Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for providing a digital advanced reading copy of this book!

I'm a huge fan of mythological-based fiction and when I first came across this title, I was very excited. The story takes place in Jazz-age Mexico where a lone woman, Casiopeia Tun, is feeling stifled by her family in her small town in the Yucatan. Her life takes an interesting turn when she mistakenly frees a Mayan death god who is set on regaining his throne that was taken from him by his twin brother. The two embark on a journey across Mexico where they encounter other supernatural creatures from Mayan folklore that ultimately becomes a battle of life and death. This was an enjoyable novel and although I know a little about Mayan mythology, I got to delve into it a little further. It was cleverly adapted to a somewhat-modern setting and the author did a great job of vividly bringing jazz-age Mexico to life but also character building as Casiopea slowly becomes a force of nature while watching the god she travels with becomes more human. Highly recommended, especially for fans of mythology or historical fiction with a little bit of magic.

Casiopea Tun, who works for her grandfather by day and dreams of a better life at night, finds adventure in the form of Hun-Kamé, the Mayan God of Death. After accidentally resurrecting him, Casiopea is forced to be his companion on his quest to regain his throne.

Full disclosure here, I did not finish this book. I only read ten chapters (roughly 25%) and the plot had only just started to pick up. All the opinions I have about this book apply only to the first quarter.'

The strongest part of this book (aside from the beautiful cover!) was the plot. It's pretty typical trope-y stuff--girl awakens god, girl is forced to go on quest with said god to retrieve belongings stolen by a jealous family member in order for him to regain his throne, possible romance (?). But tropes can be fun sometimes, especially when they're set in jazz age Mexico!

Unfortunately, the rest of the novel didn't really live up to it's potential. I really wanted to like this book. Jazz age? Mexican mythology? Gods? Sign me up! But I really struggled getting into this book. For starters, I am not sure what the target audience of this book is. The author has insisted it's an adult book, not a YA book. While it's got a bigger vocabulary than I would expect for a YA novel, in all other ways (tone, content, syntax, etc) it's written like it's a YA novel. Granted, from other reviews it sounds like this gets better the more you read, but it was a struggle to get as far as I got.

I also didn't find any of the characters particularly compelling. I didn't need them to be likable, I needed them to be interesting, and they just weren't. I think part of this for me came out of the fact that this author TELLS everything instead of showing. This is my single biggest pet peeve in writing and can and does ruin books for me.

Personally, I didn't have a lot of fun reading this book. But I know other people do like it, so if failure to "show, don't tell" doesn't bother you and you really like the jazz age, mythology and stories about traversing the underworld and overworld, or just think this cover is gorgeous (because it is totally gorgeous), give it a shot.

I was given a copy of this ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For fans of Uprooted, The Bear and the Nightengale, Howl's Moving Castle, and Catherynne Valente. This book is a wonderful adventure, set in Jazz Age Mexico. Casiopea Tun is my favorite kind of fantasy protagonist. I don't want to give too much of the plot away, because I think this book works better when you don't know what's coming. But in particular, I loved the way the book considered the impact of belief on folklore, myth, and deities.

Gods of Jade and Shadow is a story of gods, sacrifices, and freedom. Grounded in a setting that will transport you to prohibition, flappers, and the way change can be slow to come by. What is the most relatable to Casiopea is her indomitable spirit, her yearning for change, and her patience. Mixed with fairy tale themes, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a story not only about her encounter with gods of her own, but also her quest to find her own future.

Casiopea lives in a country on the brink of change, a moment between trends, religions, and culture. Feeling like she does not belong with her family, and sorely mistreated by them, Casiopea has never fit in. And her future has always been uncertain, whether it existed at the whims of her family or based on the fate of a god's quest for revenge. Gods of Jade and Shadow is a story about power, mercy, and forgiveness.

Magical realism abounds in Gods of Jade and Shadow, following the adventures of Cassiopeia Tun and the inconveniently resurrected Mayan god of death on a whirlwind tour of 1920's Mexico. A Cinderella-like tale, Cassiopeia is set against her selfish, abusive cousin, who aligns with an opposing god. The glamour of the setting rushes by, as Cassiopeia spends the majority of the middle of the book either unconscious or drooping with fatigue. It reads like a fairy tale, lovely in its own right, but sadly predictable even without familiarity with the mythology mined. A decent read, but not top tier.

