Gods of Jade and Shadow

‘'Some people are born under a lucky star, while others have their misfortune telegraphed by the position of the planets. Casiopea Tun, named after a constellation, was born under the most rotten star imaginable in the firmament.''

Yucatán, Mexico, during the 1920s. Casiopea has found herself in an awful situation. Her beloved father, a lover of mythology and fables, has died. Her mother is a weak woman who only knows how to cry and pray. The young woman has been left practically alone, struggling to cope with the insults of her tyrannical grandfather and disgusting cousin. Until the day an old chest is opened and the God of Death escapes. In order to fight against treason and fulfill a mysterious destiny, Casiopea and the dashing god will lead us on an unforgettable journey in one of the most fascinating countries of our planet through folklore, mythology and every virtue and vice of the mortal soul. And the immortal spirit.

‘'Words are seeds, Casiopea. With words you embroider narratives, and the narratives breed myths, and there's power in the myth. Yes, the things you name have power.''

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has created an outstanding novel. The culture and vibe of Yucatán come alive through beautiful prose. The political background of the complex 1920s is immediately set and this makes for an extremely interesting start. It is then that I understood Gods of Jade and Shadow is so much more than a modern fairy tale. It is a political and social commentary on issues that shape every nation in every era. In my opinion, the beauty of the story lies in the successful balance between Historical Fiction and Mythology. The writer uses the vast Mexican tradition and folklore to demonstrate a young woman's fight against domestic violence, physical and psychological, against discrimination and limited, preconceived expectations. Through her love for Greek and Mayan mythology and her combined faith to the Christian religion and the beliefs of her forefathers, Casiopea faces a world as fascinating as it is dark, populated with powerful gods and mighty sorceresses, demons, ghosts, strange beings and corrupted priests who use Religion as an excuse to oppress the cries for change. And once again, we come to understand that the vilest of creatures can be found among the mortals. No surprise there really...

‘'And life may not be fair but I must be fair. I can't turn away.''

The writing is beautiful, the dialogue is exceptional. Don't be hesitant if your knowledge of Mayan mythology is limited. The writer is an excellent guide and answers all our questions within the story without being redundant or lectury. However, the strength of this marvelous book lies in the character of Casiopea. She is forced to mature beyond her 18 years and her personality remains an integral part of the plot throughout the book. Despite the circumstances and the constant discoveries she makes concerning herself and the world around her (and beyond...), she doesn't compromise. She becomes wiser and remains firmly faithful to her values and the principles given to her by her father. She doesn't lose faith and brings a god to his senses, forcing him to see what is real. Now, Hun-Kamé is perfection. I'm fangirling a bit, yes, but it is true. The God of Death has to come to terms with the mortal nature that is believed to be hidden inside every deity. The dynamic between Casiopea and him is one more driving force of the novel. All characters are excellently drawn, even the ones you'll come to hate with all your heart, even the tiniest mythical figures will surprise you.

Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Fairytale, Folklore....The novel can easily fall into five-six genres. One thing is for certain. You will adore Gods of Jade and Shadow from the very first chapters. It is a beautiful token of what happens when a truly gifted writer respects the original sources and weaves an exciting and powerful tale relevant to all. A magical, mystical journey.

‘'-Dreams are for mortals.-Why?-Because they must die.''

Many thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com

DNF - PG 14

Why?

Did not like. (Be impressed I have such disdain for a book that I read only 14 pages of. That might be a new record.)

Part of this is my own fault. I heard some less than glowing things about this book and still didn't try the preview/sample first because what they were picking at (it reading like a YA, and more on that later) doesn't bother me. (Look, I read adult books, YA, MG and a bunch of stuff with crossover appeal. I don't care about this.)

I read the first paragraph three times before I actually started the book - because every time I went to pick it up, I didn't like the way it started. I would have liked to know that this book that is ‘a dark fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore' had a Cinderella as the main character.

I'm over retellings of the main, well known Disney fairytales. I've always been over Cinderella - and this girl looks terrible even in comparison to that character. Casiopea - wait, let's take a minute to talk about the name. Casiopea was ‘named after a constellation.' Great, only there's no Casiopea constellation. There is, however, a Cassiopeia constellation. Do a Google search of the word ‘Casiopea' and you get a, and I quote, ‘Japanese jazz fusion rock band formed in 1976.'

