I was immediately drawn to Gods of Jade and Shadow by the colorful and gorgeous cover. Author Silvia Moreno-Garcia has done a great job infusing Mayan mythology and Yucatan culture into the story of Casiopea, who is used and abused by her extended family after the death of her father, and crosses paths with a death god who needs the help of a mortal. Bound to his side through a dark journey, Casiopea starts to discover her worth, identity, and the very origins of her society, as well as her place within it.
This story had great potential, but the writing was bloated with clunky syntactical choices such as repeated adverbs and explanations of the actions of characters.

Gods of Jade and Shadow, a novel by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, is a great story, flawed by a slow start. The book runs through several chapters before the reader arrives at the inciting event, and much of the start could have been removed, making the story much better.

But, once it gets going, the "road trip" between a young woman and a deposed god of the underworld takes flight and from that point on, I couldn't put the book down.

If you like young adult fantasy, you will love Gods of Jade and Shadow.

Oh man, I don't even know where to start with this book. So I'll start with what drew me to it. I believe I saw the cover first and if you don't think that cover is pretty and interesting I just don't know what to say about your taste. I love the colors and style and all the Mayan design elements. Then I read the synopsis and was super intrigued. I have never read a book that discussed Mayan mythology even though it is so incredibly interesting. The added highlight of setting this book during the Jazz Age just really cinched it for me.

I finally picked this up and started reading despite being approved for a copy quite a few months ago. I didn't love what I was reading. I didn't care about Casiopea or her plight. Though I did like that the author included a Cinderella reference knowing her audience would be thinking it. It wasn't even that I disliked Casiopea as a character she just didn't do anything for me. I was bored with her. Surely, I thought, once we get to the Mayan God of Death it will get much more interesting. It just didn't. He fell as flat for me as Casiopea did. They just didn't seem to have much of a personality. This perhaps makes sense for Hun-Kame because he's an old God who happens to have spent a few centuries lounging in a state between sleeping and dead. For Casiopea, our heroine, it felt a little unforgivable to have her be so lackluster. Nonetheless, I was absolutely obsessed with the setting and descriptions of Xibalba as well as the various towns they visited in their quest. I also loved learning so much more about Mayan mythology. Every time a new element was introduced I just found it so fascinating. So this book pushed me on with fantastical descriptions of the journey and I learned to deal with my apathy for the characters. For a person who needs to love the characters to really love the story, this was a hard problem for me to tackle. I'm not sure when it happened but I did eventually find them a little better towards the end of the book. This book really was saved by its beautiful descriptions. I'm still thinking about Xibalba and it's inhabitants.

I won't lie, it was the cover that made me request the ARC (look at it!). 1920s Mexico is not a setting I've seen before either, I'm a sucker for mythological fantasy...in short, I was intrigued. And I can now safely say I did not regret it - if you like the idea of it too, it's definitely worth a read.

Casiopea Tun works as a servant in her grandfather's household, undervalued, abused, and dreaming of the day when she will be able to move to a bigger town...then she accidentally frees a Mayan death god when cleaning. They end up travelling across Mexico in search of his stolen body parts to recover his full power and defeat his twin.

The middle of the book was fun, but fairly predictable and repetitive (go to a new town, convince someone to hand the finger or eye or whatever over, repeat). On the other hand that's pretty much how a lot of myths are - just think of Greek mythology and Hercules - so I'd say this is a feature more than a bug. It doesn't help that I used to be a huge mythology nerd either. Plot-wise, it's the kind of book the ending either makes or breaks and I'm glad to say the ending was perfect. It made sense, it tied everything up, it was satisfying, and totally not what I expected.

Though this is an adult fantasy book, it has plenty of crossover appeal with the YA audience. Casiopea and Hun-Kamé have the exact sort of "god and sassy mortal girl who takes no shit" dynamic that I suspect will make it quite popular. The trope is very hit or miss with me, but here I thought it worked pretty well. 

However, the worldbuilding is where it really shines. 1920s Mexico, various elements of Mayan mythology...plus there's a lot of travelling around, so we get to see quite a bit of it. From tiny backwater villages, to Mexico City, to the lively port of Veracruz and many other places. If well-realised settings that are not medieval Europe are a draw for you, I'd highly recommend it just for that.

