"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." (Francis Bacon)

Monday, March 20, 2023

Gods of Jade and Shadow

TITLE: Gods of Jade and Shadow
AUTHOR: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

This is a simply told story inspired by Mayan mythology. It begins with a basic Cinderella setup. Eighteen-year-old Casiopea Tun and her mother are forced by circumstances to live with the mother's wealthy family in a small town in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula in the 1920s. Casiopea is forced into servitude, especially to her grandfather and to her cousin Martin. Until the day, acting on overwhelming curiosity, she unlocks a large chest in her grandfather's bedroom. Expecting to find gold or jewels, she's stunned to discover a cache of old bones that reassemble themselves into the deposed god of the Underworld, Hun-Kame. When a shard from one of his bones becomes embedded in Casiopea's hand, she and the god are linked, with her life and his immortality in the balance. Thus begins their quest to find his remaining body parts (including an eye and a hand) and restore him to his throne. 

Moreno-Garcia weaves a fantastic tale of gods, demons, and humans; dreams and nightmares; young love and sacrifice with her simple yet spellbinding prose. I would love to read a sequel.

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