Now, I want to talk about Casiopea, but I'm not sure I can separate my problems with her from my problems with the writing style. The story is written in a very tell-don't-show, emotionally distant, middle grade sort of way.

For example, in the first chapter, Casiopea is getting picked on by her cousin (one of the many, many relatives that terrorize her days) and he forces her out of the house without allowing her to become more presentable. (She's wearing a ragged skirt (to really drive home the Cindersoot) and no shoes or stockings.) She decides to pick her battles, and leaves without changing her clothes - or, as special note is made, without a shawl for her head.

The she goes on to say, while wandering around the town because she doesn't want to return to her house, that women would possibly be chided for walking around town without a shawl wrapping her head. The local priest is especially a problem, as he mistrusts all women thanks to Eve (yes, that Eve) and, if he saw Casiopea ‘he would drag her back to her house, but if he did, what of it? It was not as if the priest would strike her any harder than Martin would, and her stupid cousin had given her no chance to tidy herself.'

Because after she went through avoiding Martin beating her, the priest doing the same is... I mean, it's the same thing, but because we don't know why she behaving like this, there's two contradictory bits of information here.

Casiopea herself makes mention of Cinderella and how she doesn't fashion herself as a tragic heroine - instead being pragmatic and focusing tightlipped on the money that her grandfather promises she'll inherit at his death. But she is all very woe is me, I have it so bad.

The only person in her family that she receives any comfort or love from, the only one she doesn't receive abuse from, is her mother. But then, in chapter two ‘The monthly trip was one of the few occasions when Casiopea had a chance to enjoy the company of her family members and a deserved respite from her chores.' ... I don't even have words for how little sense this makes.

Also, believe me, how many times Casiopea's name is used in the narration (when she or her would have worked just as well, as Casiopea was by herself and Casiopea wasn't thinking of anyone else) you will never forget that Casiopea's name is Casiopea. (Just something that aggravated me in the first chapter.)

Now, to change the subject. Lucky me, I discovered that there's a really, really old non-human that (god of death?) forms the romance in this story with Casiopea. (Because an ancient being is going to fall in love with this girl that doesn't have the maturity of a thirteen year old.)

Finally, without getting into it as this is not supposed to be a review on the author - but in this case remarks that she made contributed to my disinterest/dislike of the book. So...Yeah.

Instead of being Yet Another Mythology Retelling where an author picks apart Greek mythology with a female protagonist, we get something a bit more inspired from a reputable author. The result is kind of a fairytale-esque story written using figures from Mayan mythology in a 1920s Mexico historical setting. It sounds like a mishmash of concepts, but I thought it worked well together.

Casiopea works as a servant in her grandfather's house, a glorified floor scrubber and errand runner for the household in a small town in Mexico. But when she accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of Death, she's given the opportunity to finally see the larger world and all the things she's only dreamed of. But it's a dangerous journey she's about to go on with many opposing forces trying to keep the two of them from reaching its end.

I thought it was a really sweet story. There's a bit of romance here between Casiopea and Hun-Kame, but done in a hesitant way since the two of them realize that their situation isn't permanent. I liked that we get to see a lot of personal growth in both Casiopea and Hun-Kame from the journey as well, and some introspection about how the journey changes a person. The setting in Mexico is beautiful, and I loved the descriptions of the different cities they visit along the way, with the author taking care to make them feel distinctive.

I will say that, because of the way the story is intended, the ending is a bit predictable. Ending spoilers here: it never really feels like Casiopea is in danger from anything she's asked to do, despite the warnings she's given, and it does take you a bit out of the story when you realize the thickness of her plot armor. But if you enjoy a journey more than the ending, there's a lot here to like.

SMG is such an amazing writer. This book excels in the things I come to SMG for - fantastically prickly characters, clever use of genre tropes, and a wonderful world to step into. SMG does an excellent job of developing her characters' internal lives and motivations as the as the characters get a chance to experience things beyond their normal world.

This is my favorite Silvia Moreno Garcia book! I love the characters and the slight bit of distance she creates between the audience and the characters. Then as we spend more time with them we grow closer with them. It is a great journey across Mexico as we journey closer to the characters. The setting of Xibalba is awesome and the ending is just so perfect. So amazing!