3.75 stars. I was very excited to get this ARC from NetGalley. This book weaves together Mayan mythology with story elements familiar to most readers, like Cinderella or Pandora. Cassiopeia, named for the constellation her (late) Mayan father loved, is tired of slaving away for her rich relatives in the hopes of one day receiving a small inheritance. Frustrated, she opens a locked chest in her grandfather’s room looking for treasure only to discover the bones of the Mayan lord of the dead, Hun-Kamé. Cassiopeia agrees to help Hun-Kamé regain his throne from the brother who attempted to kill him and help him find the missing body parts preventing him from his full power. Along the way, she finds adventure, a sense of independence, and maybe even romance.

For anyone looking for a clean YA romance, this would be a good option in that there is no sex, just kissing. There is a brief mention of male nudity when Hun-Kamé is resurrected, but it’s not described. However, it should be noted that in true Mayan fashion, there is a lot of violence and blood-letting but it’s very meh about it. Like, oh hey, you might get your head chopped off. C’est la vie (or, you know, la mort)!

I liked the 3rd person omniscient narration with asides such as “what they did not know was.” It made comments about characters and added a traditional element or feel to the story as if it was a myth passed down from generation to generation with the storyteller adding in their own flair.

I also liked that the romance was slow-building and believable rather than the insta-love common in a lot of books, especially since there is such a gap between the mortal Cassiopeia and godly Hun-Kamé. However, in some ways, the story was almost too slow, so that the last 40% of the book seemed to contain most of the action and the first part was mostly going from point a to point b.

Overall, it was a very good book, but I feel perhaps that there was so much hype around it, that it did not live up to my expectations. That said, should Silvia Morena-Garcia write a follow-up, especially one about our heroine’s road trip, I will definitely find a way to get my hands on it.

The publisher category for this book is fairy tale, but it's so much more than that. It's a historical novel, taking place in the 1920s, when Frida Kahlo would have been the same age as our heroine. It's an homage to Mexican literature: a book written in English that has the cadences of translated Spanish; it's a portal into myth—in fact, it's a portal story, where our heroine Casiopea Tun is drawn into the quest of a god, the Lord of Death. You might also describe it as Coco for grownups; it's a journey into Mexica cosmology. Casiopea starts out as a Cinderella character and then she frees the Lord of Death from prison and goes on the hero's journey to help him reclaim his throne.
The book succeeds on all those levels: a romance with a touch of the picaresque, a tragicomedy, a mythic journey. Casiopea faces demons and desires and learns the truth of herself. The story moves quickly, and it moves your heart. I loved it.
Moreno-Garcia has made an exquisite jewel of a book; most people are going to appreciate it on the Coco level, and that's fine—what a gift all the other levels are, to those already familiar with mestizo culture.
In these days of making old things new again, the stories of our ancestors become refleshed in modern attire; the art of the storyteller is to birth new meaning from the same old stories, for the core lessons of the human story remain the same, like human nature. The storyteller leaves us having introduced change into the divine realms and leaves us with the unchanged ancient wisdom: life on earth is a gift to be savored and cherished, for it is sweet and good. Nevertheless, this goodness is borne from suffering, blood, and sacrifice; a true person makes her choices knowing that one day she may be the one who bleeds, the one who sacrifices. The birth will still be worth it.
**(I received a digital advance copy from Netgalley and Del Rey for review; it was worth the migraine, and I'll be purchasing the book to reread. Huge fan!)

Casiopea lives a Cinderella-like life her in grandfather’s household where she is expected to complete household chores and do what her cousin, Martin, asks of her. She has always lived in Martin’s shadow as Martin is the eldest grandson and heir to her grandfather’s estate, but while she will do what Martin asks, she always responds to him with a bit of defiance. One day she comes across a wooden box and accidentally frees the Mayan god of death, Hun-Kame. Hun-Kame enlists the help of Casiopea to recover his throne from his brother, else Casiopea will perish. In order to do so, Hun-Kame must find what he is missing. She then journeys across Mexico with the God to recover his lost things.

