A fictional retelling of the story of Malialli, the interpreter who helped Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés communicate with the native people of Mexico. The story combines native folklore, magical realism and actual historical events to create a tale of female empowerment and friendship.

I really wanted to love this book but it fell short for me. The major issue I had with this book is the overall pacing of the storytelling. There were parts of the history that read like an essay, with other events of major relevance being glossed over or ending abruptly with little depth and explanation. I felt as though I was plodding through continually checking how many pages were left. To be honest I probably would have dnf if it hadn’t been an arc.

I would like to thank Atria/Primero Sueño Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't like the "creative liberties" the author took. I was looking for some kind of historical retelling of the actual story for Malinalli, not a character that had her name but everything was changed about her, as well as the accuracies of how society would have treated her with the way she spoke back to everyone. I like feminism and stories that show strong women, but I don't like it when it's something like this, something that could have just been her true story.

Thanks a bunch to NetGalley and Atria for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Malinalli’s story has been lost to history, but this book brings her back to life. She was a young girl who was sold into slavery and later became a translator for the Spanish invaders of Mexico.

This book is important even though it’s fiction because it gives Malinalli a voice and a life that she’s often overlooked. Women are often made villains when the whole story isn’t told. This was a great read and I highly recommend it! 🩵

2.75 rounded up

"My mind wandered and entered a dark tunnel. If only I had not agreed to become his Tongue. If only I had resisted joining him. If only I had run away. The if onlys descended like crows to pick at me. I wanted to tear my skin with a maguey spine."

this book is kind of weird because it feels like simultaneously a lot is happening and nothing is happening at all. like the events are super sequential and just like… ““matter of fact-ly”. it makes it feel like it wants to be a history article, and then sometimes remembers that it’s supposed to be a fantasy retelling, but quickly forgets again a few pages later. the fantasy elements in this story are extremely minor. I feel like calling it a fantasy retelling was a stretch and it made for a misleading plot summary. this book is definitely more historical fiction with the teeniest tiniest pinch of magical realism.

but at the same time, the magic is TALKED about A LOT. so it’s also jarring for a book that talks about magic almost constantly, to not show us much of the magic hardly at all, until almost the end of the book.

as I read, I kept coming across scenes that made me feel hyped and excited for what would come next (like Malinalli imagining her revenge or feeling her power and planning to use it to stand up for herself and the ones she loves), only to have her do nothing. I didn’t think much about it the first time this happened because she was still quite young in the story (the book literally follows her from birth to young adulthood), but when it kept happening every few years and she just kept… moving along like normal…??? it got harder to stay invested. like girl, you have every reason in the world to be angry and you have the powers of a goddess inside you… stand UP!!!

I felt so excited to get my “good for her” moment where she snaps and takes her revenge. it’s profoundly disappointing to not have that moment.

I was not familiar with the story of La Malinche before I read this book, but I did some research about her while I read.

I don’t think this did a very good job as a “retelling”, Malinalli didn’t feel redeemed or more powerful in this version of her story. the way the author tried to justify Malinalli’s decisions felt weak. Malinalli was clearly ambitious, but when she suddenly shifted her motives from revenge to brokering peace, it felt... off. and unbelievable for her character.

one thing that I really loved that I feel like was a MASSIVELY missed opportunity to expand on, was Malinalli’s translations and the decisions she made when translating for Cortes. it reminds me of Babel by R. F. Kuang -

“Translation means doing violence upon the original, means warping and distorting it for foreign, unintended eyes. So then where does that leave us? How can we conclude, except by acknowledging that an act of translation is then necessarily always an act of betrayal?”

the way that Malinalli would make the executive decision to restructure things people would say, or omit words/phrases, or add her own explanations were the coolest parts. like I desperately wish we would have leaned into that more. that could have been an interesting way that her legacy became what it is today - if there were mistranslations involved and she was trying to help her people the entire time, but things got lost along the way. especially when you consider there were times where they were translating up to 4 languages for a single conversation. we already know Malinalli was fabricating some of what was said. what if the other translators were also making changes to what people were saying?