Gods of Jade and Shadow is the latest book by author Sylvia Moreno-Garcia, an author whose works I've found myself really enjoying despite their often very different genres - the two books I've read of hers include a Mexican Vampire story (Certain Dark Things) and a Romance Novel with fantastical elements (The Beautiful Ones), and both had strong settings and characters I really enjoyed. Moreno-Garcia describes herself on her website as "Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination," and her Mexican heritage seems to form a common basis in her work (well not The Beautiful Ones as much), leading to settings and characters very different than that I'm used to. And that's a good thing, especially when those works are as well-executed as those of Moreno-Garcia.

Gods of Jade and Shadow is absolutely no exception, with it using Mayan myths as the foundation of its story: the journey of a young woman with a Mayan death god to regain what the god has lost in the battle with the god's younger brother. In a very general sense, the story follows a very typical structure, but the book's Mayan setting twists that structure into less familiar and often fascinating ways, with a conclusion that totally took me by surprise and yet works completely. In short, the Mayan-myth based setting, excellent characters, and surprising yet satisfying plot make Gods of Jade and Shadow a clear winner, and a definite recommendation.

-------------------------------------------------Plot Summary-------------------------------------------------------
Since her father died, Casiopea has grown up with her mother in her grandfather's household in the drab Mexican town of Uukumil. She has always dreamed of leaving the town, driving an automobile - still new in the 1920s - and seeing the rest of Mexico and perhaps beyond.....but instead has suffered being treated as an unwanted servant for her grandfather and her arrogant and bullying cousin Martin. But one day, Casiopea is left behind in the house all alone, and finds the key to a weird chest in her grandfather's room and opens it to release Hun-Kame, one of the twin gods of Xibalba, the Mayan Underworld.

Casiopea finds herself tied to Xibalba by a bone shard driven into her hand, promising her death if she cannot help Hun-Kame recover his lost body parts...and his lost power. For Hun-Kame was imprisoned by his twin brother Vucub-Kame, who stole his place as Lord of the Underworld, and has been hidden away Hun-Kame's lost body parts with several other beings out of Mayan myth throughout the Country of Mexico. Casiopea soon finds herself discovering the parts of Mexico and the American Southwest she only ever dreamed of....in addition to discovering more about herself as well. For the longer the journey takes, the more mortal Hun-Kame becomes, and the more interesting he seems.....

Yet Vucub-Kame will not be content to allow Casiopea and Hun-Kame to complete their journey unopposed, and his plots, using some familial persons as tools, may be the greatest threat of all to Casiopea and her death god's journey to find their rightful places in life.....

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I am hardly familiar with Mayan mythology, and Gods of Jade and Shadow uses such myth to fill its setting with fascinating creatures, characters, and places - in addition to the real world places in 1920s Mexico and the American Southwest. Into this extremely well written setting is this story, told in general from the perspectives of three characters: Casiopea - who gets most of the narrative as the central character; Martin - Casiopea's bully cousin who finds himself unwillingly chasing after her; and the antagonist Vucub-Kame himself.

But again, the main focus of this story is on Casiopea, and she's a terrific character. New to the world outside her small town but far from naive, willing to make tough choices while still occasionally feeling afraid, wanting more for herself but feeling unsure and anxious about how her actions affect others - Casiopea is a fully three dimensional character whose growth throughout is wonderfully written, making her naturally easy to root for. Her companion, Hun-Kame is not quite as three dimensional, but he's written well as he transitions more and more into mortality, and his and Casiopea's growing feelings for each other - while predictable - grow naturally and make complete sense.

The lesser characters are also excellently done. I worried at first that the story was going to try and exculpate Martin for his bullying behavior towards Casiopea, but the book does not do that at all: it explains how Martin became this way, through his own being-bullied, his own privilege, and his own insecurities, but does not expect him to be forgiven. It's really well done honestly, making him an interesting character throughout. The other lesser mythological figures are all rather interestingly done (although as having no background in this mythology, I couldn't say anything as to their accuracy), and even the main antagonist Vucub-Kame is both believable in his motives and interesting in his choice of actions.

These characters form the basis of a plot that has elements of the familiar but is done in a satisfyingly different way. The story of the mortal and immortal traveling together on a journey and the immortal growing more human along the way is a classic one, but Moreno-Garcia executes it really well, and with some very different touches specific to this setting of Mayan myths and Death Gods. Even the familiar twists are thus done rather surprisingly in how they're adjusted for the themes of this mythology, making them feel fresh and new. And the ending takes a turn that makes complete and utter sense - and yet is totally not the way these things tend to go, to my surprise. It forms a satisfying, if bittersweet conclusion, and it's nearly perfect.

So yeah, really really enjoyed this one, and writing this review is only reminding me more of how I did. Definitely recommended.