If you like historical urban-fantasy, this is another good book for you. It’s great in that it is very original with its use of Mayan mythology and the Mexican setting; I am pretty sure this is the first fantasy book I’ve ever read that mainly takes place in Mexico. I didn’t necessarily find it to be the most immersive setting, but I think that may be in part due to my lack of knowledge of the area, especially given the time period. But there could have perhaps been a little more detail about the setting included to help readers learn and picture 1920s Mexico.

As for the characters, Casiopea is a Cinderella who fights back. She may be used to doing what she is told from her family, but only because in the end she realizes she doesn’t have much choice. The same goes with her experiences with Hun-Kame. He’s a God that sometimes demands Casiopea to do something for him, and while she knows she has no way out of the deal she has with him, she will ask for a moment or an appeal. She wants to have more than women of the time were granted, and she deserves it with all of her hard work. She is a sharp contrast to her cousin, Martin, who is fairly lazy and just wanders about knowing he won’t have to work since he inherits his grandfather’s estate. Martin actually is jealous of Casiopea and this causes conflict within the plot. Lastly, we have the God Hun-Kame himself, who really acts like the God he is. He will do what it takes to claim back this throne; his drive compares to Casiopea’s, which then lays a foundation for a budding romance between the two. However, I didn’t feel too much for the romance, but I did appreciate that it was not instant. It takes time for the characters feelings to develop and doesn’t rush anything. I think it also ends at a very fitting place, and there is good foreshadowing that leads up to this if you look out for it.

I do feel that the pacing was off at times and while this is a relatively short fantasy novel at 352 pages, I feel like I read around 500. It was not a quick urban fantasy read like I was expecting. This may be due to my inability to be completely immersed into the story due to the weaker points I mentioned above.

I recommend if you are a fan of the historical, cultural fantasies like The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty and The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden, or the dystopian, cultural urban fantasy Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse.

Casiopea Tun is the poor relation of the wealthiest family in a small town in southern Mexico. She resents every cruelty aimed at her, and dreams of escaping to live a life of her own. What she doesn't expect is to accidentally free a trapped god and travel with him on a cross-country quest to return him to the throne stolen by his brother. From small dusty towns in the Yucatan to the bright lights of Mexico City to the shadowy realm of the Mayan underworld, Casiopea's greatest journey may be the realm of the mortal, and immortal, heart.

Gods of Jade and Shadow is a book for anyone who loves fantasy and loves to imagine the crossing paths of ancient gods and the modern world. Here the modern world is Jazz Age Mexico, with short hair, fast cars, and bright lights; while the ancient world is Xibalba, the Mayan Underworld, and the struggle between twin brothers Hun-Kamé and Vucub-Kamé, the Gods of Death. Moreno-Garcia uses a beautiful, almost lyric, style of writing that reminded me of hearing classic myths and fairy tales spoken aloud. She paints the world in brilliant colors of jewels and shadows and you can feel the heat of the sun and the dust of Casiopea's travels on your skin. Casiopea delights in seeing the exciting world outside of her tiny village and the reader- and Hun-Kamé- cannot help but share in her innocent delight. We also easily share in her terror as Hun-Kamé draws her further in his quest to regain his throne and she faces sorcerers and ghosts straight out of horror stories.

Above all, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a story about building your own world and choosing your own path, even when you are sure that you have no choices. Casiopea learns who she is and her own inner strength in ways that are both heart-breaking and heart-filling. A story full of duality every step of the way, it had me smiling and crying, fearful and hopeful, and seeing the characters and their worlds change along with the adventure was completely wonderful.

It would not be wrong to call this a modern classic, and a must-read tale for fantasy lovers, those who love myths and legends, from Beauty and the Beast to The Odyssey to Neil Gaiman's American Gods.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I was unfamiliar with Mayan mythology, and this book was an appealing introduction. I loved the mythic elements and unusual setting of this Jazz Age Mexican fairy tale. At first, I thought this might be a Cinderella story, so I laughed when I read that, “Had Casiopea possessed her father’s pronounced romantic leanings, perhaps she might have seen herself as a Cinderella-like figure.” But our heroine is too pragmatic for that, and her story is far more empowering.