plot: ★★★★☆
I LOVE the concept of taking a real life historical figure that has become hated over time and reworking her story in a way that makes you look at her in a new or different way. that said, I don’t think Malinalli did that very well. the story had soooo much potential, and I was pulled into the story on page 1. I was so excited to see this girl who is told “no” over and over again stand up and say “yes” for herself and demand what she wants and avenge her family.

unfortunately, the plot is dragged out over the span of Malinalli’s entire life, and while she’s extremely ambitious and is constantly planning her revenge, we never really get to have a pay out for all of these thoughts and plans. it makes the book feel very empty by the end.

writing: ★★★☆☆ (2.5 rounded up)
the writing style was EXTREMELY jarring. it often felt like the author was not sure if she wanted to write a biography or a fictional novel. at times it read like a passage from a history book.

there were a lot of moments that were visually stunning. the author paints pictures with her words beautifully.

I do not know a lot about the Aztec/Mayan/Meso-American history, so I cannot say for sure how accurate she was there, but it seemed like the actual history was well researched. if nothing else, it inspired me to do a lot of my own reading about the history because as I was reading I wanted to know more about what was actually happening during this time period.

wish we had more magic early on, especially when we learn that Moctezuma is also a powerful magician. it felt random, but if we had seen more magic being practiced leading up to it, especially by other people, I think it would have made him seem like more of a threat. as it is, there wasn’t really any basis for comparison for his magic, besides Malinalli’s herself, but she barely used hers until the final stretch of the book, so. oof.

pacing: ★★☆☆☆
the pacing was so weird, dude. it seemed like we would move at a snail’s pace during the formative times of Malinalli’s life, but then when new and exciting things happen, we sprint through them so we don’t even get the chance to have fun or enjoy them, or in the sad moments, really feel the grief or pain that Malinalli is meant to be feeling. it made for a really weird reading experience.

romance: ★★★☆☆
I wish we would have explored the romance more. I didn’t expect there to be any romantic subplots in this book, so I was surprised when I came upon one, but I LOVED it while we had it. if I had it my way, I would have spent a little less time focusing on Malinalli’s childhood years, and used those pages to expand on her romance with Pakal Balam.

it also felt very one-dimensional, especially in the later parts of the story.

there’s a lot of “tell” in this book instead of showing or feeling. Malinalli tells us that she loves him, but it’s hard to believe her from reading the book.

characters: ★★☆☆☆
similar to above, the relationships with the other characters also felt one-dimensional. she talks about her two best friends, but we barely get to know them. I couldn’t even remember where she met Copil from, but apparently he’s super important to her??

the relationships with her family felt off too. we spend the early chapters really leaning into how important her family is to her, which makes you think they are going to be central to her story the whole way through. nope.

then the characters that ARE central to her story, we don’t get much background on. like Hummingbird’s daughter??? and we never touched on her in the epilogue? Malinalli HAD to have went looking for her??

Malinalli herself was a really fun character in the beginning of the book, but as I read, she became a frustrating character. I was so excited for her, and to see her spend so much time doing so little with this supposed amazing magic she had made me die a little inside. it just felt like she fell flat at every opportunity she had to do something more.

over-all: ★★★☆☆ (2.75 rounded up)
I think anyone with an interest in Meso-American history that also enjoys historical fiction novels will find this book interesting. I think I was hoping for more fantasy/magical elements so I was left a bit disappointed. my favorite parts of stories are often the relationships between the characters, and this book pretty much only focuses on Malinalli. I think that I just wasn’t the target audience for this book, but I’m happy I read it because I was unfamiliar with the story before. I would love to read other retellings about her in the future if I come across any.

I couldn't get into this book at all even though I really wanted to. The writing felt boring and predictable.

DNF # 8%

Thank you so much for Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately, I couldn't finish the book. I encourage everyone to read this!

“River Twin, sorceress in name and deed, true daughter of Earth Mother: I charge you to defend the Temple of the Eighteen Moons and to restore harmony and balance to the land in the name of the warrior-sorceress and goddess Malinalxochit!.” 🙌💙

a special thank you to Net Galley, Atria Books & Atria/Primero Sueno Press for allowing me access to an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Malinalli by Veronica Chapa!! it’s an absolute privilege to receive an ARC & i’m so honored to be able to share a honest review in exchange.