When I first requested to read this book through Netgalley I thought it was a present-day retelling. Not the case, this novel is set in the 1920s. It’s not a bad thing, but just something I thought might be of interest for others to know. I really enjoyed this story. I love most mythology themed novels, but this one dug deep and asked us to really consider what it means to be human and what it might mean to be a god.

The characters, as always for me, were a huge selling point. I think the author did a fantastic job of making her characters dynamic. There was no all good or all bad. I really vibed a lot with what Casiopea was feeling as a young woman and I think that really endeared her to me. She’s got a temper, but in this case, it was to her benefit. Then, Hun-KamÉ, honestly, he was probably my favorite. I loved the exploration between godhood and humanity that Moreno-Garcia did with him. While I love stories wrapped in myth I’m also very picky how gods are portrayed. This was a representation I really enjoyed.

World building was minor in that it was 1920s Earth, but the mythology and how it would interact with the world today was beautifully done. It was seamlessly woven. I feel like I learned a lot about certain parts of Mayan mythology.

Diversity. This was based purely on Hispanic/Mayan characters. Casiopea was also our main character. So, double points for having a woman of color as the protagonist!

Overall, if you enjoy the modernization of old gods I’d say you will definitely enjoy this book. Also, if that isn’t your cup of tea, but you enjoy a book that gives you some little bits to think over then you could still very much enjoy this book. It’s deeper than what you first might expect. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for its release this July!

What would you do if you opened Pandora’s box and were faced with the God of Death? Would you help him or her or run away screaming?

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is about a young girl, Casiopea Tun, who lives in Mexico during the Jazz Age. Her family treats her more like Cinderella than an actual family member. One day she was mending some of her grandfather’s shirts when a mysterious box caught her attention. So of course Casiopea opens the box.

Before she knew what was happening, the Mayan God of Death, Hun-Kame’ was standing before her. He demanded that she help him reclaim his throne from his brother, Vucub-Kame’. She was not especially willing so he placed a shard of his bone in her hand. By placing the bone in her hand, they become linked. Eventually, she will be drained of life unless he removes it.

Casiopea decides that she will help Hun-Kame’. Her life at home is less than desirable. Her cousin, Martin, is jealous that the grandfather favors Casiopea in some way. Martin is a bully and makes her life miserable whenever he can. He even ends up working for Vucub-Kame to destroy Hun-Kame. The cousins, Casiopea and Martin, are pitted against each other in a race which determines the winner.

I chose this book based on the description given by NetGalley. The book is a surreal fairytale. Anyone who likes mythology will love this book. I don’t know very much about the Mayan Gods but after reading this book, I’m curious to learn more.

I was given this free ebook by NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own. Obviously.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an author I admire for her genre bending stories. It was so refreshing to read a story set in Mexico, but also in 1920s. It was a fun and engaging read, the mix of folklore and mythology was at a perfect balance. The protagonist Casiopea reminded me a lot of Sophie in Howl's Moving Castle. I really enjoyed this book's plot which was packed with fun information about Mayan god's and Mexican folklore which just brought the entire story to life (no pun intended that this is a book about the Mayan god of death.) Fun and exciting read definitely recommend.

A fantasy novel set in Mexico during the 1920s with a side of Mayan mythology and an epic heroine? Yes, please!!!

Casiopea Tun dreams of running away to the city, filled with jazz and modern ideas, but is instead stuck in a quiet, dreary town where she works as a servant in her grandfather's house. After opening a mysterious chest in her grandfather's room, she discovers that she has unintentionally released Hun-Kame, a legendary Mayan god pulling her into a centuries-old rivalry between Mayan gods, Hun-Kame and Vacub-Kame and the adventure of a lifetime.

I really liked Casiopea because she was feisty and refused to let the men in her life dictate her actions. Additionally, I liked the banter between Casiopea and Hun-Kame, so hilarious. Surprisingly, I also liked Casiopea's dirtbag cousin, Martin. He felt very layered and he was an interesting character to read about.

The writing style was exceptional and I liked the unique setting of 1920s Mexico in the midst of the Gilded Age. Moreno-Garcia did an excellent job weaving in Mayan mythology into the plot and I love that it explained the deities without being condescending and the superb portrayal of Latin American culture.

I would've loved to give this book five stars but the ending felt kind of abrupt and though the story came to a physical end, I feel like this ending didn't leave much closure to the reader and sometimes the plot felt that it dragged on. However, I would so be down for a sequel!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing a free ARC

Wonderful storytelling, in the vein of folklore and mythology. Caseopi is a good guide and foil for the tale.