The story starts slowly, but once Casiopea Tun resurrects Hun-Kamé, a Mayan death god, I was hooked. I enjoyed the world-building and loved the two main characters. Their banter is amusing and the slow-burn romance that develops between them is touchingly bittersweet. I cried at the climax, but was laughing again during the denouement. It was a fitting ending.

I loved the author’s writing style, which reminded me of sitting around a fire late at night listening to a storyteller. I expect this will be an enchanting audiobook. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mythology, fairy tales, romantic fantasy, or coming of age stories.

The author provides a glossary at the end of the book that I wish I’d noticed sooner.

Note that the book contains demons, death gods, and violence, but nothing too graphic. The romance is understated and chaste.

Thanks to Random House for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley, which I volunteered to review.

4.5 stars
“Mythmaking. It’s bigger than you or I, this tale.” Silvia Moreno-Garcia conveys the grandeur of Mayan mythology in a classic journey undertaken by Casiopea, a Cinderella-like character whom it is absolutely impossible to dislike. Casiopea introduces us to the realms of the Mayans in much the same way that Percy Jackson shows us those of the Greeks. However, Gods of Jade and Shadow is not necessarily a children’s story. Moreno-Garcia’s portrayals of the brutal realities of life both In the land of the living and in the underworld are as detailed and captivating as her storyline and this incredible cast of characters. I, for one, hope to see more of them in her works to come.

There's a lot to love about "Gods of Jade and Shadow," from the content and its context to the author's own writing ethic. Readers do not need to be familiar with Mayan legends and gods going into this story, as Moreno-Garcia seeds explanations and introductions throughout, gently guiding newcomers deeper into the ancient stories contained in the Popol Vuh––stories of the Mayan death gods and their underworld, Xibalba. Readers will also appreciate the fire and ferocity of this book's main character, Casiopea Tun, an ordinary mortal who finds herself embroiled in a high-stakes game of fate and destiny, one of many pawns in the hands of the death gods.

And yeah, if you're into star-crossed lovers, enemies-to-lovers tropes, road trip romances, and romances involving divine and human matches, this may just be the book for you. It's also worth noting that despite the occasional comment about how absurdly handsome the gods are and the occasional awkward "we're in a bedroom, do we kiss?" scene, this book is very much written in a young adult voice and directed at young women readers. I do not mean that as a bad thing, but I will admit that I was under the impression that this would be a bit heavier on the mythology and a bit lighter on the never-quite-lit flame of romance. It certainly flirts with a girl's transition into womanhood as involving both a departure from home and a couple of speculative glances at a good-looking guy/god. Casiopea briefly entertains an internal dialogue over gods across many mythologies gettin' with each other and with humans as a kind of thought experiment, but her own nascent relationship with a death god only simmers––it never really gets much more spicy than a kiss on the knuckles.

As I said, there's a lot to enjoy. I found the only elements that detracted from my overall enjoyment were the low stakes and the caricatured villains. The stakes are low because it is hinted at very early on that all events on the page are orchestrated by the gods to follow a set cyclical pattern, or to reach some preordained fate that those gods with enough foresight can predict. Even when there are multiple possible futures presented in their visions, they still seem to be simply going through the motions. There are certainly contexts where this sort of plot device might generate some sort of intense feeling, whether dread or fear or something else, but here it didn't quite do so. And the caricatured villains? Well, let's just say there's some pretty unrepentant jerks in Casiopea's life, one repentant jerk who only fesses up to his jerkery after flip-flopping at the last second, and a god who is––that's right!––fated to be the dark to his twin brother's light. Well, okay, so there's a little more dimension and pleasurable ambiguity there; don't get too carried away with my wordy explanations here. I was more i instinctually bothered by the way Catholicism is presented, which apparently only generates repressive and cruel priests, and which offers nothing of value except for an *extremely* brief moral dilemma over the whole "oh wait, I'm hanging out with a Mayan death god, so .... what do we do about Jesus and whatnot?" question. Casiopea routinely does this thing where she entertains or articulates a deeply interesting moral or ethical question, only to dismiss it or push it to the back of her mind "for another day." The Mayan death gods vs. Catholic trinity match is just one of many of these situations. That's great ... only those questions are actually the ones I want to see grappled with on the page, not which shade of black your love interest's eyes are at any given moment?

