lleno de vegetación y árboles. Un oasis que terminó siendo una prisión. La ambientación del libro funcionó muy bien, me pareció absorbente y muy visual, podía imaginar todo sin tener que leer muchas descripciones. Además, el cómo cada detalle de la mansión y el lugar estaba conectado con la historia me encantó.
Estas novelas, las pocas que he leído, suelen sostenerse porque hay una historia oscura y sangrienta que pasó en el lugar y eso quedó como impregnado. Acá también hay una historia, la vamos descubriendo más para el final y quizá eso no me convenció tanto. No fui fan de que en los últimos capítulos nos contaran todo con detalle y sí, fueron calzando las piezas, pero me hubiera gustado más un puzzle que armaba durante la lectura y no que me lo mostraran al final.
Admito que me jugó en contra que leí el libro en varios intervalos, eso me sacaba del mood y tenía que volver a entrar. Creo que es un libro para leer en pocas sentadas, pero largas, para mantenerse en al ambiente que crea y que todo tome ese tono más perturbador de cuando estás dentro. Aun así tengo que decir que lo disfruté mucho, hubo partes que realmente me asustaron y me pusieron nerviosa.
Otra cosa que me gustó, es que a veces el libro te daba la sensación de tener momentos seguros porque había más gente o por el entorno, pero aún así se las ingeniaba para ser perturbador e incómodo. Ayudó mucho los personajes y sus personalidades, todos eran extraños, algunos eran entendibles y otros solo personas complejas y trastornadas. Al final, estas personas más que ser un apoyo se volvían otro factor del que preocuparse.
La maldición de Las Lágrimas es una novela gótica entretenida, que tiene todo lo que se espera de una, logra una buena ambientación y una historia perturbadora que solo para el final se aclara un poco.
Ursula es una inglesa viviendo en Argentina, su sueño es dedicarse a la jardinería por completo. Por eso cuando se entera del rol de jefe de jardinería de Las Lágrimas no duda en hacer todo lo que está en sus manos para conseguirlo. Lo que no esperaba era lo aterrador que sería el lugar ni las extrañas cosas que suceden en él.
El libro es una novela gráfica con todas sus reglas, así que tiene la narración centrándose en una protagonista, lo fuerte se centra casi todo en su ambientación, en los detalles pequeños que pueden ser su imaginación o algo real y una narración más lenta y descriptiva. Sin saber con fundamentos, solo de lo que he leído, mucho de estas novelas juega con el subestimar a la protagonista, creer que está loca o culpar a su condición de mujer. Por eso en estos libros lo que sucede suele ser sutil, casi como insinuaciones que al sumarse a la ambientación vuelven todo más aterrador.
"En mi ingenuidad, no podía imaginar por qué los muertos querrían regresar"
En La maldición de Las Lágrimas no es tan sutil, Ursula ve y siente cosas, además, hay consecuencias de estas. Por lo que sigue siendo una novela gótica, pero por momentos cruza a un terror más directo. Sobre todo al final, por ejemplo, el libro toma un giro de lleno en lo que podría ser terror con escenas gráficas y perturbadoras.
Me gustó Ursula, dentro de todo mucho de estos libros funciona porque la protagonista se niega a ceder a impulsos o siente que tiene que demostrar algo. Sin embargo, acá de forma muy inteligente la pusieron en un lugar aislado y sin opciones de escapar, eso ayudó a que Ursula no se volviera una protagonista de esas que quieres sacudir para que se de cuenta, pero, a la vez, que está obligada a permanecer en este entorno aterrador.
"Todas las dificultades que atravesó, todas las fiebres tropicales y las amenazas mortales... todas esas aventuras que me emocionaban cuando era una niña... quedaron enterradas luego de escribirlas. «La tinta sobre el papel es una caricia al alma», me diría."
La ambientación de Las Lágrimas me gustó mucho, este lugar perdido en la pampa argentina, pero lleno de vegetación y árboles. Un oasis que terminó siendo una prisión. La ambientación del libro funcionó muy bien, me pareció absorbente y muy visual, podía imaginar todo sin tener que leer muchas descripciones. Además, el cómo cada detalle de la mansión y el lugar estaba conectado con la historia me encantó.
Estas novelas, las pocas que he leído, suelen sostenerse porque hay una historia oscura y sangrienta que pasó en el lugar y eso quedó como impregnado. Acá también hay una historia, la vamos descubriendo más para el final y quizá eso no me convenció tanto. No fui fan de que en los últimos capítulos nos contaran todo con detalle y sí, fueron calzando las piezas, pero me hubiera gustado más un puzzle que armaba durante la lectura y no que me lo mostraran al final.
"¿Dónde, exactamente, iba a vagar mi alma?"
Admito que me jugó en contra que leí el libro en varios intervalos, eso me sacaba del mood y tenía que volver a entrar. Creo que es un libro para leer en pocas sentadas, pero largas, para mantenerse en al ambiente que crea y que todo tome ese tono más perturbador de cuando estás dentro. Aun así tengo que decir que lo disfruté mucho, hubo partes que realmente me asustaron y me pusieron nerviosa.
Otra cosa que me gustó, es que a veces el libro te daba la sensación de tener momentos seguros porque había más gente o por el entorno, pero aún así se las ingeniaba para ser perturbador e incómodo. Ayudó mucho los personajes y sus personalidades, todos eran extraños, algunos eran entendibles y otros solo personas complejas y trastornadas. Al final, estas personas más que ser un apoyo se volvían otro factor del que preocuparse.
La maldición de Las Lágrimas es una novela gótica entretenida, que tiene todo lo que se espera de una, logra una buena ambientación y una historia perturbadora que solo para el final se aclara un poco.
July 4, 2022
Moyano you rat bastard!
February 6, 2022
Combine secret garden vibes with a South American setting and you get the Haunting of Las Lágrimas. Have I got your attention yet? If not did I mention there’s a haunted estate?
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas is a gothic story about a young woman who takes on the role of head gardener at an old estate despite hearing rumours of it being haunted. Undeterred, she begins working on the overgrown gardens and shortly after spooky events start to occur.
In typical gothic fashion this is a slow burn and it takes its time building dread and eeriness. There is a strong sense of setting, with the Latin American influences underpinning the narrative the whole way through. The atmosphere perfectly encapsulates the overall sense of doom and gloom present at the estate.
I didn’t find this to be a perfect read (there were some issues for me with pacing) but overall it was an enjoyable gothic tale. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy and expect slowness with a gothic story but this one seemed to lag a bit in the middle.
Thank you to Titan for providing me with a free copy of this book to read and review in advance.
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas is a gothic story about a young woman who takes on the role of head gardener at an old estate despite hearing rumours of it being haunted. Undeterred, she begins working on the overgrown gardens and shortly after spooky events start to occur.
In typical gothic fashion this is a slow burn and it takes its time building dread and eeriness. There is a strong sense of setting, with the Latin American influences underpinning the narrative the whole way through. The atmosphere perfectly encapsulates the overall sense of doom and gloom present at the estate.
I didn’t find this to be a perfect read (there were some issues for me with pacing) but overall it was an enjoyable gothic tale. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy and expect slowness with a gothic story but this one seemed to lag a bit in the middle.
Thank you to Titan for providing me with a free copy of this book to read and review in advance.
September 12, 2023
Nueva desilución desbloqueada. Y esta vez no se debe a que la novela no cumpliera con lo prometido, ser una historia de terror gótico, sino que la ejecución y decisiones del autor para con su historia, me parecieron horribles.
Los personajes me resultaron, en su mayoría, espantosos. Mucho hombre desagradable. ¿Será posible culpar de este hecho a la época en que transcurre la acción? No lo creo.
Los pocos personajes rescatables que hay, tienen escasa participación y no llegamos a conocerlos bien.