🪄 publication date: march 11th, 2025

review: ★ ★ ★ (03/11/25)
a beautiful retelling story with many twists! i loved all the fantastical elements, it’s well written and so immersive. the scenery & action was so full of vivid details.

i also loved the different conflicting voices in the book, there was far more complexity in this historical society than i expected. i feel more motivated to explore the true history that inspired this book.

i absolutely love a strong female character & malinalli is exactly that. while still being so human and relatable, she carries a great sense of responsibility & perseverance.

i will say i also found the pacing to be slow at first but it does pick up! additionally, perhaps due to being pressed on time or unfamiliarity with the topics, this book didn’t full resonate with me. hence, the 3 stars as i felt lost often unfortunately :(

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Malinalli was one of the most misunderstood women of Mexican history. She was a young girl sold into slavery at a young age and eventually became a translator to the Spaniards who invaded Mexico. In this rendition of the story, Malinalli’s story is given a fantastical twist to tell the tale of a young magical woman who does everything she can to fight for herself and her people.

I am so extremely conflicted on how to rate and express my feelings about this book. The prose is beautiful and the storytelling throughout the book is amazing. I truly loved every bit of it. What makes me feel conflicted is the actual story! Near the 50% mark I started feeling like I missed part of the story. I don’t know the history of Malinalli outside of this book and feel it would’ve definitely assisted with the understanding of what was happening throughout the last part of the story. I want to give this book all of the stars based on beauty and prose alone but I can’t bring myself to doing so. I want to learn more about the history within this story and then give it another try in the future. As of right now, I am settling at 3/5 stars. It’s a really good book! I just wish I personally knew more of the history before starting it.

Malinalli is a tale of the woman many have blamed for the fall of the Aztec Empire—the indigenous woman who translated for Cortés during his rampage across Mexico.

I love reimaginings of pivotal moments in history, especially when they bring depth to crucial players who we've heard of but don't know much about. There are so many retellings of Greek mythology out there, and I would've loved for this to have more deeply explored the mythos of the indigenous peoples of Mexico. It felt like there was just a touch of magical realism, and maybe that's by design, but I think this really could've benefitted from leaning more heavily into the lore.

This book is important even though it is fiction because it gives another voice/life to Malinalli, who is seen as a traitor in her country. Women are often marginalized and made villains when the whole picture hasn’t ever been painted. This was a great read and will def recommend!

I hate hate hate to DNF an e-ARC, but I am just not getting into this one, so, DNF/PAUSE AT 33%.

Malinalli is a retelling of Malinalli, a Nahua woman, and the history and legends surrounding her. The premise has promise- Malinalli and her brother are born into a prophecy, and then her parents try to change it. Malinalli's life seems to be devastation after devastation. At the point I had gotten to, she was in a school beginning to learn about magic (and she is bent on learning about it too).

Part of my issue is that the writing is all telling. It is a bunch of blunt informational sentences, one after the other. Instead of getting a feel for the world and the characters, it reads almost as if it were journal entries of someone chronicalling their life so they would remember things. Not a lot of nuance, not a lot of atmosphere, and not a lot of rounded characters. Even the main character doesn't feel super fleshed out so far.

I still think this story would be a good one-this may just be a timing in my life issue. I might try to come back to this in the future, maybe when my brain isn't so stressed. I'd recommend it to those who think its blurb sounds interesting, and who want to support authors bringing unique stories to the table that deserve more awareness! It is just not for me right now.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria/Primero Sueno Press for the e-ARC!

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc of this incredible read!

I am baffled, this is something that was executed so well and yet still I felt as if I could have used more. Although marketed as an adult fantasy, this has certain elements that give it a YA feel. Ten years ago, I would have adored everything about this. HOWEVER, I want to note that the historical context of this novel is one that I want to see explored more!

