Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Synopsis (via Goodreads): 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.

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.

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I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Gods of Jade and Shadow is a book that's meant to be savored. I never felt like skimming the pages, or skipping ahead to see what would happen, even though I was really curious how this story would end. This story begs to be read word by word, and with slow precision. The world Silvia Moreno-Garcia created is vibrant and the details are incredible. Whenever Casiopea would arrive somewhere new, we're given a brief history and a rich description of her surroundings. They visit towns we're familiar with, but we see them with new eyes as we're shown what they might've looked like in the past.

This book felt like mythology, historical fiction, and fantasy all wrapped into one, and I really enjoyed the contrast. The author blends her characters, the world, and the story together seamlessly, and I looked forward picking this up throughout the day. It's a book you think about while you're doing the dishes, or when you finally close your eyes at the end of the day. The characters stick with you, and their well-being becomes a very important priority. I love when I feel this attached to the people I'm reading about!

Additionally, I really enjoyed the Mayan mythology interwoven throughout the story. I was unfamiliar with most of it, and loved learning about new people and places. I know that the Greek gods fought with one another, and their stories are often violent. However, the Mayan mythology felt darker. There seemed to be more blood, bones, and black magic. This could also be because the story is about gods of Death.

Casiopea has lived a very difficult life. When she's presented with an opportunity for adventure, it comes at a price. Despite the dire circumstances, Casiopea was always trying to be the better person. She encouraged her companion to let go of his anger, and never wanted people to get hurt. I thought she was an incredible character that deserved all the happiness in the world, and I'm happy with where her story stopped. It was bittersweet and perfect.

Gods of Jade and Shadow is a story about family and forgiveness, magic and mythology, and the power one girl has to change the world forever. We are presented with choices every single day, and it's easy to forget that every choice matters. What we do and what we say can have a profound impact on the rest of our lives.