This one is a fun glimpse into Mayan Mythology.
I especially enjoyed the strong female POV heroine. She wasn't flamboyant or magical, but she had strength and power all her own.

I don't like this. It feels like a draft. There are too many questions and the writing is too uneven.
I stopped at page 52. Maybe I'll read it later, but right now, nope.

SHUT UP I AM FOREVER RUINED

This was a fun fairy tale through 1920s Mexico and based off of Maya Mythology While I found the story to be a bit predictable, it was still a fun read.

Gods of Jade and Shadow reminded me very much of American Gods, only with a gentler touch and more romantic overtones.

It's not classified as a YA book but I think that audience would enjoy it. It's about a young woman who has been dealt a bad hand but is suddenly touched by fate. She has to leave the home she knows, explore a new world, learn the rules, make choices and learn consequences, etc.

I knew very little about Mayan mythology so this was a nice little mini-exposure to it. The Mayan Gods provided the supernatural elements and gave the story a fairy-tale-like feel.

 Gods of Jade and Shadow is a very sleepy fantasy. I expected a little more action from a story about a god of death on a quest to reclaim his throne after brotherly betrayal, and there was a little, but mostly the story meanders through moments, quietly weaving its myth. I found it a very calm read. I had no anticipated that but it was really nice and while I felt some of its events could have had a little more ‘oomph', maybe drawn out just a little bit longer, perhaps packed a little more emotion, by the end I was still in tears and kinda wanting to hear more from these characters.

This book is a slow burn for sure. And it is lovely. 

In this book about the Mayan gods, we follow a young woman who wants out of the life she's living. When she accidentally releases a god who has been asleep for 50 years, she is swept away on a life-threatening adventure with this mysterious, handsome god. But until they can defeat the god's brother, her life is slowly being drained away.

I think this book was fun. It was a little slower paced, and I found myself zoning out a few times. I loved the setting. Set in 1920's Mexico, there is a rich backdrop. Everything feels even further back in time when dealing with these ancient beings. I ultimately think it was a fun book, but the pacing could have been a little better. I didn't feel much attachment to the characters, so it ended up being hard for me to follow along.

TW: abusive grandparent (mentioned, past), alcohol, animal death, colorism, death (parental, past), domestic abuse, human sacrifice (mentioned), misogyny, physical violence, ritualistic self-harm

The writing is lush and Cassiopeia is such a wonderful character.

4.5 stars

DNF @ 17%

This one was just a miss for me right now. Perhaps I'll go back to it and try again, because there are aspects of this story that are really neat and I thought were worth reading. Maybe I'm just in a funk, because I had to DNF the last book I'd picked up as well. But at this moment, the writing just feels so juvenile that I genuinely thought this was a MG book until I looked it up here and saw that it's actually adult??????? I'm just...not about it right now.

Felt a bit rushed...interesting concept.

I was really into the concept of this book. Mayan-inspired mythology set in jazz age Mexico? Sign me up! Reading it though, the execution just didn't grip me. I couldn't really get invested in the characters and the writing was a little too YA for me to really get into it. Look, I don't hate all YA, but many books intended for that audience are just... really intended for that audience and not for me. It reminded me a lot of Katherine Arden's “The Bear and the Nightingale,” another book using underutilized mythology in a cool way, but just not in a style I found engaging.

this was a sweet love story, and i really enjoyed watching hun-kamé change, however i have a hard time with moreno-garcia's writing. it feels too simple, in a way which makes me feel detached from the characters and their dialogue, and not as absorbed in the world. i had this issue with mexican gothic as well - it may just be that her writing does not agree with me.

I am giving this the benefit of the doubt and marking it as 4 stars. The story has all the ingredients of a good story but the narration of the audiobook is soporific, which drains the life out of story. I spent half the book snapping out of a daydream, realising that either the character or scene had changed but the intonation hadn't. I strongly recommend this one be read.