Para qué hablar de Úrsula, la protagonista. Si bien hay situaciones en las que actúa como un humano decente, hay varias otras en las que tiene evidentes aires de superioridad, es orgullosa y no muy humilde. Mujer, ubicate: ser inglesa no te hace menos empleada. Ah, y respecto a un horrible suceso del que es víctima, rara su reacción. Su nulo actuar posterior deja mucho que desear como protagonista y como mujer.
De la trama, ritmo y acontecimientos, nada me llenó. La atmósfera incómoda estuvo bien lograda, pero la manera de narrar los hechos, cómo se desarrolla el clímax y posterior conclusión, bien podrían haber sido material de siesta. Sí, así de aburrido me pareció.
En cuanto al maltrato animal que hay en la novela, no me va. Creo que no es necesario para que una historia de terror funcione.
¿Qué más puedo decirles? No disfruté nada esta historia. Una pena porque me emocionaba mucho leer un libro ambientado en mi país. Si bien me resulta maravilloso que un autor decida animarse a contar una historia sobre un país ajeno, percibí cierta crítica, un tono despectivo y hasta un dejo racista en la pluma de este autor.
¿Recomendar este libro? Ni por si acaso.
Los personajes me resultaron, en su mayoría, espantosos. Mucho hombre desagradable. ¿Será posible culpar de este hecho a la época en que transcurre la acción? No lo creo.
Los pocos personajes rescatables que hay, tienen escasa participación y no llegamos a conocerlos bien.
Para qué hablar de Úrsula, la protagonista. Si bien hay situaciones en las que actúa como un humano decente, hay varias otras en las que tiene evidentes aires de superioridad, es orgullosa y no muy humilde. Mujer, ubicate: ser inglesa no te hace menos empleada. Ah, y respecto a un horrible suceso del que es víctima, rara su reacción. Su nulo actuar posterior deja mucho que desear como protagonista y como mujer.
De la trama, ritmo y acontecimientos, nada me llenó. La atmósfera incómoda estuvo bien lograda, pero la manera de narrar los hechos, cómo se desarrolla el clímax y posterior conclusión, bien podrían haber sido material de siesta. Sí, así de aburrido me pareció.
En cuanto al maltrato animal que hay en la novela, no me va. Creo que no es necesario para que una historia de terror funcione.
¿Qué más puedo decirles? No disfruté nada esta historia. Una pena porque me emocionaba mucho leer un libro ambientado en mi país. Si bien me resulta maravilloso que un autor decida animarse a contar una historia sobre un país ajeno, percibí cierta crítica, un tono despectivo y hasta un dejo racista en la pluma de este autor.
¿Recomendar este libro? Ni por si acaso.
August 12, 2022
A very typical and standard haunted estate story.
It was supposed to be similar to Mexican Gothic, but I didn’t find that to be the case at all.
It was pretty boring and not a lot ended up happening.
This one wasn’t surprising or new in my opinion.
There’s also some animal cruelty involved.
It was supposed to be similar to Mexican Gothic, but I didn’t find that to be the case at all.
It was pretty boring and not a lot ended up happening.
This one wasn’t surprising or new in my opinion.
There’s also some animal cruelty involved.
January 13, 2022
3.5 rounded up
There’s no denying it was love at first sight. It was the magnificent cover that drew my eye (the skull! the flowers!), the title that sparked my interest further (haunting! the promise of a Spanish / Latin American setting!) and the blurb that sealed the deal.
Was The Haunting of Las Lágrimas everything I’d hoped it would be? Well, perhaps not quite…
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas tells the tale of a young English woman who has been deeply let down by her family back in England and is still mourning the loss of her beloved grandfather with whom she shared her love of gardening. Travelling to Argentina, she thought there wouldn’t be an Englishman for miles and the weather would be nice and warm. Highly disappointed on both counts, she is working as part of a gardening team for an English family, until she manages to procure herself a job as head gardener on an abandoned estate in the middle of nowhere. As it turns out every other available gardener in the vicinity turned down the job because the estate is supposedly maldita – cursed.
Not one to believe in ghost stories and old wives’ tales, Ursula settles herself in the estate ominously called Las Lágrimas, the tears, determined to do a good job, to prove she can do it just as good or even better than any man. But before long, she starts noticing things, weird things, creepy things and the situation goes from bad to worse.
I was intrigued from the start, the opening chapter being a diary post from Ursula who clearly escaped something bad and is looking back at it, still quite traumatised. Similar in tone to my favourite classic, Rebecca, I expected a gothic tale in a gothic setting and The Haunting of Las Lágrimas delivered. The estate is a perfect setting, and so are the Pampas, the desolate Argentinian grasslands.
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas is a mix of historical fiction, thriller and horror. It always kept me interested and eager for more, and there are some magnificent spooky scenes in there that chilled me to the bone.
However, there was one element that bothered me, and I think many other readers will feel the same: there are quite a few instances of animal cruelty, and what’s worse: they felt very gratuitous and completely unnecessary (we know we’re dealing with maleficence here, we don’t need it spelled out in animal blood) and moreover some of it just doesn’t make sense, or at least it didn’t to me. I feel that telling you more would be spoiling, among other things, the main theme of the story, which you find out along the way and is too important a reveal for me to just tell you, so I’ll leave it at that, just beware if animal cruelty is difficult for you to read about.
Overall, The Haunting of Las Lágrimas was an entertaining and delightfully gothic haunted house story and I had a good time with it, bar a few scenes that unfortunately did affect my overall reading experience.
Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
There’s no denying it was love at first sight. It was the magnificent cover that drew my eye (the skull! the flowers!), the title that sparked my interest further (haunting! the promise of a Spanish / Latin American setting!) and the blurb that sealed the deal.
Was The Haunting of Las Lágrimas everything I’d hoped it would be? Well, perhaps not quite…
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas tells the tale of a young English woman who has been deeply let down by her family back in England and is still mourning the loss of her beloved grandfather with whom she shared her love of gardening. Travelling to Argentina, she thought there wouldn’t be an Englishman for miles and the weather would be nice and warm. Highly disappointed on both counts, she is working as part of a gardening team for an English family, until she manages to procure herself a job as head gardener on an abandoned estate in the middle of nowhere. As it turns out every other available gardener in the vicinity turned down the job because the estate is supposedly maldita – cursed.
Not one to believe in ghost stories and old wives’ tales, Ursula settles herself in the estate ominously called Las Lágrimas, the tears, determined to do a good job, to prove she can do it just as good or even better than any man. But before long, she starts noticing things, weird things, creepy things and the situation goes from bad to worse.
I was intrigued from the start, the opening chapter being a diary post from Ursula who clearly escaped something bad and is looking back at it, still quite traumatised. Similar in tone to my favourite classic, Rebecca, I expected a gothic tale in a gothic setting and The Haunting of Las Lágrimas delivered. The estate is a perfect setting, and so are the Pampas, the desolate Argentinian grasslands.
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas is a mix of historical fiction, thriller and horror. It always kept me interested and eager for more, and there are some magnificent spooky scenes in there that chilled me to the bone.
However, there was one element that bothered me, and I think many other readers will feel the same: there are quite a few instances of animal cruelty, and what’s worse: they felt very gratuitous and completely unnecessary (we know we’re dealing with maleficence here, we don’t need it spelled out in animal blood) and moreover some of it just doesn’t make sense, or at least it didn’t to me. I feel that telling you more would be spoiling, among other things, the main theme of the story, which you find out along the way and is too important a reveal for me to just tell you, so I’ll leave it at that, just beware if animal cruelty is difficult for you to read about.
Overall, The Haunting of Las Lágrimas was an entertaining and delightfully gothic haunted house story and I had a good time with it, bar a few scenes that unfortunately did affect my overall reading experience.
Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
April 11, 2022
The haunting of Las Lagrimas is rich atmospheric gothic novel set in the landscape of Argentina. Much like Las Lasgrimas this book is creeping with malice.
I found this book to echo a couple of other gothics such as Dracula and The silent companions but still holds its own strong voice. I compare to Dracula as the main character does also get warnings to stay away from the long abandoned estate in this novel. The silent companions because the structure of the story, how events unfold, the paranormal & the cruelty that lie in the books pages.
