The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.“A spellbinding fairy tale rooted in Mexican mythology . . . Gods of Jade and Shadow is a magical fairy tale about identity, freedom, and love, and it’s like nothing you’ve read before.”—BustleNEBULA AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF … AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • Tordotcom • The New York Public Library • BookRiot
The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.
Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.
In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.
Praise for Gods of Jade and Shadow
“A dark, dazzling fairy tale . . . a whirlwind tour of a 1920s Mexico vivid with jazz, the memories of revolution, and gods, demons, and magic.”—NPR
“Snappy dialog, stellar worldbuilding, lyrical prose, and a slow-burn romance make this a standout. . . . Purchase where Naomi Novik, Nnedi Okorafor, and N. K. Jemisin are popular.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“A magical novel of duality, tradition, and change . . . Moreno-Garcia’s seamless blend of mythology and history provides a ripe setting for Casiopea’s stellar journey of self-discovery, which culminates in a dramatic denouement. Readers will gladly immerse themselves in Moreno-Garcia’s rich and complex tale of desperate hopes and complicated relationships.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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Simultaneously heartbreaking and heart-mending, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a wondrous and magical tale about choosing our own path. I felt weepy and happy and hopeful when I finished — everything you want to feel at the end of a great story.
An evocative and moving modern Indigenous fairy tale filled with quiet moments of vulnerability and honesty. Oh, my heart!
A lush and lyrical book that brings to life 1920s Mexico, gods who dance in the pages of the Maya creation book the Polpol Vuh, and something more. The author’s use of third-person omniscient point of view at once keeps the reader at a distance and weaves a sense of myth and poetry around the plot and characters. This fairy-tale-esque atmosphere means I didn’t mind so much when Casiopea was a little too wise or perceptive for her age or when the story. Thoroughly enjoyable read.
An elegant and immersive tale, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gods of Jade and Shadow opened my eyes to the Mayan Underworld and took me on an adventure with a strong-willed, practical heroine and a prickly fallen god that I never wanted to end. It feels like a modern classic and is absolutely unforgettable.
Set in a lushly rendered and gorgeous world, this is historical fantasy at its best: a fresh, feminist coming-of-age tale that lets the ancient and the new meld and clash in a tale you can’t put down.
I read and loved Mexican Gothic so much that I picked this one up. I loved it equally as much and for different reasons. The characters and landscape are so vivid and culturally rich, I feel like it’s impossible to pick this book up and not want to visit every place the characters visit. The author does a stunning job of weaving suspense, hints of romance, and local mythology and folklore to create a story that would appeal to readers in a number of genres. Highly recommend.
Gods of Jade and Shadow is a beautiful novel and excellent take on the fairy-tale tropes. Casiopea is much like Cinderella, a servant to her family who does not think much of her. However, she is no Cinderella, not really. Casiopea is a compelling character, a character who dreams and obeys but offers silent ways of disobeying those who vilify her. Following her journey, Casiopea opens up, and there is vulnerability to her as the story develops, making her a well-rounded and relatable character. She is a balanced character, feisty and outspoken yet poised as well. Casiopea has a formidable voice, but internally and externally as she drives the story forward, she grows as a character and discovers truths about herself and the world around her.
Other than Casiopea, the story offers a complex narrative regarding Martin. Martin is at first, wholly unlikable, portrayed as the villain, but he is more complicated than that, and as a character, he grows through his trials. He is a perfect foil for Casiopea, and the dichotomy between the characters gives the novel a rich representation to it.
The story itself is also as engaging as the characterization. Set during the Jazz Age, the language and color of the time trickle in through the story, growing the more Casiopea travels. This evolution of music and time goes hand in hand with her self-discovery and works to track the voyage of the characters. It has vivid color to it, both to the language used and the description of the scenes. The reader can imagine the world effortlessly as Garcia captures this historical piece of Mexico with beauty. However, the added effect of the Mayan history, the mythology to it, gives the story a fresh feel to it. It makes the novel unique as it spins this story to life, following the characters along their respective journeys.
Culturally appropriate, this novel captures the heart of Mexico and its history.
A lush, bittersweet tale of courage, love, and carving your own place in the world… Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s evocative prose will take you on an adventure for the mind and the heart.
A beautiful work that will draw you in and keep you transfixed and reading far too late. It blends the ‘real’ and the mythic seamlessly, and the clear-sighted heroine is a joy to read about. It’s the sort of book that will leave you with beautiful afterimages for weeks to follow, and going back to reread favorite sections.
A vibrant story of grit, giddiness, and glory with a protagonist whose personality burns bright as a star. Casiopea Tun will capture your heart and draw you into a jewel-toned world of mythmaking and jazz music.
