A thrilling, genre-bending ride through myth, memory, and resistance

THE JAGUAR MASK by MICHAEL J. DELUCA

Rating: 4⭐️
Genre: magic realism, fantasy, fiction

Felipe K'icab doesn't know who he really is, but he feels it in his bones, in the reggaeton rhythms blasting through his cab, and in the animal energy that lies just beneath the masks he wears. Set in a vividly drawn Guatemala City, this propulsive and inventive novel blends political noir, magical realism, and speculative fiction into a bold narrative about identity, violence, and memory.

Felipe's journey begins with a jolt, dragged into a murder investigation by El Bufo, a volatile ex-cop on a personal crusade against state corruption. From there, the novel hurtles forward with grit and urgency, weaving his path with that of Cristina Ramos, a young woman haunted by visions of her mother's brutal murder and the long shadow of systemic impunity. Together, they unravel histories that have been buried-both personal and political, and awaken latent powers that tie them to a deeper, mythic past.

What sets this novel apart is its fearless fusion of genres. The storytelling is sharp, fast-paced, and cinematic, but it's also deeply grounded in Guatemala's history of civil war, ecological destruction, and resistance. The supernatural elements, jaguar spirits, psychic visions, feel organic rather than ornamental, enriching the narrative without overwhelming it. At its heart, this is a story about reclaiming truth in a country where silence has long been weaponized.

Occasionally, the novel's scope becomes unwieldy. With so many layers, crime thriller, political commentary, mythic fantasy, the pacing can falter and certain character arcs feel slightly underdeveloped. But its ambition more than compensates for its rough edges.

It’s bold, urgent, and refreshingly original.

Thank you kindly to the publisher, NetGalley and the author for this advanced readers copy!