All this to say, there are certain categories of people––religious ones included, as well as all of the various classes of Mexican culture circa 1920––that are painted with very broad brushstrokes, either with universally positive or universally negative attributes, and this is the kind of societal shorthand that is common in much young adult literature and contributes to my reading of the book as such. Its focus is elsewhere, on a particular pair of characters moving through the world, and all else is secondary. It's a valid approach to writing, but it didn't offer me enough to suck me in fully. Part of that is probably because, well, I'm an aromantic asexual nonbinary person, and there wasn't any room in this adventure for questions of gender identity and so forth. The questions it did ask, and the identities it *did* interrogate were worthy, and I'm always here for books tackling mythologies and ancient traditions outside of the usual Western canon.

On that score, Moreno-Garcia absolutely excels. I would also like to commend her for crafting an ending that, while not exactly an unexpected twist, did allow for Casiopea to make some genuinely nuanced self-determining decisions. This book flirts with the star-crossed lovers trope, but it never fully embraces it, and the book's conclusion really brings home the fact that Moreno-Garcia isn't about to settle for the easiest path forward. Fitting for a book about the Mayan underworld, her characters make some tough choices, make some genuinely costly sacrifices, and craft their own selves in the process. Hers is a satisfying conclusion, not a half-baked cliffhanger paving the way for bigger reveals in future installments. If there are further books in this universe, I would be the first to jump on board (especially if it makes room for LGBTQIA+ folk like me), but there do not *have* to be additional books to make this one feel complete and satisfying.

Oh my gosh I loved this book so much!! Even the parts I didn't understand [which was a lot of it to be honest - I know NOTHING of Mayan mythology]. The story grabbed me from the very beginning and didn't let go until the end, and if I am honest, I hope that this becomes a series, because it didn't really want to let go at the end either. I just wanted this book to go on for forever.

I find that it is hard to explain this book and to give any kind of review would end up in spoilers, so I will only say this - this book is a wonderful mix of 1920's Mexico, fantasy and mythology and all the elements meld so well that it is captivating from page 1. I have never read this author before, but this for sure will not be my last book by her. WHAT an amazing and delightful writer she is. I cannot wait to read another one of her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballentine Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 out of 5 stars

I want to thank netgalley and Del Rey books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of the book for an honest review.
This is a lovely fairy tale/fantasy that takes place in the 1920's. When we first meet Casiopea Tun she is living with her Mother in her Grandfather's estate. Since her Father Casiopea has basically spent her life as a slave for her Grandfather and her mean cousin her resents her. She dreams of someday leaving. Setting out for an adventure in the great big world but her reality is that she spends much of her time scrubbing floors and polishing shoes. One day Casiopea is banned from going on a visit with her family she finds a chest. Though she always tries to be good she can't stop herself from wanting to open the mysterious chest. Perhaps her Grandfather keeps coins there and even though she is honest she is also desperate to get out of the life she is living. Maybe she could grab a few coins and hide them away for her escape fund? When she opens the chest she discovers something much more different than she was expecting. She discovers that the chest is full of bones. After she pricks her finger with a bone something happens. A form begins to solidify in front of her. It is the dethroned God of Death Hun-Kamé who promises her freedom and anything else her heart desires if she helps him find his missing pieces. It's not like she can say no to him though as a piece of his bone is lodged in her finger and as he lives she begins to die.

As Casiopea and Hun-Kamé on their journey they begin to form and interesting relationship. With her cousin trailing behind her working for Hun-Kamé's brother (the one that imprisoned him) she knows she must fight an battle for both of Casiopea and Hun-Kamé's life. This story is unique and lovely. Definitely the kin of book you really want to get lost in.