Writing style had some challenges; lots of telling as opposed to showing. 3rd person narrator expressing strong opinions about one of the characters was very off-putting and unnecessary.

This is a really solid standalone fantasy novel that in some ways feels like a throwback to the Mercedes Lackey fairy tale retellings I used to read when I was a teenager (I mean, this is better written, obviously, but similar spirit). The descriptions of the setting were really wonderful -- I don't know much of anything about the Roaring Twenties or Mayan mythology but everything was so vivid, from the haircuts to the crocodiles in the underworld. (As with any fantasy novel involving a lot of travel, I would have loved a map on the inside cover, but I was reading an ARC so there might be one planned for the finished edition.) Casiopea was an absolute delight of a heroine, kind but not to the point of self-martyrdom and so full of life! I don't want to spoil the ending but I thought the resolution of the romantic arc was perfect. Definitely recommended to fantasy fans, especially those who miss the days when a spunky heroine going off on a quest just because wasn't the sole province of YA novels.

Cassiopeia has had a difficult life, and it doesn't seem to be getting any easier. The story begins with a girl who dreams of a brighter future and quickly finds herself at the mercy of ancient gods. Laced with ancient Mayan myths, demons, ghosts, sorcerers and witches, this tale takes us from the Yucatan, through the depths of Xibalba--the kingdom of the lords of death--and back to Mexico where the hearts of readers are certain to break. With beautiful use of language, fantastic world-building, and a classic underdog story woven throughout, this book is a winner for me.

This is a beautiful, lyrical novel reminiscent of American Gods but set in Mexico in the 1920s. Casiopea is the mix-race daughter of a woman from a good family and, as such, has always been a pariah. She’s not accepted by the Indians or the Whites. When she accidentally frees a Mayan god, she decides to help him fight to get back the underworld that he is supposed to rule. They begin a journey full of surprises, unexpected allies and many, many foes. As Casiopea discovers her power, the god of death discovers his humanity. I loved Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s previous books and this one does not disappoint. Some parts are incredibly touching and her description of Mexico City in the jazz age made me long for a time machine. She points out in the afterword how this is not supposed to be an anthropological work but the legends and traditions she describes are fascinating and reminded me a little of Nordic lore. But it’s the characters that made me love this tale. Casiopea is so strong but doesn’t know it. I don’t want to give too much away but the way that she evolves is delightful. It is a somewhat slow read but all the details helped paint a vivid picture and, instead of slowing down the action as happens with lesser writers, it just makes the setting richer. Five estrellas for this novel!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine -Del Rey!

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36510722-gods-of-jade-and-shadow" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Gods of Jade and Shadow" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1543268579m/36510722.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36510722-gods-of-jade-and-shadow">Gods of Jade and Shadow</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4088550.Silvia_Moreno_Garcia">Silvia Moreno-Garcia</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2848822849">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Ohhhh, I really loved this book. I did not want it to end. The books starts out with a young girl who is treated as a housekeeper by her family, who opens a forbidden trunk to reveal the bones of a God. The God is a God of Death but a very reasonable guy. The quest is to find some hidden items. I hate to say more for fear of revealing anything but I would highly recommend this book. Again, I did not want this book to end and when it did it was a satisfying ending. I received a arc for an honest review from Netgalley
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5483119-sherry">View all my reviews</a>