I would say this book is a mix of slow burn and fast paced. From the first page I drawn in immediately and I liked that the main character was writing down her experience in a journal. I very much liked the pace of this book & how everything was revealed not only to the reader but also the main character. The author masterfully suffocates the reader in atmosphere and tension. Even the final pages there’s still a strong sense of atmosphere. I liked the setting for novel also! It was brilliant. The haunting of Las Lagrimas doesn’t quite let go even after finishing this novel.
What separates this novel to other modern gothics I have read is the paranormal. In this novel yes you have ghostly apparitions, unexplained noises and feelings that you’re not quite alone. One of my favourite lines was when Kelp walked into a empty room and had a sense she was intruding upon something. But what separates this novel is the effect some spirits can have on the living (their emotions) and the events that made the estate cursed is constantly on rewind a video playing on repeat. Throughout the novel I picked up on small emotions that weren’t the characters but the spirits emotions. This, I haven’t come across in many gothic novels.
Another thing I must praise this novel on is the writing! Wow! I loved the way the author wrote and how things were described. The text really does transport the reader back into 1913 with the dialogue. The only thing I will criticise is that some things could of been explained/written better. Also some things that happened in the book I found very unnecessary and added nothing to the story. At times the book was a tad confusing but maybe this was to put the reader in the main characters shoes so to speak.
Over all I do recommend.
I found this book to echo a couple of other gothics such as Dracula and The silent companions but still holds its own strong voice. I compare to Dracula as the main character does also get warnings to stay away from the long abandoned estate in this novel. The silent companions because the structure of the story, how events unfold, the paranormal & the cruelty that lie in the books pages.
I would say this book is a mix of slow burn and fast paced. From the first page I drawn in immediately and I liked that the main character was writing down her experience in a journal. I very much liked the pace of this book & how everything was revealed not only to the reader but also the main character. The author masterfully suffocates the reader in atmosphere and tension. Even the final pages there’s still a strong sense of atmosphere. I liked the setting for novel also! It was brilliant. The haunting of Las Lagrimas doesn’t quite let go even after finishing this novel.
What separates this novel to other modern gothics I have read is the paranormal. In this novel yes you have ghostly apparitions, unexplained noises and feelings that you’re not quite alone. One of my favourite lines was when Kelp walked into a empty room and had a sense she was intruding upon something. But what separates this novel is the effect some spirits can have on the living (their emotions) and the events that made the estate cursed is constantly on rewind a video playing on repeat. Throughout the novel I picked up on small emotions that weren’t the characters but the spirits emotions. This, I haven’t come across in many gothic novels.
Another thing I must praise this novel on is the writing! Wow! I loved the way the author wrote and how things were described. The text really does transport the reader back into 1913 with the dialogue. The only thing I will criticise is that some things could of been explained/written better. Also some things that happened in the book I found very unnecessary and added nothing to the story. At times the book was a tad confusing but maybe this was to put the reader in the main characters shoes so to speak.
Over all I do recommend.
January 25, 2023
3'5. Anoche me terminé este libro y bueno, lo primero que tengo que decir es que me encantó la ambientación y la pluma del autor (y por ende la del traductor). Lo leía y me sentía dentro de la historia. Pero hay cosas que no me terminaron de encajar. La historia si no me equivoco tiene lugar en el siglo XX, y es obvio que había mucho más racismo que ahora y que por lo tanto los personajes van a ser racistas. Pero cuando escribes, eres tú quien elige escribir ese racismo o no, y si realmente el racismo no aporta nada a la historia… ¿por qué lo escribes?
Y luego, el final. Me habría gustado que el "acto final" fuese más largo. Al ser una historia de terror podría haberle sacado mucho más partido a ese último recorrido de la protagonista. De la misma manera, me habría gustado un poco más de background sobre las cosas turbias que pasan. Pero en general no es un libro que no recomendaría. Eso sí, trata de forma explícita el suicidio y el abuso animal. También habla, no tan explícitamente, de abuso sexual.
Y luego, el final. Me habría gustado que el "acto final" fuese más largo. Al ser una historia de terror podría haberle sacado mucho más partido a ese último recorrido de la protagonista. De la misma manera, me habría gustado un poco más de background sobre las cosas turbias que pasan. Pero en general no es un libro que no recomendaría. Eso sí, trata de forma explícita el suicidio y el abuso animal. También habla, no tan explícitamente, de abuso sexual.
May 26, 2025
Gothic ghost stories are usually on the more gentle side of horror. FYI, this one gets quite dark.
Regarding the animals:
Details:
OK with all the warnings out the way, I enjoyed this one quite a lot. The writing style suited a gothic haunting so well. In atmosphere, it was giving Susan Hill's The Woman in Black which is truly all I ever want from a ghost story. The physical setting was a formidable antagonist and I enjoyed the mix of creeping, ambiguous spookiness and palpable violence. Ursula was an interesting main character: a woman with demons of her own leaving her vulnerable to the lingering echoes of past pain.
Regarding the animals:
Details:
OK with all the warnings out the way, I enjoyed this one quite a lot. The writing style suited a gothic haunting so well. In atmosphere, it was giving Susan Hill's The Woman in Black which is truly all I ever want from a ghost story. The physical setting was a formidable antagonist and I enjoyed the mix of creeping, ambiguous spookiness and palpable violence. Ursula was an interesting main character: a woman with demons of her own leaving her vulnerable to the lingering echoes of past pain.
October 31, 2023
3.5/5
Quedé con muchas dudas y teorías que me hubiera gustado que en el libro se explicaran. Pero, de por sí, su lectura cumplió su objetivo de mantenerme en estado de suspenso constante.
Quedé con muchas dudas y teorías que me hubiera gustado que en el libro se explicaran. Pero, de por sí, su lectura cumplió su objetivo de mantenerme en estado de suspenso constante.
February 1, 2022
https://lynns-books.com/2022/01/31/th...
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Gothic haunting on cursed estate
My rating 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed The Haunting of Las Lagrimas. It delivers plenty of gothic-y goodness, is told in journal style via a very pragmatic narrator and the style is a winning mix of old-style yet accessible writing, not enough to be off-putting but enough to set the scene and deliver a feeling of authenticity.
As we make Ursula’s acquaintance she is writing her diary, October 1913, The Hotel Bristol, Mar del Plata. This is not a pleasurable stay but one of necessity as we soon find out. Ursula is troubled by terrifying memories of the time she spent at Las Lagrimas and experiences intense fear and sleepless nights. She eventually lands on the idea to write down her experience in a journal to try and purge her fears and this is where the story begins.
We track back to August. Ursula is employed by the Houghtons to help with the garden of their property in Buenos Aires but she has greater aspirations and so when she learns that a head gardener is being sought for the Estancia Las Lagrimas, probably the grandest and largest estate on the Pampas, she jumps at the chance. Now you may wonder why Ursula would be accepted into such a prestigious role during such a period in history – basically, the estate has lain empty for many years following family tragedy, the new owner Don Paquito Agramonte, wishes to return his family to his ancestral home and unfortunately, due to the terrible rumours and superstitions that surround the estate, quite literally, nobody else will entertain the notion of working there.
The setting is perfect for such a tale. The house and gardens are remote indeed with a two day journey being necessary to reach the nearest small town. The gardens are overgrown and the house cold and draughty. There are few staff and only a couple of labourers to assist Ursula with her task, a task so monumental that she initially fears she may have been over enthusiastic in believing she could attempt it. The place itself is frequently weighed down with an oppressive air leaving Ursula and the others overwhelmed with despair.
The garden itself was the creation of a famous designer but now bears little resemblance to his original concept. Outbuildings lay hidden under masses of weeds and nettles, the forest has grown excessively and on top of this a huge wall has been built between the house and garden that is both puzzling and ominous in nature. I have to say that Cleese has definitely nailed down the gothic feel here. On top of which there are no shortage of spooky occurences, creeping footsteps and inexplicable noises in the night, the sound of a woodsman chopping down trees during the day and the inexplicable way that little progress seems to be made in spite of much furious hacking and chopping together with the overnight reinstatement of certain elements that having been removed or improved during the day seem to have reverted to their former state once the morning comes round again.
