Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
/Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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Gods of Jade and Shadow was my introduction to Mexican mythology and I couldn’t have asked for a more beautifully written guide. Full of magic and mystery, Gods of Jade and Shadow was an engrossing and thrilling read that kept me captivated from start to finish.
Casiopea Tun is stuck. After the death of her father, Casiopea and her mother moved into her grandfather’s house and now spend their days acting as servants to her spoiled and bitter family. Instead of dancing the night away and enjoying the new found freedom of the 1920s, Casipea is scrubbing floors and running errands. When she is punished for talking back to her cruel and abusive cousin, Casiopea discovers the key that her grandfather always wears around his neck has been left behind when the rest of the family is off enjoying a daytrip. Curiosity takes over and Casiopea is shocked to discover the chest contains a Mayan Death God. When one of the bones leaves a shard embedded in her hand, Casiopea is now linked to Hun-Kamé and must help him to seek revenge for being tricked into the chest for the last 50 years. Finding out her grandfather had worked with a Mayan god and traded Hun-Kamé’s freedom for wealthy and status is a bit much for Casiopea to take, but with her life on the line, she begins a journey across Mexico helping Hun-Kamé finding his missing body parts and discovering how much of the mythology she grew up learning is based on reality.
I loved this book! I loved the magic, the traveling, the way that Casiopeia stood up for herself and showed her strength over and over again. Casiopeia is a smart and feisty character-she’s always talking back even when she knows she’ll be punished for it. Her courage and strength was empowering to read and her end to the story-perfect!
There were several incidents in the book where Casiopeia has to balance her Catholic upbringing with the myths and legends of where she lives. Hun-Kamé and Casiopea discussion of the gods leads to Casiopea truly showing her strength and boldness. When Hun-Kamé claims that it was good that he rescued her, Casiopea lays out quite plainly: “You did not rescue me,” Casipea replied. “I opened that chest. Besides, I wasn’t a princess in a tower. I knew I’d get away one way or another, and I was not waiting for a god to liberate me. That would have been both silly and unlikely.”
Whew! To say that to a Mayan Death God??? Brave. Casiopea is my new hero.
If you would like to fall in love with this book as I did, you can get your copy here:
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Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions are my own.
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