Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Published by: Del Rey
Pub Date: July 23, 2019
Pages: 352
Format: hardcover | Source: purchased
Genres: adult, historical fiction, fantasy
Rating:

The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.

From the opening pages I was captivated by the voice and the writing style of Gods of Jade and Shadow- it is the sort of writing you want to get lost in, but it also keeps you turning the pages. The setting was different from anything I’ve read before but the story did remind me of some of my favorite books including Uprooted and Circe, the longing and the journey and the strength of the characters. I loved Casiopea, she was my favorite sort of heroine. I found Martin deplorable but also a product of his surroundings, which makes for an interesting antagonist. And I loved the threads of Mayan mythology woven throughout the story, especially Hun-Kame and how his fate was entwined with Casiopea’s fate. It was exciting and adventurous and full of wants and longing and the pull between life and death, darkness and light. If you’re looking for a book to sink into and really savor, look no further.

Do you enjoy books with mythological influences? What about historical fantasy? Let me know!