I can confidently say at this point I'm a huge fan of mythological tales especially those mixed with historical fiction. This book checks both boxes. I am disappointed however because my library classifies this as adult fiction and it read very teen/young adult to me. I felt the depth of the characters was not very strong and the plot was very predictable. I knew from the start I was going on an adventure with Casiopea, but by the halfway mark I became quite bored and disconnected from the protagonist, and that never changed by the end. Still a very cool read and recommend to those interested. 3.5 stars.

A journey through Mexico in the 1920's in the company of an ancient Mesoamerican god of death. This is American Gods in the swinging 20s - similar vibes and as Neil Gaiman's master work. Silvia Moreno-Garcia conjures up the rapid change of the era in Mexico, and the dichotomy between the countryside and the city. She has a wonderful cast of godly and mythical entities that are met along the way, and the decidedly Mesoamerican twist to everything adds an intriguing difference from the usual gods in the real world type story.

There are some interesting theological questions asked around humanity versus gods and their relationships. Can gods become human, and what is the power of belief. How do gods die? Moreno-Garcia provides compelling characters and their relationships are intriguing.

4.5 stars rounded down.
4.5 estrellas redondeadas hacia abajo

What would you do if you were stuck at your grandfather's house serving the rest of your family and you were presented with the opportunity to go away and not having to come back?
¿Qué harías si estuvieras atrapada en la casa de tu abuelo sirviendo al resto de tu familia y se te presentara la oportunidad de irte y no tener que regresar?

This opportunity was one that Casiopea seized and it was also what got her on a journey of magic, curses and myths, meeting demons, gods and ghosts, alongside the Lord of Xibalba, the Mayan Underworld, himself, to retrieve his missing treasures and gain her freedom.
Esta fue una oportunidad que Casiopea aprovechó y que además fue lo que la llevó en una travesía de magia, maldiciones y mitos, conociendo demonios, dioses y fantasmas, junto al mismísimo Señor de Xibalba, el Inframundo Maya, para recuperar sus tesoros perdidos y obtener su libertad.

One day, when no one was home as everyone went on a family trip, Casiopea, looking for gold in her grandfather's bedroom in hopes of leaving that life behind, got her finger stabbed by a splinter of one of Hun-Kamé's bones, bringing him back to life with her life energy and her blood. He offers her her heart's biggest desire in exchange of helping him find the body parts his treacherous brother severed to diminish his power and take the Jade Kingdom from him.
Un día, cuando no había nadie en casa dado que todos se fueron a un paseo familiar, Casiopea, buscando oro en la habitación de su abuelo con la esperanza de dejar esa vida atrás, se pinchó el dedo con la astilla de uno de los huesos de Hun-Kamé, regresándolo a la vida con su propia energía de vida y con su sangre. El le ofrece brindarle el mayor deseo de su corazón a cambio de que lo ayude a encontrar las partes de su cuerpo que el traicionero de su hermano le cortó para disminuir su poder y quitarle el Reino de Jade.

“I can't go around calling you that. Do you think if we are in the street I can cry ‘oh, Lord of Xibalba, could you come here?'“
“I am not a dog for you to call me,” he replied, standoffish.
“No puedo andar por ahí llamándote así. ¿Crees que si estamos en la calle puedo gritar ‘oh, Señor de Xibalba, podrías venir aquí?'““No soy un perro para que me llames,” contestó, retador.

Dada la alternancia entre los puntos de vista, el libro comienza un poco lento. Sin embargo, rápidamente acelera el paso con Casiopea y Hun-Kamé embarcándose en una odisea a través de México en los 1920s pero también a través de una tierra de mitos traídos a la vida, magia negra y chu'lel.

Siendo este mi segundo libro de Silvia Moreno-García, después de Mexican Gothic, no me decepcionó para nada. Su abilidad para crear un mundo tan claro basado en descripciones de las vistas, los olores y sensaciones, es nuevamente asombroso y alucinante. Pude verlo todo tan claro en mi mente, pero también olerlo todo y sentirlo todo. Los personajes están bien definidos en su apariencia, sus maneras y sus pensamientos. Todo está construido tan cuidadosamente, que es increíble cómo todas las pequeñas piezas que descubrimos a lo largo del libro encajan perfectamente al final. Incluso me gustó el “villano” por como estaba construido; lo desprecié, pero me gustó el personaje.