There are few characters. Moyano is the building manager. There is a cook, a maid, a couple of workmen and a general handyman. Of course, there are other appearances but I won’t elaborate on those here other than to say they are definitely not friendly.
In terms of the plot. I thought the story surrounding the curse was well thought out. I really enjoyed the writer’s style which was really evocative of the period providing descriptions that added to the darkness of the tale. This isn’t a fast paced story but the momentum increases slowly but surely until all hell is eventually let loose.
In terms of criticisms. I don’t really have any criticisms for myself but I think some may find this a little slow. I actually really liked the pacing and the descriptions but just wanted to mention that this isn’t necessarily a book that you will speed through – that being said I read this in maybe two or three sittings because I was definitely in the right mood for a spooky and eerie tale. I would also point out that there are two dogs in the story and a little bit of cruel treatment – although I didn’t think this was gratuitous at all, just a small warning.
Overall I enjoyed this. It’s dark and foreboding and deliciously creepy. It has a feeling of yesteryear and for me it gave me Haunting of Hill House or the Woman in Black type vibes (although I would stress that it in no way mimics either of those stories).
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publishers, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Gothic haunting on cursed estate
My rating 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed The Haunting of Las Lagrimas. It delivers plenty of gothic-y goodness, is told in journal style via a very pragmatic narrator and the style is a winning mix of old-style yet accessible writing, not enough to be off-putting but enough to set the scene and deliver a feeling of authenticity.
As we make Ursula’s acquaintance she is writing her diary, October 1913, The Hotel Bristol, Mar del Plata. This is not a pleasurable stay but one of necessity as we soon find out. Ursula is troubled by terrifying memories of the time she spent at Las Lagrimas and experiences intense fear and sleepless nights. She eventually lands on the idea to write down her experience in a journal to try and purge her fears and this is where the story begins.
We track back to August. Ursula is employed by the Houghtons to help with the garden of their property in Buenos Aires but she has greater aspirations and so when she learns that a head gardener is being sought for the Estancia Las Lagrimas, probably the grandest and largest estate on the Pampas, she jumps at the chance. Now you may wonder why Ursula would be accepted into such a prestigious role during such a period in history – basically, the estate has lain empty for many years following family tragedy, the new owner Don Paquito Agramonte, wishes to return his family to his ancestral home and unfortunately, due to the terrible rumours and superstitions that surround the estate, quite literally, nobody else will entertain the notion of working there.
The setting is perfect for such a tale. The house and gardens are remote indeed with a two day journey being necessary to reach the nearest small town. The gardens are overgrown and the house cold and draughty. There are few staff and only a couple of labourers to assist Ursula with her task, a task so monumental that she initially fears she may have been over enthusiastic in believing she could attempt it. The place itself is frequently weighed down with an oppressive air leaving Ursula and the others overwhelmed with despair.
The garden itself was the creation of a famous designer but now bears little resemblance to his original concept. Outbuildings lay hidden under masses of weeds and nettles, the forest has grown excessively and on top of this a huge wall has been built between the house and garden that is both puzzling and ominous in nature. I have to say that Cleese has definitely nailed down the gothic feel here. On top of which there are no shortage of spooky occurences, creeping footsteps and inexplicable noises in the night, the sound of a woodsman chopping down trees during the day and the inexplicable way that little progress seems to be made in spite of much furious hacking and chopping together with the overnight reinstatement of certain elements that having been removed or improved during the day seem to have reverted to their former state once the morning comes round again.
There are few characters. Moyano is the building manager. There is a cook, a maid, a couple of workmen and a general handyman. Of course, there are other appearances but I won’t elaborate on those here other than to say they are definitely not friendly.
In terms of the plot. I thought the story surrounding the curse was well thought out. I really enjoyed the writer’s style which was really evocative of the period providing descriptions that added to the darkness of the tale. This isn’t a fast paced story but the momentum increases slowly but surely until all hell is eventually let loose.
In terms of criticisms. I don’t really have any criticisms for myself but I think some may find this a little slow. I actually really liked the pacing and the descriptions but just wanted to mention that this isn’t necessarily a book that you will speed through – that being said I read this in maybe two or three sittings because I was definitely in the right mood for a spooky and eerie tale. I would also point out that there are two dogs in the story and a little bit of cruel treatment – although I didn’t think this was gratuitous at all, just a small warning.
Overall I enjoyed this. It’s dark and foreboding and deliciously creepy. It has a feeling of yesteryear and for me it gave me Haunting of Hill House or the Woman in Black type vibes (although I would stress that it in no way mimics either of those stories).
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publishers, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
August 20, 2023
No suelo leer libros de terror, pero este llamó mi atención apenas leí la sinopsis por varias razones, pero la principal fué que era una ficción histórica ambientada en 1913 en ARGENTINA, específicamente en la zona pampeana y en mi provincia! por lo que me fué imposible no darle una oportunidad.
Puedo decir varias cosas de este libro, sobre la trama y sus personajes, pero hubo algo que me encantó desde el principio y fué la manera de escribir del autor (o autora?) y sobretodo la manera de describir la región pampeana, el ambiente, la vegetación, los olores e incluso el clima, me pareció perfecto.
Por otro lado, la historia me atrapó desde el comienzo, incluso con todo lo que sucede antes de que Ursula llegue a la finca de "Las Lágrimas" yo ya estaba enganchada. Me gustó como a partir de que Ursula se encuentra en la finca todo se va volviendo cada vez más oscuro, y como lo vamos percibiendo a través de la perspectiva de nuestra protagonista. Los momentos de terror me parecieron muy bien logrados, pero no es hasta los últimos capítulos en los que el autor tira toda la carne al asador y te hace sentir el VERDADERO TERROR y que solo quieras espacar con Ursula de ese horrible lugar. De los personajes secundarios solo voy a decir que todos me parecieron interesantes, anque me hubiera gustado conocer un poco más de la vida de cada uno.
Pienso que quedaron algunas cosas inconclusas con respecto a la explicación de la maldición, pero aún así, logra ser una muy buena historia de terror.
Puedo decir varias cosas de este libro, sobre la trama y sus personajes, pero hubo algo que me encantó desde el principio y fué la manera de escribir del autor (o autora?) y sobretodo la manera de describir la región pampeana, el ambiente, la vegetación, los olores e incluso el clima, me pareció perfecto.
Por otro lado, la historia me atrapó desde el comienzo, incluso con todo lo que sucede antes de que Ursula llegue a la finca de "Las Lágrimas" yo ya estaba enganchada. Me gustó como a partir de que Ursula se encuentra en la finca todo se va volviendo cada vez más oscuro, y como lo vamos percibiendo a través de la perspectiva de nuestra protagonista. Los momentos de terror me parecieron muy bien logrados, pero no es hasta los últimos capítulos en los que el autor tira toda la carne al asador y te hace sentir el VERDADERO TERROR y que solo quieras espacar con Ursula de ese horrible lugar. De los personajes secundarios solo voy a decir que todos me parecieron interesantes, anque me hubiera gustado conocer un poco más de la vida de cada uno.
Pienso que quedaron algunas cosas inconclusas con respecto a la explicación de la maldición, pero aún así, logra ser una muy buena historia de terror.
June 24, 2022
Knock me down with a feather - this book was that good.
I had my doubts in the beginning, because the prologue was unnecessary and almost put me off reading further.
I also expected it to be a cheesy read which it's not.
Great local context, great historical context, fantastic gardening details, great characterization.
The ending was unexpectedly devastating -and I loved it to bits.
I had my doubts in the beginning, because the prologue was unnecessary and almost put me off reading further.
I also expected it to be a cheesy read which it's not.
Great local context, great historical context, fantastic gardening details, great characterization.
