Gods of Jade and Shadow
a perfect blend of fantasy, mythology and historical fiction set in Jazz Age Mexico
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4.1 • 13 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
'This is historical fantasy at its best' S.A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass
Inspired by Mexican folklore, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a magical, wildly imaginative coming-of-age tale for fans of Katherine Arden, Naomi Novik and Helene Wecker.
The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy scrubbing floors in her wealthy grandfather's house to do more than dream of a life far from her small town in southern Mexico.
Until the day she accidentally frees an ancient Mayan god of death, who offers her a deal: in return for Casiopea's help in recovering his throne, he will grant her whatever she desires.
From the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City and deep into the darkness of Xibalba, the Mayan underworld, Casiopea's adventure will take her on a perilous cross-country odyssey beyond anything she's ever known.
Success will make her every dream come true, but failure will see her lost, for ever . . .
'Wondrous and magical' Kevin Hearne, author of The Iron Druid Chronicles
'Evocative and moving' Rebecca Roanhorse, author of Trial of Lightning
'An adventure for the mind and the heart' Christina Henry, author of Alice
'A joy to read' Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library series
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Moreno-Garcia (The Beautiful Ones) crafts a magical novel of duality, tradition, and change, set in the late 1920s as Mexico transitions from its post-Revolution period to the Jazz Age. Casiopea Tun leads a constrained life in her grandfather's household in a small town, barely daring to dream of more. Such dreams are quickly snuffed by both her grandfather and her spoiled, narcissistic yet self-deprecating cousin, Mart n Levya. A minor act of rebellion, opening her grandfather's secret chest, releases the injured and imprisoned Mayan death god, Hun-Kam , Supreme Lord of Xibalba, and inexorably binds her to his quest to regain his underworld throne. Hun-Kam 's bond to Casiopea infects him in return with vestiges of mortality a circumstance his ambitious twin, Vucub-Kam , plots to use to his advantage, assisted by a somewhat reluctant Mart n. Moreno-Garcia's seamless blend of mythology and history provides a ripe setting for Casiopea's stellar journey of self-discovery, which culminates in a dramatic denouement. Readers will gladly immerse themselves in Moreno-Garcia's rich and complex tale of desperate hopes and complicated relationships. Correction: An earlier version of this review misspelled the character Vucub-Kam 's name.
