Gods of Jade and Shadow book review

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
on July 23, 2019
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.

I bought this one a while ago but have never picked it up. I’m kinda kicking myself I little now because Gods of Jade and Shadow blew me away. I had no idea what to expect. But this book was everything and more. Books that follow deities are some of my favourites and this was no exception. I adored the setting and the impact that it had on the story. It hooked me from the beginning. I thought the way it was told is beautiful. It was such an amazing story but I wish the ending had gone another way. I would have loved for a perfect read. However, there were some small issues which impacted my experience a little.

Characters in Gods of Jade and Shadow

Gods of Jade and Shadow follows Casiopea Tun as she sets out with a God of Death on a quest that takes her across her country and into a world she could never have dreamed of. I really loved watching her experience so many new things as well as building new relationships that questioned her loyalty. I think this was the best part of her as a character. She was relatable in being stuck between a rock and a hard place. The card she was deal and her way of dealing with were some of the best writing. Seeing the impact her culture had on her plus the decisions she made was a particularly great part of the book. I just really enjoyed her as a character and her point of view.

The other character is Hun-Kamé, the Lord of Xibalba who Casiopea frees from her grandfather’s trunk. He is a mysterious being who commands respect everywhere he goes. He opens Casiopea’s eyes to the world around her but also to the risks of his life and who he is as a person. I loved watching his progress and seeing his arc across the story. There were some really great interactions between the two of them and it made the story feel completely real.

Good and Bad

For me, the good bit of Gods of Jade and Shadow was definitely the culture. I loved learning more about the world they inhabited. Also, the world and how it shaped them. The setting is brilliant. As a result, I felt as though it was easy enough to understand. I learnt a lot and I feel as though it was an enjoyable experience above all. I loved the moments where there was something to learn and to see. It was these parts that pulled the story together and brought the story to life. This is how I managed to connect with the characters on such a high level.

The bad bits for me was a little harder to explain, I think the ending let it down. I wanted the ending to have created more than what it did. I feel the way it played out was underwhelming. Just a little more drama would have been nice, especially seeing as the buildup was so long in the coming. It would have made more sense for me to have seen a little more of the ‘Underworld’ and to understand the implications that came with it.

Recommendation

I loved Gods of Jade and Shadow. It had brilliant characters, plot and storyline. The ending wasn’t my cup of tea but the rest of the book makes up for that with the world it creates. If this one is sat on your TBR, pick it up! You won’t regret it!

What is your favourite book containing a God or deity of some kind? Let me know!