This is a difficult one for me to rate, because on one hand I think it has nice writing on a surface level and the story felt deeply loved by the author, but on the other hand I don't think it delivered what I felt it should have.

This was definitely more of a historical fiction than a fantasy read, which is a bit misleading. The magical elements feel more like afterthoughts and less like they are integral to the story, which I think is necessary for a true fantasy story. I also think the pacing affects the impact of the magic, as important revelations and growth for the characters feels very rushed past without allowing any time to breathe or even think about what's happening. It might just be that magical realism wasn't what I was expecting from this kind of a story, and it didn't quite blend the way I wanted it to.

I do really like the contrasting elements of a hopeful main character with an ultimately doomed narrative. I enjoyed that the author assumed the reader was aware of the outcome of the story and allows that irony and overwhelming dread to be felt throughout the story. You want to hope with the characters, and it makes the end all the more painful.

The book ends up feeling a bit like a relived fever dream, with such a quick pace and lack of time or focus spent on developing anything other than Malinalli. It makes everything feel like it has a hazy blur since nothing was dug into enough to have a very clear picture.

As a retelling, I was expecting more. The first third of the book was so good. I clung to every word, eager for the rest. Then the darkness overwhelmed the words. It got worse & worse for Malinalli and I just couldn't take it anymore. I know the original story is depressing, but I was expecting a fantastical twist considering this is a fantasy book. Poor girl couldn't catch a break. She maintained hope despite everything happening to her & all the men using her (there really should be a trigger warning for that). Somehow, she stayed proud in her name & of who she is. But there was nothing around her left to be proud of. Her world fell apart when the white men came & conquered, and the magic disappeared. What a disappointment.
Side note, Pakal Balam was a great character addition. I absolutely loved him. I wish he'd had a bigger role in the story.

This is an amazing book! The world and characters come to life - the reader can feel Malinalli's emotions. Her anger, her fear, and her rage become the readers as the story moves forward.

This is a book that will become a classic - it is one that would be amazing for high schoolers, as the writing is beautiful and full of deeper meanings. However, because it is such a beautiful read it is just as easy to recommend this book for adults as well. This is a novel that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.