writehollydavis
Written on Apr 26, 2022
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.
“A spellbinding fairy tale rooted in Mexican mythology . . . Gods of Jade and Shadow is a magical fairy tale about identity, freedom, and love, and it's like nothing you've read before.”—Bustle
NEBULA AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • Tordotcom • The New York Public Library • BookRiot
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.
Praise for Gods of Jade and Shadow
“A dark, dazzling fairy tale . . . a whirlwind tour of a 1920s Mexico vivid with jazz, the memories of revolution, and gods, demons, and magic.”—NPR
“Snappy dialog, stellar worldbuilding, lyrical prose, and a slow-burn romance make this a standout. . . . Purchase where Naomi Novik, Nnedi Okorafor, and N. K. Jemisin are popular.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“A magical novel of duality, tradition, and change . . . 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.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
- ISBN10 052562077X
- ISBN13 9780525620778
- Publish Date 18 February 2020 (first published 23 July 2019)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Del Rey Books
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 384
- Language English
- URL https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780525620778
Reviews
mrs_mander_reads
Written on Aug 27, 2021
kaliwinn
Written on Oct 4, 2020
4.5/5
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What you need to know:
#multipleperspectives #historicalfiction #quest #slowburn
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This is my second Moreno-Garcia book and I loved her writing even more this time around! GJS was definitely a slow burn, but I loved the details that helped me imagine the worlds of the main characters.
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Gods of Jade and Shadow follows the story of a common girl (Casiopea) and a Mayan god (Hun-Kame) on a quest to restore the god's rightful power which was stolen by his twin brother. The story moves easily from the perspective of Casiopea and Hun-Kame to the perspective of Vucub-Kame (the twin) and Martin (Casiopea's cousin). I rated this book at 4.5 stars only because I was sad at how it ended!
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bumblingbookworm
Written on Apr 3, 2020
layawaydragon
Written on Nov 6, 2019
>Atmospheric
>Full of history & context
>Great quotables.
>Abusive family
>Love Casiopea the whole way through. She won me over quick & then she rejected Cinderella 3
>Love the included versions of myths and myth making
>More of hidden hope & muffled dreams, then action showdowns & romantic declarations.
>Which I LOVE & think all the introverts/bookworms/quiet nerds will appreciate
>That did not go as I expected.
>That did not end as I expected either.
>Brillant.
>I won’t forget this any time soon.
>Highly recommended for YA fans that enjoy history & myths, anyone tired of the normal romances and hero journeys