The ending was unexpectedly devastating -and I loved it to bits.
March 20, 2022
I love a good Gothic ghost story, tales with spooky, remote locations, creepy old houses, and buried history that the hero needs to uncover. These kinds of elements are great even on their own, but when a book has all of these things they just feel extra special. And The Haunting of Las Lágrimas has all of this in spades.
Our story begins after the events of Las Lágrimas, with our protagonist, Ursula, writing about her experiences from the safety of The Hotel Bristol in Mar del Plata. Straight away we know that something terrible is to come in this book. Yes, Ursula herself might be alive, she may get in the end, but we meet her as a woman plagued by nightmares, afraid of leaving her hotel room, and dealing with the trauma of what she went through. This instantly builds tension, before we've even begun to get into the true heart of the book; and is a perfect way to start this kind of slow burn horror novel.
Writing down her experiences, in order to put her thought in order and expel some of her demons, Ursula begins to outline her story. We begin with Ursula, a gardener from England who has travelled across the world to Argentina in order to escape her oppressive family and connect more with her lost grandfather, working as one of the staff for the wealthy Houghton family, and whilst the family treats her well, more like a peer than a member of staff, she wants something more challenging. As such, when she overhears a visitor talking to the head gardener about a job opening she approaches him about it.
The man, named Moyano, turns out to be the estate manager for the distant Las Lágrimas, a home built in the wilderness of the pampas, that is in the process of being restored and rebuilt before the owner, Don Paquito Agramonte, and his family move in. He tells Ursula that the estate is extremely remote, and the garden in huge disrepair. It's a task that no other gardener will take on, and that will test her skills and resolve to the limit. Desperate for a chance to prove herself, Ursula jumps at the offer and immediately sets out for Las Lágrimas.
After a two day journey via train and horseback ride, Usrula finally arrives at the remote estate. Moyano, it seems, was underselling the enormity of the work, and Usula finds herself in charge of two young workers, facing a huge walled garden that is full of weeds and brambles. Knowing that clearing the garden alone could take weeks, but that she has to have something worthy of showing Don Agramonte when he arrives, she sets out to do what she can.
However, as the days begin to go by Urusla starts to experience strange things at Las Lágrimas. The old house feels strange and oppressive, and the nights alone in her room are long and frightening. The few staff that are there whisper stories about hauntings, and refuse to divulge their secrets. She feels like she's constantly being watched, and starts to hear the sound of someone chopping down trees in the surrounding woodland. But strangest of all, parts of the garden seem to change on their own, reverting back to their original, restored state overnight, without anyone having done the work.
Despite being determined to make the garden ready, and knowing that it will take all of her tie, Ursula begins to find herself being drawn deeper into the mystery of Las Lágrimas, searching for an explanation for the strange events. But will her efforts stir up further trouble for her from both her living employers, and the spirits that make Las Lágrimas their home?
One of the ways in which The Haunting of Las Lágrimas really excels is in atmosphere. As soon as Ursula sets out for Las Lágrimas things start to take a turn, and you find yourself on edge. On her journey to the estate we learn some of the history of the place, the rumours of the hauntings, and we begin to understand the remoteness of the location. The estate itself seems to sit in the middle of nowhere, days journey from the nearest settlement, surrounded by endless grassland, dark forest, and ominous skies. The way Ursula describes it in her journal really does transport you there, and you can begin to see why it soon starts to prey upon her mind.
The estate itself is as much a character as any of the principal players in this story too, and its dark and draughty halls and overgrown gardens feel both vast and lonely, and overwhelmingly oppressive at the same time. Ursula often finds herself walking through the halls of the estate alone, listening to the silence around her, feeling the cold creeping in. Her one place of solace, her bedroom, often seems to be the focus of a strange, unseen visitor too, with strange noises just outside her door, and a horrible chill trying to get inside. It feels like there's nowhere for Ursula to get away from the dark forces always lying just out of sight.
Even the garden, a place where she can pour all of her focus and energy, a place that should make her feel at peace shifts and changes over time. It seems to slowly turn upon her, with unseen eyes on her back, strange sounds coming from round the corner, and even in the middle of the day it can feel like one of the most frightening places on earth.
W.M. Cleese seems to know how to build this tension throughout the book, and does so masterfully. Las Lágrimas is unsettling at first, but only because its an old building, a place in disrepair and in a remote location. But as the story progresses it starts to change, to become sinister in its own right. Cleese is able to increase the unease at such a slow rate that you don't even realise that it's being done, until both Ursula and the reader reach such a point that you never feel like you can let your guard down, and that nowhere in Las Lágrimas can provide safe shelter.
The fact that Las Lágrimas is so remote, and that Ursula doesn't know the way back to civilisation, means that this is one of those kinds of stories where you're not left shouting 'why don't you just leave?' at the protagonist. Usula has no choice but to stay and face the haunting. As such, she's forced to call upon wells of personal strength that she doesn't even know she has, forging ahead even when she wants to do the exact opposite. Because of this she comes across as a very strong and capable woman, doubly so due to the time the book's set. This is a time and place where women aren't treated with respect or given positions of authority, and Ursula is used to having to prove herself to others. She has a level of inner strength and confidence that not many others in the book possess.
I had a lot of fun reading The Haunting of Las Lágrimas, times where I couldn't put the book down because I was desperate to find out what would happen next, what piece of the mystery that Urusla was going to uncover; but there were also times where I found myself drawing my blanket in close and casting nervous glances towards the darkened corners of the room because the sense of horror was getting to me so much. I'm sure that there will be some people who will say that the book is a little slow, that there isn't enough 'in-your-face' horror going on to be scary, but the constant building dread, the sense of unease and fear that just went on and on were so much more frightening than I was expecting. If you enjoy scary mysteries, strong female protagonists, remote, Gothic locations, and spooky happenings, this is a book you're definitely going to want to read.
Our story begins after the events of Las Lágrimas, with our protagonist, Ursula, writing about her experiences from the safety of The Hotel Bristol in Mar del Plata. Straight away we know that something terrible is to come in this book. Yes, Ursula herself might be alive, she may get in the end, but we meet her as a woman plagued by nightmares, afraid of leaving her hotel room, and dealing with the trauma of what she went through. This instantly builds tension, before we've even begun to get into the true heart of the book; and is a perfect way to start this kind of slow burn horror novel.
Writing down her experiences, in order to put her thought in order and expel some of her demons, Ursula begins to outline her story. We begin with Ursula, a gardener from England who has travelled across the world to Argentina in order to escape her oppressive family and connect more with her lost grandfather, working as one of the staff for the wealthy Houghton family, and whilst the family treats her well, more like a peer than a member of staff, she wants something more challenging. As such, when she overhears a visitor talking to the head gardener about a job opening she approaches him about it.
The man, named Moyano, turns out to be the estate manager for the distant Las Lágrimas, a home built in the wilderness of the pampas, that is in the process of being restored and rebuilt before the owner, Don Paquito Agramonte, and his family move in. He tells Ursula that the estate is extremely remote, and the garden in huge disrepair. It's a task that no other gardener will take on, and that will test her skills and resolve to the limit. Desperate for a chance to prove herself, Ursula jumps at the offer and immediately sets out for Las Lágrimas.
After a two day journey via train and horseback ride, Usrula finally arrives at the remote estate. Moyano, it seems, was underselling the enormity of the work, and Usula finds herself in charge of two young workers, facing a huge walled garden that is full of weeds and brambles. Knowing that clearing the garden alone could take weeks, but that she has to have something worthy of showing Don Agramonte when he arrives, she sets out to do what she can.
However, as the days begin to go by Urusla starts to experience strange things at Las Lágrimas. The old house feels strange and oppressive, and the nights alone in her room are long and frightening. The few staff that are there whisper stories about hauntings, and refuse to divulge their secrets. She feels like she's constantly being watched, and starts to hear the sound of someone chopping down trees in the surrounding woodland. But strangest of all, parts of the garden seem to change on their own, reverting back to their original, restored state overnight, without anyone having done the work.
