Another great novel by Silvia Moreno-Garcia! I am a huge fan of The Beautiful Ones and was not disappointed by Gods of Jades and Shadow.

Casiopea has spent the better part of her life subdued and serving her grandfather hand and foot. She is treated cruelly by her cousin, Martin, who is secretly jealous of her spirit and any affection their grandfather gives. By chance, Casiopea unleashes Hun-Kamé, a dark lord of Xibalba, and the two set off on a quest to restore his throne. Along the way, they must recover pieces of his essence as her health slowly declines and Hun-Kame becomes more human.

Moreno-Garcia does an incredible job of painting the Yucatán peninsula and Central America in the 1920s. I recently traveled to Mexico City and I could almost feel the magic in cobblestone streets of Condesa. She also spares no details for the Mayan mythology. The black road to Xibalba and the tension was almost palpable in the end. The romance was tasteful and I dearly loved the conclusion.

A message that I took from the ending is that it is not about the conclusion but the journey. This is a great metaphor for life as well - many people work toward achieving specific life goals (great job, great house, get married, have children) but don't stop to appreciate the journey getting there. I also appreciated the duality of the two rival pairs. Martin was cruel to Casiopea but Hun-Kamé, our quasi-hero, has also been cruel to his brother which spurred his rebellion. Our heroine finds that she has a lot in common with the villain, reminding the reader that not everything is black and white.

5 Stars for Gods of Jade and Shadow!

The premise promises a story of mayhem and magic, but the execution falls short. With writing that relies heavily on telling and a whiny protagonist, this book pulls the reader out of the story at the most climatic moments. However, the diversity and originality shine.