I’ve had my eye on Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s work over the past several years. I downloaded her first novel, Signal to Noise, on my Kindle a couple of years ago and her fourth novel, Mexican Gothic, I have seen throughout social media recently. Moreno-Garcia’s work has been popular for some time.
Gods of Jade and Shadow tell the story of Casiopea Tun, a young woman from Southern Mexico who dreams of a better life. Casiopea is beholden to her overbearing grandfather and ridiculed by her vain cousin, Martin as they try to keep her in line. However, she discovers a wooden box in her grandfather’s room and opens it. Casiopea frees the spirit of a Mayan god named Hun-Kame. The god requests Casiopea’s help in returning him to his throne in the land of Xibalba. Hun-Kame’s brother, Vucub-Kame, occupies the throne and is determined to keep it at all costs.
Casiopea travels with Hun-Kame across Mexico as they attempt to regain the lost elements that will restore him to the throne. But, Vucub-Kame has placed traps along their journey to keep his brother from regaining his rightful place. The journey ends with Casiopea having to face her cousin while the gods watch them. Even though Moreno-Garcia draws on Mayan mythology and folklore to tell the story, I believe this novel is really about family relationships and one’s place within a family structure. Also, the story is about a young woman’s longing into becoming the person she is meant to be.
I totally enjoyed reading this novel and Moreno-Garcia told a good story. I liked the relationship between Casiopea and Hun-Kame. The two had a genuine connection despite the fate that would befall each of them. Gods of Jade and Shadow has leaped on to my favorite reads list of 2021. Bravo Silvia Moreno-Garcia!
I love the mix of mythology and a recent (jazz age) setting in this imaginative tale.
During the summer of 2020, my local library held a reading challenge. One of the categories was “a fairytale retold” and this book was on the list of suggested titles. I ended up selecting a different book for that category but kept this one on my list because I was intrigued by its description.
What I liked about “Gods of Jade and Shadow”:
It was unlike anything I have ever read – I have limited knowledge of Mexican culture, and zero experience with Mayan folklore, so the lane was wide open for me to experience something I had never read before. That’s a fun place to find oneself as a reader.
The story itself – In a word, enchanting. Worlds spun open before my eyes, as the tale was woven. I was fascinated by the characters and the landscape and the adventure that took place. It did take me about 50 pages to get into the author’s writing style, but once I did, I was locked in.
What I didn’t care for:
A complete lack of foundation – Part of my problem with having no knowledge of Mayan folklore is that I had no basis for the “original stories.” I do very much enjoy a good retelling of a fairytale, but much of the satisfaction I get from it is derived from being familiar, at least to some degree, with the original version; I have a basis for comparison. I didn’t even know how to research educating myself on the folklore used for this book because searching ‘Mayan folklore’ is a bit too broad a scope. I think I would have benefited tremendously from some opening author’s note explaining to me the folklore on which this was based, even briefly, leaving me with the option to delve into it more deeply on my own, if I so chose, but at least I would know where to delve, such as it is. Without it, the retelling of a fairytale part of the book description was entirely lost on me, and I would have loved the opportunity to appreciate that aspect more. To be fair, she did reveal in a closing note what the inspiration was for her story, but I would have found that more helpful at the start. Even so, when I conducted a brief search on the title she named as her inspiration, I only found references to the Mayan mythology that was actually told within the story itself as mythology the characters shared, but I couldn’t tell if she based the actual content of the book on other tales or folklore, or if that was purely her own creation. It was just strange to call it a fairytale retold, I guess.
What else can I really tell you about “Gods of Jade and Shadow”? The story is dark, at times creepy and at other times violent. The telling is rich and ultimately satisfying, but while I enjoyed it and found myself truly fascinated, I can honestly say, it’s not going to be for everyone. But if you don’t mind some nightmarish qualities and can tolerate some violence, and exploring some mythology and folklore that doesn’t get much literary attention (at least that I’ve come across) sounds appealing to you, I definitely recommend giving this book a try.
This is a wonderful story. It reminds me of sitting about in old cozy library, with a fire and listening to an elder tell a tale. It has that mystic, magical feel to it. The author does an amazing job of creating a vibrant world both in the here and now and in the otherworld. Mixing culture, history, mythology and magic, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a story to behold.
Follows a hero’s journey; the writing is absolutely gorgeous and the setting is beautifully detailed.
Casiopea dreams of leaving her town, the opportunity presented when she opens an old trunk, inside are the bones of the god Hun-Kamé. He is free but he is not complete, to get back his powers, he must find his missing pieces.
Together they will travel through different cities in Mexico, (including my city ).
It’s a dangerous trip, they have a time limit, they will meet other deities and creatures of Mexican folklore, some will want to help them and others stop them. Cassiopeia will have a difficult task to overcome. It’s a whole adventure.