At length she came upon a lake that glowed an eerie blue, as if all the stars had fallen into the water and nestled in its bottom.
Al fin ela se encontró con un lago que brillaba de un azul misterioso, como si todas las estrellas hubieran caido dentro del agua y se hubieran anidado en el fondo.

Mi cosa favorita del libro fue que cada parada en su viaje fue como una historia corta en sí misma. Se desconectaba un poco de la trma prinipal; no tanto como para perder coherencia y continuidad, pero lo suficiente para que el lector la saboreara por sí misma.

I'm only not giving it five stars because of the slow start and the somewhat anti-climactic ending. It was a good ending, but was missing a little extra given all we were handed throughout the novel.

Hay historias de miedo, historias llenas de magia, de misterio y de engaños, además de historias de heroísmo y de valentía. solamente no le daré cinco estrellas por el inicio lento y el final un poco anti climático. Fue un buen final, pero le faltó un pequeño extra dado todo lo que nos brindaron a lo largo de la novela.

Definitivamente añadiré el resto de su trabajo a mi lista de “Quiero Leer”.

Mythmaking. It is greater than you or I, this tale.
Creación de mitos. Es más grande que tu o yo, esta historia.

I finished this book at 2 a.m. on a Saturday morning which basically tells you all you need to know. I'm obsessed. It is stunning and beautiful and heartbreaking. Everything that made me love books in the first place. For sure one of the best books I've read this year.

The Mayan God of Death and a young woman are bound together and must travel around Mexico of the 1920s to help the god restore his kingdom.

Here are some of the things I liked about this book: Casiopea's ability to defy those in her life who had power over her, including her grandfather and cousin. The interconnectedness of Casiopea and Hun-Kame as they traveled, and how that changed both of them in ways that were both good and bad. The character of the Mayan God of Death and the other figures from Mayan mythology including his twin brother, the magician Uay Chivo, Loray, the Mamlab weather gods. The places the two visited including Mexico City and Baja California and Uukumil and even Xibalba. The resolution of the story was also very satisfying.

Wow, what a great tale of growing up set in a time and place that is very fascinating, if you find the Jazz Age an interesting time. Mexico is such a massive and diverse country that the possibilities are truly endless and the author does a great job zeroing in on what is needed to set scene. There is some debate apparently whether this is a YA or an Adult novel and yes to both. Wonderful stuff.

This one took me a while, eh? Gods of Jade & Shadow was a heavily anticipated book for me. But I'm bad at reading books with my hands and eyes these days (even though its my preferred method), my attention span is low and I'm perpetually restless. But there is also the fact that this book is not exactly a page turner.

Gods of Jade and Shadow follows Casiopeia Tun, a “lesser cousin” of a wealthy family who works on her grandfather's estate along with her mother, waiting on her grandfather hand and foot and constantly taking jabs and abuse from her spoiled, entitled cousin, Martin. One day, left alone on the estate, she finds herself with the key to a chest her grandfather keeps locked and secret, and decides to open it. She finds that bones of the god Hun-Kame, and is thrust onto a quest to restore Hun-Kame's rule over Xibalba and unseat his treacherous brother. Much of said quest though involves small adventures (before the big one, of course), allowing Casiopeia's small world to grow gradually, along with a love between her and he ancient god.

This is a hard one to rate because it is not for everyone. It wasn't even always for me. It moves slowly in a way that some may find tedious or without direction. I wasn't necessarily looking for a more action-packed story, but perhaps something that felt a little...fuller? The prose styling was inspired by old folk tales, so its more about telling than showing. And sometimes that's fine, more than fine, other times I found myself a little disappointed. The most lush and atmospheric part of the book was the final few chapters, which were my favorite and the most enjoyable and easiest to read, in my opinion. The rest felt like wandering around between brief quests.

There is also the matter of the romance. I am going through...some stuff right now and as such this might be fed considerably by my personal experience. But I just really was not in the mood for the “spunky girl and the stoic, mysterious man” trope. Their love story is a love story because they say it is. I...throws up hands and mumbles about something not understanding heterosexuality

I liked the concept here a lot. I liked the characters, mostly. Moreno-Garcia was handling some of her favorite character tropes - the angry rich boy is a much loved one of hers. I loved the ending, and overall I thought this was....nice.