Despite being determined to make the garden ready, and knowing that it will take all of her tie, Ursula begins to find herself being drawn deeper into the mystery of Las Lágrimas, searching for an explanation for the strange events. But will her efforts stir up further trouble for her from both her living employers, and the spirits that make Las Lágrimas their home?
One of the ways in which The Haunting of Las Lágrimas really excels is in atmosphere. As soon as Ursula sets out for Las Lágrimas things start to take a turn, and you find yourself on edge. On her journey to the estate we learn some of the history of the place, the rumours of the hauntings, and we begin to understand the remoteness of the location. The estate itself seems to sit in the middle of nowhere, days journey from the nearest settlement, surrounded by endless grassland, dark forest, and ominous skies. The way Ursula describes it in her journal really does transport you there, and you can begin to see why it soon starts to prey upon her mind.
The estate itself is as much a character as any of the principal players in this story too, and its dark and draughty halls and overgrown gardens feel both vast and lonely, and overwhelmingly oppressive at the same time. Ursula often finds herself walking through the halls of the estate alone, listening to the silence around her, feeling the cold creeping in. Her one place of solace, her bedroom, often seems to be the focus of a strange, unseen visitor too, with strange noises just outside her door, and a horrible chill trying to get inside. It feels like there's nowhere for Ursula to get away from the dark forces always lying just out of sight.
Even the garden, a place where she can pour all of her focus and energy, a place that should make her feel at peace shifts and changes over time. It seems to slowly turn upon her, with unseen eyes on her back, strange sounds coming from round the corner, and even in the middle of the day it can feel like one of the most frightening places on earth.
W.M. Cleese seems to know how to build this tension throughout the book, and does so masterfully. Las Lágrimas is unsettling at first, but only because its an old building, a place in disrepair and in a remote location. But as the story progresses it starts to change, to become sinister in its own right. Cleese is able to increase the unease at such a slow rate that you don't even realise that it's being done, until both Ursula and the reader reach such a point that you never feel like you can let your guard down, and that nowhere in Las Lágrimas can provide safe shelter.
The fact that Las Lágrimas is so remote, and that Ursula doesn't know the way back to civilisation, means that this is one of those kinds of stories where you're not left shouting 'why don't you just leave?' at the protagonist. Usula has no choice but to stay and face the haunting. As such, she's forced to call upon wells of personal strength that she doesn't even know she has, forging ahead even when she wants to do the exact opposite. Because of this she comes across as a very strong and capable woman, doubly so due to the time the book's set. This is a time and place where women aren't treated with respect or given positions of authority, and Ursula is used to having to prove herself to others. She has a level of inner strength and confidence that not many others in the book possess.
I had a lot of fun reading The Haunting of Las Lágrimas, times where I couldn't put the book down because I was desperate to find out what would happen next, what piece of the mystery that Urusla was going to uncover; but there were also times where I found myself drawing my blanket in close and casting nervous glances towards the darkened corners of the room because the sense of horror was getting to me so much. I'm sure that there will be some people who will say that the book is a little slow, that there isn't enough 'in-your-face' horror going on to be scary, but the constant building dread, the sense of unease and fear that just went on and on were so much more frightening than I was expecting. If you enjoy scary mysteries, strong female protagonists, remote, Gothic locations, and spooky happenings, this is a book you're definitely going to want to read.
October 7, 2022
This is a traditional gothic novel--atmosphere, chills, tension between characters. It has actual ghosts, but I didn't think of it as a horror novel until I was about 3/4 through the book. (And yes, modern readers, gothic doesn't automatically mean horror--just look at Jane Eyre).
This book reminds me of The Secret Garden, and the tension between characters reminds me of Rebecca and Wuthering Heights. Oh--and Fuckface not seeing the ghost and implying that Ursula was guilty reminds me of The Turn of the Screw.
The writing style is like it was written in 1913, though it's a new book. The big difference is that instead of set in Europe, it takes place in Argentina.
This book reminds me of The Secret Garden, and the tension between characters reminds me of Rebecca and Wuthering Heights. Oh--and Fuckface not seeing the ghost and implying that Ursula was guilty reminds me of The Turn of the Screw.
The writing style is like it was written in 1913, though it's a new book. The big difference is that instead of set in Europe, it takes place in Argentina.
July 7, 2022
It started off as a three star novel and gradually built itself into a five star thriller. This is gothic horror at it's finest, twinged with the modern day styles of writing. It is a work of fiction, but it's wonderful to see the amount of research the author had done to make it believable. It is, at best, historical fiction, based on a vivid imagination during the research phase.
I wouldn't go so far as to say it is on par with Bram Stoker's Dracula, but it's somewhere up there.
I wouldn't go so far as to say it is on par with Bram Stoker's Dracula, but it's somewhere up there.
March 7, 2024
Trigger warning - this review discusses sexual assault.
It absolutely sucks that the first book I finished for Women's Month 2024 was this one. The protagonist, Ursula Kelp, was so very clearly a man's idea of a "strong female character". The pick me vibes were off the charts. She compares herself favorably to other women who she views as less than her. But when I would've appreciated the book if it was a nuanced look at victimhood and oppression and how bonding with your abuser can be a coping mechanism, but this book was definitely not intelligent enough for that.
The strongest character in The Haunting of Las Lágrimas is its setting. The abandoned estancia Las Lágrimas, the grasslands of the Pampas, the sun-drenched locales of Argentina are all beautifully described. I suppose if there's one thing W.M. Cleese knows how to do, it's generate a creepy atmosphere. But that's all this book was honestly good for.
It absolutely sucks that the first book I finished for Women's Month 2024 was this one. The protagonist, Ursula Kelp, was so very clearly a man's idea of a "strong female character". The pick me vibes were off the charts. She compares herself favorably to other women who she views as less than her. But when I would've appreciated the book if it was a nuanced look at victimhood and oppression and how bonding with your abuser can be a coping mechanism, but this book was definitely not intelligent enough for that.
The strongest character in The Haunting of Las Lágrimas is its setting. The abandoned estancia Las Lágrimas, the grasslands of the Pampas, the sun-drenched locales of Argentina are all beautifully described. I suppose if there's one thing W.M. Cleese knows how to do, it's generate a creepy atmosphere. But that's all this book was honestly good for.
December 31, 2021
The Haunting of Las Lagrimas is a haunting gothic fiction, based in 1913 in Argentina. It follows a young woman named Ursula, who takes up the position of Head Gardener in an old mansion despite the warnings of the locals. However, Ursula refuses to believe the rumours of hauntings and ghosts, at least until things escalate.
The pacing of the story was just right, with the chapters being short and snappy, and as a result I flew through the book. I loved how it slowly built up in intensity, with the beginning only alluding to the happenings at the estate. As the story progressed the eeriness grew and the sense of unease increased. If you enjoyed Mexican Gothic, The Silent Companions or any of Daphne du Maurier’s work then you’ll most likely enjoy this amazing book. A definite 5/5 stars.
Thank you to @titanbooks for a review copy!
The pacing of the story was just right, with the chapters being short and snappy, and as a result I flew through the book. I loved how it slowly built up in intensity, with the beginning only alluding to the happenings at the estate. As the story progressed the eeriness grew and the sense of unease increased. If you enjoyed Mexican Gothic, The Silent Companions or any of Daphne du Maurier’s work then you’ll most likely enjoy this amazing book. A definite 5/5 stars.
Thank you to @titanbooks for a review copy!
December 17, 2022
3.5⭐️
I still haven't moved on from when Ursula said 'maybe if I was plainer, dumpier or bespectacled I wouldn't have gotten the position' WHAT IS WRONG WITH GLASSES HUH?! What is wrong with being any of those things, geez. My like for her went 📉📉
Also, claiming to be fluent in Spanish and not knowing basic words BOTHERED ME. that's all. She was obviously written by a man.
