See here for methodology.

Well, it’s nice when it works out that the top book is a Mexican novel by a Mexican writer; and it’s even better that it’s magical realism. We do see a real skewing in the systems, though; Like Water for Chocolate was second to different books by USA authors on both Goodreads and LibraryThing, with The Pearl by John Steinbeck winning on LT and the controversial American Dirt on GR.

I’m disqualifying Blood Meridian because it looks like most of the parts of Mexico where it is set are now in the USA. I have a question mark against All the Pretty Horses as well, but it does seem to be mostly set south of the border. Not so Esperanza Rising, which is mainly set in California. But I’m glad to see as recent a novel as Mexican Gothic on the list.

I’m ashamed to say that the only one of these I have read is The Pearl, and that was a very long time ago.

Next: Japan.

India | China | USA | Indonesia | Pakistan | Nigeria | Brazil (revisited) | Bangladesh (revisited) | Russia | Mexico | Japan | Philippines (revisited) | Ethiopia (revisited) | Egypt | DR Congo | Vietnam | Iran | Türkiye | Germany | France | Thailand | UK | Tanzania | South Africa | Italy | Myanmar | Kenya | Colombia | South Korea | Sudan | Uganda | Spain | Algeria | Iraq | Argentina | Afghanistan