Gods of Jade and Shadow

Historical Fantasy Romance

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

This book was exactly what I wanted it to be—a fun adventure story steeped in Mayan mythology, with a sprinkling of historical fiction, and a thread of forbidden romance. Set in Mexico during the Jazz era, it follows Casiopea Tun, a young woman living an unhappy life where her family treats her like a servant. One day, she accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, Hun-Kamé, and then gets swept up in an adventure with him. They travel from the Yucatán to Mexico City on a mission to recover Hun-Kamé’s stolen throne from his brother.  

I really enjoyed the dive into Mayan mythology and I learned a lot about Mexican history. Casiopea was a cinderella-esque heroine who was easy to like. Hun-Kamé was the perfect brooding, mysterious, and misunderstood god character drawn by his growing attraction to this mortal woman.

It’s a lovely, rich, and evocative fairytale, full of wonder and possibility. I was swept away from page one, and the ending left me with a warm, satisfied feeling.

Why I think you might like it:Fast-paced adventure! Casiopea and Hun-Kamé cover a lot of ground in a short time. Magical creatures and folklore. I enjoy stories where the characters interact with lots of different magical creatures and beings, all with different motives and priorities. You never know what’s around the next corner! Epic stakes, but fairytale vibes. Casiopea is entangled with actual gods, and she even has to go to the underworld. But the book’s vibe is whimsical and gentle.Historical fantasy! I love historical settings with fantasy twists. It’s magical realism, so it’s fun to imagine it could have really happened. Nuanced approach to good and evil. The god of death is nether evil nor heroic. And neither is Casiopea. Good revenge story. Hun-Kamé is definitely out for revenge on his brother, who imprisoned him. The power of love, and its limitations. The romance in this book is beautiful but ill-fated. But through love, we see the characters grow into new people.