One of the most annoying main characters ever? Check. Just unrealistic and quite full of herself. BRO, stop ignoring the signs that the place is haunted!!
Other than that, the story was pretty good. Dragged on a bit and wasn't really 'scary', but decent. So many unanswered questions though?
Just give me any book set in Latin America and I'll probably read it. And who is W.M Cleese?!?
I still haven't moved on from when Ursula said 'maybe if I was plainer, dumpier or bespectacled I wouldn't have gotten the position' WHAT IS WRONG WITH GLASSES HUH?! What is wrong with being any of those things, geez. My like for her went 📉📉
Also, claiming to be fluent in Spanish and not knowing basic words BOTHERED ME. that's all. She was obviously written by a man.
One of the most annoying main characters ever? Check. Just unrealistic and quite full of herself. BRO, stop ignoring the signs that the place is haunted!!
Other than that, the story was pretty good. Dragged on a bit and wasn't really 'scary', but decent. So many unanswered questions though?
Just give me any book set in Latin America and I'll probably read it. And who is W.M Cleese?!?
April 7, 2022
It's so weird to read a book set in my country, and the setting it's accurate, which is even more surprising.
I only read this 'cause I was curious about how the author would describe my country, and particularly my state.
Plot wise, the book is pretty basic, just your average gothic story of a young lady in a seemingly haunted mansion. But the characterization and the historical research are really on point. I loved how the author was able to infuse the story in a mysterious and creepy atmosphere.
Overall, this is a good book. It didn't blow my mind, but it was entertaining and I enjoyed it.
I only read this 'cause I was curious about how the author would describe my country, and particularly my state.
Plot wise, the book is pretty basic, just your average gothic story of a young lady in a seemingly haunted mansion. But the characterization and the historical research are really on point. I loved how the author was able to infuse the story in a mysterious and creepy atmosphere.
Overall, this is a good book. It didn't blow my mind, but it was entertaining and I enjoyed it.
September 23, 2022
Meh it has some creepy bits but it also made me fall asleep a couple of times oop
December 11, 2022
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas is a gothic horror that thrives on its foreboding atmosphere but falters a little when it comes to the characters. The book starts out well, establishing Ursula's situation and how she ends up as the gardener of an abandoned estate. The setting is evocative and menacing, pulling me in immediately. There's a sense of mystery about the house and its history - of course! - and the people living there.
However, as the story goes on I found Ursula harder to understand. Her motivations change frequently, and it's hard to believe she would feel sympathetic toward a character who was proven to be awful. The plot links the present to the past, with a devastating reveal. But because we spend so much time with Ursula (the book is told via her journal), everything is hearsay and we don't get to hear the other characters' stories from their POV. There are heavy themes here, including sexual assault, child death, and animal cruelty, so if this trouble you proceed with caution. But if you enjoyed books like Rebecca and Mexican Gothic, this would be right up your alley.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
However, as the story goes on I found Ursula harder to understand. Her motivations change frequently, and it's hard to believe she would feel sympathetic toward a character who was proven to be awful. The plot links the present to the past, with a devastating reveal. But because we spend so much time with Ursula (the book is told via her journal), everything is hearsay and we don't get to hear the other characters' stories from their POV. There are heavy themes here, including sexual assault, child death, and animal cruelty, so if this trouble you proceed with caution. But if you enjoyed books like Rebecca and Mexican Gothic, this would be right up your alley.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
February 26, 2023
Una historia con la tensión sostenida y con un ambiente muy tenebroso, cargado de misterios. Sin embargo, lo relativo a la trama solo da vuelta sobre sí mismo. Esa es la principal crítica al libro que tengo.
En un inicio, el ambiente que mezcla Latinoamérica, con las antiguas villas más nobles propias de la campiña inglesa me atrapó. Por no hablar de los personajes que desde el inicio nos muestra que guardan muchos secretos. El problema fue que, conforme avanzaba el relato, no tenía la sensación de ir a ninguna parte.
Está claro que algo tiene que ver con la familia fundadora, y que por mucho que se niegue los fantasmas están por todas partes. Lo que llama la atención es la inactitud de muchos de los personajes secundarios. A pesar de que al final tiene su sentido. Y, sobre todo, lo que tarda la protagonista (Úrsula Kelp) en tomar la iniciativa y salir de ahí “pies en polvorosa”.
Creo que lo mejor del libro es la ambientación y cómo se entremezcla la jardinería, que supone cuidar la vida de algún modo, con la muerte. Una propuesta original, pero a la que creo le falta algo.
En un inicio, el ambiente que mezcla Latinoamérica, con las antiguas villas más nobles propias de la campiña inglesa me atrapó. Por no hablar de los personajes que desde el inicio nos muestra que guardan muchos secretos. El problema fue que, conforme avanzaba el relato, no tenía la sensación de ir a ninguna parte.
Está claro que algo tiene que ver con la familia fundadora, y que por mucho que se niegue los fantasmas están por todas partes. Lo que llama la atención es la inactitud de muchos de los personajes secundarios. A pesar de que al final tiene su sentido. Y, sobre todo, lo que tarda la protagonista (Úrsula Kelp) en tomar la iniciativa y salir de ahí “pies en polvorosa”.
Creo que lo mejor del libro es la ambientación y cómo se entremezcla la jardinería, que supone cuidar la vida de algún modo, con la muerte. Una propuesta original, pero a la que creo le falta algo.
March 2, 2025
This book was a mess. It dragged on for no reason, and a lot of what was happening really didn't serve the story. There were almost no scary or creepy scenes at all. Animal cruelty happens several times in this book and really serves no point in the story other than to upset or disturb the reader. Every animal introduced to us had to be maimed or killed in an awful way. There is also a completely unnecessary addition of sexual assault--unnecessary because there's a sudden build up to it (almost out of nowhere) and then it's completely skipped over and the victim barely gives any thought to it other than stating she was sore between her legs. It did nothing to serve the plot other than to attempt to shock and disturb the reader.
I was excited to read this book but didn't enjoy it. I kept reading, hoping it would get better as the pages went on. It seems to me that the author had a list of unrelated ideas and tried to put them all into this story regardless of their cohesion. It didn't work for me. I'm only giving 2 stars because I did enjoy the descriptions of the pampas.
Tldr: not scary, unnecessary plot points, animal cruelty, and sexual assault
I was excited to read this book but didn't enjoy it. I kept reading, hoping it would get better as the pages went on. It seems to me that the author had a list of unrelated ideas and tried to put them all into this story regardless of their cohesion. It didn't work for me. I'm only giving 2 stars because I did enjoy the descriptions of the pampas.
Tldr: not scary, unnecessary plot points, animal cruelty, and sexual assault
August 14, 2024
Content warnings: death, blood, animal death, rape, graphic suicide, blood, torture
I wanted to love this. I really did. But it felt like I was wading through quicksand a lot of the time, and I genuinely cannot work out if I liked Ursula as a protagonist or not. The house and its cast of characters were decidedly unsettling, but I don't feel like the remote setting was quite used to its advantage and just as I felt like I was really starting to get into the story, there were a handful of scenes that were so unsettling and/or so wildly unnecessary that I seriously contemplated DNFing the book with like 10-15% to go.
So yeah. I wanted to love it. But it just didn't hit the mark in the end.
I wanted to love this. I really did. But it felt like I was wading through quicksand a lot of the time, and I genuinely cannot work out if I liked Ursula as a protagonist or not. The house and its cast of characters were decidedly unsettling, but I don't feel like the remote setting was quite used to its advantage and just as I felt like I was really starting to get into the story, there were a handful of scenes that were so unsettling and/or so wildly unnecessary that I seriously contemplated DNFing the book with like 10-15% to go.
So yeah. I wanted to love it. But it just didn't hit the mark in the end.