Of course a dark fairy tale based on mythology sounds attractive. Add to that the fact that it’s written by the author of Signal to Noise and the fact that it’s set in the roaring 20s and the mythology it’s based on is Aztecan and it’s a perfect sell. And while it may not have been a perfect read, it was pretty freaking good. Does the story of a mortal going on a road trip with a follower neglected deity and encountering other similar deities forgotten by their believers and forced to live among them as equals sound familiar at all? It should. It was a superb work of fiction eventually turned into a pretty decent tv show by Starz. This isn’t to say Jade and Shadow isn’t its own thing. There are undeniable resemblances, but it certainly does enough to distinguish itself as an original (enough) work of fiction. The protagonist here is a young woman of an initially undetermined, but later placed at 18 years of age. Her life went down Cinderella’s way since her father’s passing, she is now not much more than a servant in her grandfather’s estate, having to put up with her brute of a cousin. One day she finds a key and opens a trunk and inadvertently frees a ruler (or co ruler) of the Mayan Underworld and together they set off on a road trip to restore him to his throne. There is plenty of adventure, some seemingly inevitable romance and, best of all, fascinating Mayan mythology. It even also works as historical fiction, Mexico (and US) in the 1920s were interesting, exciting even. Casiopea is a charismatic strong young woman, someone with a prototypical heroic character arc. She definitely carries the book with confidence and poise. The descriptive narration is very good too. It’s definitely an entertaining fun read, I’ve enjoyed it. But here are some random thoughts…what is the target audience precisely? The author categorically denied this being a YA fiction, but it certainly can be one. Casiopea is not only young, she seems to have been written much younger than her years, especially prior to her makeover and travels. The book is well written and suitable for proper adults, but certainly seems YA appropriate. Also, the romance in there…I’m not sure it was necessary. It seems to be dragging the story to the YA level. Actually come to think of it, it seems I would have liked more emotional complexity and maturity from the plot, but is that even a reasonable expectation with this sort of fantasy? And I’m not even that much into fantasy. This was more of a fairy tale for me. Fairy tales often feature young characters. Maybe that’s how it works. Maybe I’m overthinking it. It was fun while it lasted, slightly long, but read well and quickly and passed the time very nicely. The book had a certain exotic charm to it, undeniably. Plus I absolutely love all things mythology related. And I’m sure similar minded readers will enjoy this book also. Much like a road trip, it certainly takes you away for a time on (in this case quite literally) magical adventure. Thanks Netgalley.

NetGalley was kind enough to send me a copy of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Beautiful Ones last year, and they’ve done it again with God of Jade and Shadow. As with The Beautiful Ones, my favorite part of Gods of Jade and Shadow was how each character was distinctly and uniquely themselves and, above all, human.

From the headstrong Casiopea who is determined to hold her own against both gods and men, to her cousin Martin, unwillingly thrust into the action, each character is so beautifully, lovingly rendered with every strength and every flaw carefully revealed at just the right moment. I love the way that Moreno-Garcia grows her characters–so many books that I read have the black and white lines of their characters clearly drawn. He is evil, she is good, and never the twain shall meet is the usual progression, but in Gods of Jade and Shadow, the lines get greyer and greyer, blending into each character to give them new and often surprising depths.

Perhaps you want to hate poor Martin, but I couldn’t always. Perhaps you want to like Casiopea the whole time, but I didn’t. If you want clearly defined characters, this may not be the book for you. But if you want characters who feel and hate and love just as strongly as you do and who are just as infuriating at times, you may want to give it a try.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia will be published on July 23, 2019 by Del Rey.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Casiopea is tired of disrespect from her family. So when she opens a strange chest and reawakens the Mayan God of Death, she sees it as an opportunity to get out and find her destiny. It turns out her fate is now entwined with the strange god, and he sends her on a journey to help restore him to the throne of the underworld.

There is so much to love about this dark, historical fantasy. The mythological inspiration gives it a great feel, and the descriptions of 1920s Mexico are really engaging. I had a little trouble getting into it and felt like the characters weren't fully formed, but the ending really worked. Overall, definitely an enjoyable read, and I love the inspiration.

When I had initially read the synopsis for Gods of Jade and Shadow, I knew, I hoped anyways- that it was going to be something special. And it is. It really, really is. I loved this!

Set in the 1920's in Mexico, spectacularly researched in Mayan and Mexican mythology and folklore, blending into modernity and the Jazz age.
We meet Casiopea, a strong willed woman, stuck in a position of servitude and drudgery by her wealthy relations. She caters to her mean spirited and harsh grandfather, resented and tormented by her jealous male cousin Martin. Living in Uukumil, a small town (her family are the wealthiest in it), and Martin, rude, and arrogant than ever is set to inherit everything.
Her only hope is the promise of a thousand pesos her grandfather might leave upon his passing. So she can escape to a place that is more than what narrow minded town of Uukumil has to offer. Feeling trapped and caged by her options. Beneath the boot of her relatives. She longs for more.

Upon releasing a trapped Mayan God a Lord of Xibalba , she finds herself in places she never thought could have existed or imagined she would ever visit. And at the center of a long feud between two brothers of the Underworld, her own life hangs in a precarious bargain, and the very future of the world dangles in the balance.

This was a journey of life, self discovery, humanity and what it means to walk along the side of death and see the beauty in it.

Please consider walking the Black Road alongside Casiopea and Hun-Kame when Gods of Jade and Shadow is published July 23rd!

A hauntingly beautiful fairy-tale. Moreno-Garcia masterfully paints a vivid, colorful, atmospheric world populated with well-drawn characters.

This book was brilliant! Atmospheric in all the ways I was looking for in a book. Silvia Moreno-Garcia knocks it out of the park once again.