After finding the Mayan God of Death locked in her grandfather’s room, Casiopeia Tun embarks on a modern-ish (a hundred years ago) Odyssey-style quest to return Hun-Kame to power and thwart his usurping twin. Sounds like a romance, right?
Just wait.
Casiopea is not a willing participant in her adventure—although it’s fair to say she’s a dazed one. Trapped in a life of servitude to her harsh uncle and tyrannical (somewhat one-dimensional) cousin, she has dreams of driving a car, swimming in the sea and dancing like in the movies. Nowhere do her dreams include having the life slowly sucked out of her by Hun-Kame. And that’s exactly what will happen until she can help the deposed god reclaim the rest of his body.
With the promise of repayment and the whole thing just being over, Casiopeia bears it stoically even as Hun-Kame asks more and more of her (and her reputation is continually ruined). She flirts, she gets a flapper bob, she slides in amongst revelers in cities she only dreamed of seeing. It’s a wild ride, and she comes fairly close to taking it in stride even as a whole slew of mythological figures and creatures cross her path. Sometimes, though, it’s just too much. As strong as Casiopeia is, she has a vulnerable side and occasionally has to cry—as most of us would after meeting hungry ghosts.
The climax of the Gods of Jade and Shadow is heartbreaking, beautiful, and in all, makes it a gorgeous novel with a slightly abrupt ending that will still leave you thinking about it long after—and hurting for its characters. I did wish for a lot more out of the wrap-up section of the book, but was left with a lasting emotional impact from it, a sort of raw open ending that its main character is left with.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gods of Jade and Shadow starts as a Mexican Cinderella story, except that the fairy godmother is a Mayan god of death.
Not sold yet? What if I told you the god of death is also Prince Charming?
Moreno-Garcia makes the connection explicit in the first few pages, when we’re introduced to our heroine, Casiopea Tun, a girl who’s lost her father and must sustain herself by serving her richer relations. Her tasks include scrubbing the family estate’s floors, fetching her grandfather’s newspapers, and shining her cousin Martín’s shoes. But she’s not headed for a life-changing ball. Opening her grandfather’s secret box—decorated with “an image of a decapitated man in the traditional Mayan style, his hands holding a double-headed serpent that signaled royalty”—frees Hun-Kamé, Lord of Shadows and the rightful ruler of Xibalba, the ancient underworld. He was imprisoned by his twin brother and needs Casiopea’s help regaining his throne.
This quest involves regaining lost items (à la Cinderella’s glass slipper): “My left eye, ear, and index finger, and the jade necklace,” Hun-Kamé informs Casiopea. “These I must have in order to be myself again.” His brother entrusted these relics to various demons, ghosts, and sorcerers, all of whom must be confronted and overcome.
There’s also a ticking clock. Except the consequences of it striking (metaphorical) midnight are far worse than a mere return to shabby clothes. To reconstitute himself, Hun-Kamé embedded a shard of his bone in Casiopea’s hand. The shard funnels vitality from her to him, slowly draining her essence. If she helps Hun-Kamé achieve his goal in time, he’ll pull out the shard. If she doesn’t, she dies.
It’s an awesome premise.
I also enjoyed the setting. The story takes place in Jazz Age Mexico, shortly after the Mexican Revolution and at a time when pop culture was “all about the United States” and “reproducing its women, its dances, its fast pace. Charleston! The bob cut! Ford cars!” Yet there’s far more old than new here. Mayan mythology threads through the Gods of Jade and Shadow. And when Casiopea reaches a city she hasn’t been to before—such as Mérida or Veracruz—Moreno-Garcia gives us a primer about the area, tutorials that situate the region in a historical context while rarely feeling unnecessary or overlong.
I didn’t always love the pace, though. This was a slow-and-steady read for me. The “travel to a fresh place, beat the bad guys, get the thing” format in the early going became a little repetitive. I also wondered if the eventual contest between Hun-Kamé and his brother was too arbitrary, even allowing for the vagaries of gods. The rules seemed stretched to require Casiopea’s participation, without providing a substantive reason why the twins couldn’t settle their own dispute.
But the book has an irresistible style, and Moreno-Garcia pulls off a romance between Casiopea and Hun-Kamé that’s somehow sweet despite their frequent encounters with (and command of) absolute darkness. If you like fresh takes on classic fairy tales, Gods of Jade and Shadow is definitely worth a look.
(For more reviews like this one, see http://www.nickwisseman.com)
This was my first and favorite book read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. It shocked me, made me ache for the characters, and built momentum in a way that made me unable to put it down. One of the all-time best.
From the vibrant Jazz-era Mexico to the nightmarescape of the Underworld, Xibalba. The characters are rich and intriguing, the central message is reflected throughout the plot, the importance in maintaining balance and evident in the internal and external struggles between and within the vibrant characters. The beautiful dream-like style of narration invokes a sense that this is a classic dark folktale. A pleasure to read!