Book Review: The Hacienda

By Jessica Oravec

In Isabela Cañas’ novel The Hacienda, which takes place after the fight for Mexican independence, Beatriz is looking for a way out. Her father has died, their home has burned, and she and her mother now are living with and serving their extended family. So, when Rodolfo comes to the capital, Beatriz jumps at the chance to become his wife. A widower, Rodolfo is mysterious but kind.

After travelling to Rodolfo’s home, Hacienda San Isidro, Beatriz meets his sister, Juana, who doesn’t get along with her brother and refuses to live inside the house, instead choosing to live in a small casa on the grounds. And when Rodolfo leaves for the capital, strange things start to happen in Hacienda San Isidro.

Beatriz becomes increasingly paranoid, as she sees things that suddenly vanish. When she discovers a skeleton in a wall that disappears when she tries to show it to Juana, she knows that the house is haunted. So, she goes to the church to find Andres, a priest who’s willing to cleanse whatever is in the house. However, Andres, who was banished from Hacienda San Isidro by Rodolfo’s first wife, discovers that all is not as it was when he lived there before.

Before Andres’ banishment, the house was haunted, but the spirits were quiet, furtive, and a bit mischievous. Now, something evil has entered the home, and when it is accidentally set free from the walls — no one is safe.

Well written and lyrical, The Hacienda is gothic horror at its finest: a haunted house, a dead wife, a mysterious husband, and secretive servants. It also sheds light on an important and violent time in Mexico. If you love a good haunted house, this is the book for you. But be prepared — all is not what it seems.