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Gods of Jade and Shadow
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)
“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)
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Community Reviews
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
Gods of Jade and Shadow is a beautiful novel and excellent take on the fairy-tale tropes. Casiopea is much like Cinderella, a servant to her family who does not think much of her. However, she is no Cinderella, not really. Casiopea is a compelling character, a character who dreams and obeys but offers silent ways of disobeying those who vilify her. Following her journey, Casiopea opens up, and there is vulnerability to her as the story develops, making her a well-rounded and relatable character. She is a balanced character, feisty and outspoken yet poised as well. Casiopea has a formidable voice, but internally and externally as she drives the story forward, she grows as a character and discovers truths about herself and the world around her.
Other than Casiopea, the story offers a complex narrative regarding Martin. Martin is at first, wholly unlikable, portrayed as the villain, but he is more complicated than that, and as a character, he grows through his trials. He is a perfect foil for Casiopea, and the dichotomy between the characters gives the novel a rich representation to it.
The story itself is also as engaging as the characterization. Set during the Jazz Age, the language and color of the time trickle in through the story, growing the more Casiopea travels. This evolution of music and time goes hand in hand with her self-discovery and works to track the voyage of the characters. It has vivid color to it, both to the language used and the description of the scenes. The reader can imagine the world effortlessly as Garcia captures this historical piece of Mexico with beauty. However, the added effect of the Mayan history, the mythology to it, gives the story a fresh feel to it. It makes the novel unique as it spins this story to life, following the characters along their respective journeys.
Culturally appropriate, this novel captures the heart of Mexico and its history.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
Gods of Jade and Shadow is a beautiful novel and excellent take on the fairy-tale tropes. Casiopea is much like Cinderella, a servant to her family who does not think much of her. However, she is no Cinderella, not really. Casiopea is a compelling character, a character who dreams and obeys but offers silent ways of disobeying those who vilify her. Following her journey, Casiopea opens up, and there is vulnerability to her as the story develops, making her a well-rounded and relatable character. She is a balanced character, feisty and outspoken yet poised as well. Casiopea has a formidable voice, but internally and externally as she drives the story forward, she grows as a character and discovers truths about herself and the world around her.
Other than Casiopea, the story offers a complex narrative regarding Martin. Martin is at first, wholly unlikable, portrayed as the villain, but he is more complicated than that, and as a character, he grows through his trials. He is a perfect foil for Casiopea, and the dichotomy between the characters gives the novel a rich representation to it.
The story itself is also as engaging as the characterization. Set during the Jazz Age, the language and color of the time trickle in through the story, growing the more Casiopea travels. This evolution of music and time goes hand in hand with her self-discovery and works to track the voyage of the characters. It has vivid color to it, both to the language used and the description of the scenes. The reader can imagine the world effortlessly as Garcia captures this historical piece of Mexico with beauty. However, the added effect of the Mayan history, the mythology to it, gives the story a fresh feel to it. It makes the novel unique as it spins this story to life, following the characters along their respective journeys.
Culturally appropriate, this novel captures the heart of Mexico and its history.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
Very detailed. It helps you see the different scenes with every turn of the page. It has a very slow build, but it's was worth the wait.
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