Perfect standalone fairytale. I read it about a chapter a day when I had free time, and I think I preferred it that way - l don't usually like journey-type books but it always felt as if each part of the journey/quest was integral to developing the cast of characters, and the focus was always on the characters, rather than the next checkpoint. The writing is amazing and magical and swept me away - each chapter gives just enough, and the story has a very serial/oral quality to it, so that it's easy to pick up the next day. Super super romantic and bittersweet, I would love to see this on screen. The comps are on point - if you love Uprooted/Spinning Silver or Winternight trilogy, this is another book to pick up.

Loved this book. The descriptions of the 1920s-era life was fabulous, and I really enjoyed the Mayan/Mexican culture and environment as well since there are only a few very rare books in YA with this type of setting. The ending was bittersweet, although I can see how it makes the most sense. Still, it's always a sad thing when a romance doesn't make it. The writing was spectacular, and I thought the story had just the right amount of creepy/gruesome and magical/wonderful.

This was absolutely incredible. Aside from the already super cool premise, this is an astounding fantasy with rich visuals and an exciting adventure. It broke my heart, it made me scream, and I was dying to know how it all would play out. Each character is deeply developed with enriching motivations and back story. The world is built spectacularly well and I enjoyed the 1920's Mexico setting with the Mayan mythology built into it. Overall, I highly recommend this book and in fact already recc'd it to several IRL people who asked me what I was currently reading. Great book, highly entertaining, and that ending is one of the best I've read in a long time.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book. I enjoyed reading it and finding out what happened next. There were a couple parts I paused and took a break in reading but overall it was easy to read and couldn't wait to find out what happens next.

Gods of Jade and Shadow is a brilliantly crafted coming of age story that is part historical fiction, part mythology. Set in 1920's Mexico and drawing on Mayan mythology, the story is brilliantly placed at an intersection of old and new, with all of the complexities that come with it. Casiopea is a young woman from a small village where she spends her days in drudgery, she and her mother being at the mercy of her wealthy and harsh grandfather. Her cousin Martin torments her, frustrated that she does not bow to his every whim. One day, she opens a forbidden box full of bones, unleashing a Mayan god of death and setting her on a dangerous journey that will change her and allow her blossom.

The contrast of Mexico during the Jazz Age with descriptive imagery of magic and the Mayan underworld is striking and creates a sense of the old and the new clashing. Thematically, this is a bit reminiscent of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katharine Arden, both grappling with moments in time where old-world religions are diminished but still present and Catholicism/Christianity are on the rise. In this book, that clash is also closely linked to colonization and indeed the existence and effects of colonization on Mexico is a major theme throughout. The narrative is culturally and historically rich, clearly a lot of research went into it. But also, we follow fascinating characters who allow us to explore the ways that traditional gender norms can become toxic, particularly in patriarchal cultures. This is such a smart book and Casiopea is a fantastic heroine- fiercely independent but also kind and generous. Highly recommend. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Love the Jazz Age, Mayan mythology, quest narratives and fables? This book is a can't miss!

Richly written, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a charming Jazz Age fantasy anyone will enjoy.

Mexico may be swept up in the fever of the Jazz Age, but Cassiopeia Tun's small village is still stuck in the past. Little more than a servant in her grandfather's home, Cassiopeia quietly dreams of forging out on her own with the small inheritance she's been promised and escaping the oppressive judgement of her mother's family. When her cousin lets it slip that the inheritance is a lie, Cassiopeia defies her grandfather's mandate to never open the chest in his room, in hopes of finding something to fund her new life. Instead she awakens Hun-Kame, Lord of Xibalba and god of the underworld.

Betrayed by his brother, Hun-Kame has been locked away for decades. When Cassiopeia accidentally awakens him and ties their fates together, it's just the beginning of the road back to regaining his former status. Together they must go in search of the scattered pieces of Hun-Kame his brother spread across the land before Cassiopeia's life is drained entirely and Hun-Kame becomes mortal.

Bound together by fate and myth, Cassiopeia and Hun-Kame's relationship is the fulcrum on which this novel rests. Cassiopeia is dictated by the shape of myths to be The Maiden, the helper of the god she travels with and the one whose story is truly altered by the quest. Hun-Kame is the unchanging immortal, an unreachable god. Bound together by Cassiopeia's mortality, they bleed into each other and it's that relationship that truly makes this book shine.