January 30, 2022
Head to Argentina 1913 for a slow-burning supernatural tale
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas spirits us back to Argentina, 1913, and has been compared to both Laura Purcell’s The Silent Companions and the work of Daphne du Maurier. If you are a fan of slow, brooding, gothic in style chillers then you will probably enjoy this novel, if you are after jump scares or darker horror then this may not be the book to rock your boat. Its strengths were its fantastic atmosphere, incredible sense of time and place and strong lead character rather than its supernatural angle. On the downside, for many readers (including myself) not enough happened and the creeping slow build-up of atmosphere and threat never truly paid off and at no stage in the narrative did I ever fear for the life of the totally isolated central character.
Why did I not fret for the engaging and spunky star Ursula Kelp? The main reason was the simple fact that the way the story is framed was a genuine tension killer. It starts directly after the events of the book have concluded and Ursula, probably waiting to return to the UK, starts to write about what happened to her when she became head gardener at the huge (and very remote) Las Lágrimas estate. Right from the kick-off the reader is aware the main character survives which for some readers could be seen as rather too obvious, however, this narrative style of writing letters or journals is a popular literary device in modern Gothic fiction.
In the early stages of proceedings, the young (and very independent for 1913) woman leaves a secure but undemanding gardening job to travel deep into the Pampas, the vast empty grasslands, where the estate is situated. She is vaguely aware that this is a job that no male gardener wants and she is given the opportunity because there is nobody else and the manager of the estate is desperate. The property is rumoured to be cursed and the owners have not lived there for many years, but will soon be returning, and it is her task to whip the overgrown estate into shape before ‘The Don’ and his family eventually appear. However, the estate is in a horrible state and even though she has the title of ‘head’ gardener the locals who are her assistants are uncooperative and do not like taking orders from a woman. Even though she speaks good Spanish, there are other language difficulties as the locals speak a native tongue, all of which adds to her isolation.
The story makes a great job of expressing how remote Las Lágrimas is, as it takes Ursula days to arrive there, no welcoming party awaits her, and she is shocked to discover that she can only bathe twice a week without the modern conveniences she is used to. She has no friends, hardly anybody will talk with her and if she is friendly to the skeleton staff is treated with suspicion. All of this adds to her woes, which are made worse by the fact that the wind never stops blowing and she hears whispers of curses and lingering evil from when the house was last inhabited. The horrendous garden, and her failure to manage it, parallels her dwindling spirits as the progress she makes is beset with hitches and problems. The reader quickly realises why this position is tricky to fill and nobody lasts more than a few months.
Ursula Kelp was an engaging central character and readers will tap into her excitement and hope as she embarks upon her new job, hoping to prove that being a woman is not a hinderance to succeeding in such a job, but the garden is an untameable wilderness which crushes her spirits, with the hostile and secretive staff making things worse. For a nearly 400-page book far too much time was spent gardening which quickly became repetitive and I felt that more time was spent on the gardens than on the supernatural element of the story which bubbled in the background. To be frank, it was too far back in the narrative and really needed something more substantial that doors slamming, footsteps on empty gravel paths or frenzied chop of an axe from the encroaching forest when no one is there to get the pulse racing. All this was rather subdued and although the disturbances increase it just was not enough to catch the attention or provide ever the most basic of scares.
I appreciate that novels written in the Gothic style do not reply upon particularly direct or violent horrors, but the malevolent force which lurks in the trees watching and waiting for Ursula which awakens was rather underwhelming and got slightly lost in the overgrown shrubbery and grass the gardener was continually at odds with. The Haunting of Las Lágrimas could also have done with some other major characters, but because of the first-person narrative, the story sticks with Ursula and the estate manager Moyano is the only other person featured in any detail. The Don and his family appear late in the book and perhaps if they had been introduced earlier the story might have been widened slightly further.
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas will be popular with a certain type of reader and may well prove to be a success beyond the horror market as it taps into historical thriller territory with a convincing feminist edge. The setting, beautifully described landscapes and central character were also strengths, but it was hindered by its slow pace, lack of action, and underwhelming supernatural storyline.
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas spirits us back to Argentina, 1913, and has been compared to both Laura Purcell’s The Silent Companions and the work of Daphne du Maurier. If you are a fan of slow, brooding, gothic in style chillers then you will probably enjoy this novel, if you are after jump scares or darker horror then this may not be the book to rock your boat. Its strengths were its fantastic atmosphere, incredible sense of time and place and strong lead character rather than its supernatural angle. On the downside, for many readers (including myself) not enough happened and the creeping slow build-up of atmosphere and threat never truly paid off and at no stage in the narrative did I ever fear for the life of the totally isolated central character.
Why did I not fret for the engaging and spunky star Ursula Kelp? The main reason was the simple fact that the way the story is framed was a genuine tension killer. It starts directly after the events of the book have concluded and Ursula, probably waiting to return to the UK, starts to write about what happened to her when she became head gardener at the huge (and very remote) Las Lágrimas estate. Right from the kick-off the reader is aware the main character survives which for some readers could be seen as rather too obvious, however, this narrative style of writing letters or journals is a popular literary device in modern Gothic fiction.
In the early stages of proceedings, the young (and very independent for 1913) woman leaves a secure but undemanding gardening job to travel deep into the Pampas, the vast empty grasslands, where the estate is situated. She is vaguely aware that this is a job that no male gardener wants and she is given the opportunity because there is nobody else and the manager of the estate is desperate. The property is rumoured to be cursed and the owners have not lived there for many years, but will soon be returning, and it is her task to whip the overgrown estate into shape before ‘The Don’ and his family eventually appear. However, the estate is in a horrible state and even though she has the title of ‘head’ gardener the locals who are her assistants are uncooperative and do not like taking orders from a woman. Even though she speaks good Spanish, there are other language difficulties as the locals speak a native tongue, all of which adds to her isolation.
The story makes a great job of expressing how remote Las Lágrimas is, as it takes Ursula days to arrive there, no welcoming party awaits her, and she is shocked to discover that she can only bathe twice a week without the modern conveniences she is used to. She has no friends, hardly anybody will talk with her and if she is friendly to the skeleton staff is treated with suspicion. All of this adds to her woes, which are made worse by the fact that the wind never stops blowing and she hears whispers of curses and lingering evil from when the house was last inhabited. The horrendous garden, and her failure to manage it, parallels her dwindling spirits as the progress she makes is beset with hitches and problems. The reader quickly realises why this position is tricky to fill and nobody lasts more than a few months.
Ursula Kelp was an engaging central character and readers will tap into her excitement and hope as she embarks upon her new job, hoping to prove that being a woman is not a hinderance to succeeding in such a job, but the garden is an untameable wilderness which crushes her spirits, with the hostile and secretive staff making things worse. For a nearly 400-page book far too much time was spent gardening which quickly became repetitive and I felt that more time was spent on the gardens than on the supernatural element of the story which bubbled in the background. To be frank, it was too far back in the narrative and really needed something more substantial that doors slamming, footsteps on empty gravel paths or frenzied chop of an axe from the encroaching forest when no one is there to get the pulse racing. All this was rather subdued and although the disturbances increase it just was not enough to catch the attention or provide ever the most basic of scares.
I appreciate that novels written in the Gothic style do not reply upon particularly direct or violent horrors, but the malevolent force which lurks in the trees watching and waiting for Ursula which awakens was rather underwhelming and got slightly lost in the overgrown shrubbery and grass the gardener was continually at odds with. The Haunting of Las Lágrimas could also have done with some other major characters, but because of the first-person narrative, the story sticks with Ursula and the estate manager Moyano is the only other person featured in any detail. The Don and his family appear late in the book and perhaps if they had been introduced earlier the story might have been widened slightly further.
The Haunting of Las Lágrimas will be popular with a certain type of reader and may well prove to be a success beyond the horror market as it taps into historical thriller territory with a convincing feminist edge. The setting, beautifully described landscapes and central character were also strengths, but it was hindered by its slow pace, lack of action, and underwhelming supernatural storyline.
March 14, 2023
A very spooky Gothic ghost story, with a host of devious characters and various unsettling apparitions. The first and final third are excellent, but the plot did drag and get quite repetitive in the middle.
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