I love retelling especially history. Add in a little magic and I was completely satisfied. If you can tough out the first few chapters which had a bit of a slow start you’re good to go. For me it was a quick read and I have not heard of the original story before so hard to be disappointed in something you’re not completely aware of.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc. Malinalli was one of my most anticipated reads for this year. This book is a retelling of the real life historical figure Malinalli. People thought of her as a goddess, she was interpreter who helped Spanish conquistadors communicate with the native people in Mexico. Her people later thought her to be a traitor. This story depicts her life growing up and how she was enslaved and kidnapped as a child, and more. This book was so informative, emotional, and wonderfully written.

I was excited when I heard that Veronica Chapa was writing a retelling of a woman in Mexico's history. I will not lie I was not familiar with Malinalli before this retelling. I enjoyed how the retelling allowed Malinalli to reclaim her power and allowed her to be viewed as more than just a trader.

This is a thrilling reimagination of the story of La Malinche. La Malinche is the enslaved woman who translated for Spanish conquistador Cortés. Many blame her for the conquest. But like most women of history, we don’t know much about her. There were moments when I thought it was getting long, but I also admit that life has been lifing so my focus was not been the best while I was reading. I spent a lot of time yelling at Malinalli, but had to remind myself that she really did go through hell. It is great to have a historical fiction book about this iconic figure.

This was a gorgeously written retelling about Malinalli, the Nahua interpreter who worked with Cortés. I loved the lyrical writing style of this book and vivid imagery created from the descriptions of the culture. The combination historical fiction and fantasy was really interesting. Malinalli was a strong and resilient character. I loved that magic was incorporated into her story, but wish the magic was explained a bit better. There were some pacing issues throughout the book, and a lot of complexities, but I found this really enjoyable overall. I listened to the audio while reading the ebook and was grateful to be able to hear the correct pronunciations of names. The narrator was great and really helped bring the emotions of the story to life.

Thank you to Simon Audio and Atria Books for the advance copies!

This is an interesting fantasy retelling of Mexican history. The main character of this story was a real woman who acted as an interpreter for Hernán Cortéz, but in this story, her and others have magical abilities. We follow her from a young age, through dedication to a priestess and her temple, slavery, meeting Cortéz, and all the way through the Spanish conquering of Mexico.

The story has some good moments and interesting characters, but I don't think it was the book for me. It was pretty slow and lacked the action and complex relationships I was looking for. I also struggled to understand how the magic system worked and why characters made certain decisions.

This was a complex and devastating story and I think it is something others may enjoy, even if I did not.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book.

Malinalli reimagines the story of a Nahua woman of the same name who acted as a translator for Hernan Cortés. This story adds a lot of context and depth to a controversial historical figure.

Malinalli is renamed Malinalxochitl after the Aztec sorceress/goddess in an attempt to subvert a dismal prophecy. This association with the goddess plays a key part in the story as a source of power for the main character. Aztec mythology and symbolism are prominent throughout the book, and I am embarrassingly unfamiliar with most of it. This book has definitely inspired me to do a deeper dive into not only Malinalxochitl, but Aztec and Mayan mythologies as a whole.

I loved the descriptions of the setting. There are moments where I felt like I'd stepped into the magical and brutal world of 1500s Central America.

I do feel that the pacing was off in the book and it ends rather abruptly. I would have loved to see more of how Malinalxochitl handles the cascade of catastrophies in the last 15-20%. It felt a bit rushed, and I feel like a lot of opportunities were missed.

With that in mind, I am excited to see what Veronica Chapa writes in the future. She shows a lot of talent and potential, and I'd love to read more stories centered around Mexico's history and indigenous mythologies!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable read. I was so excited to read a book based on the life of Malinalli, especially after reading & loving Álvaro Enrigue's You Dreamed of Empires last year, in which she is a major character. Her life as an enslaved translator between Mayan, Nahua and Spanish is fascinating, and she is a criminally overlooked figure in history.

I really liked Chapa's take on her story here. I loved the background given to her life, and of course I loved how she is finally the star of her own story instead of being overshadowed by the powerful men of the time. However, I really wanted to LOVE this story, and I didn't. Something felt missing in the characters - they felt stilted and not quite fleshed out enough. Even so, still a wonderful book that I'm happy to have read.