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A review by imaginary_space
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A great, light modern myth or fairytale with a strong narrative voice. If you like these kinds of stories, this book is for you.
What I loved
- The setting: 1920s Mexico and Mayan mythology.
- All the classic fairytale elements: mean non-humans (and not-so-mean ones), a protagonist coming into her own, a rags-to-riches story, quests, humans coming in contact with a mythlogical world etc.
- The writing and narrative voice fit the mythological/fairytale theme very well.
- The fact that the classic fairytale elements were modernized.
- The heroine. I thought she was a believable and likeable character in a fairytale story.
- I had a feeling for how the story would end in general, but I kept guessing how they would get there, which I consider a plus.
- The ending. I suspect some people will not like it, but I loved it. Here's why: The gods are clearly depicted as not caring about humans and a happy end for the blossoming romance between Casiopeia and Hun-Kamé would have been her exchanging one bad master for another. I even think it is made pretty clear throughout the book that this would not be a happy ending for her. I love that the book ends with her out on her own, not with a lover, in the comapny of a colourful character that might become her friend, off on a road trip. That's a great, optimistic ending for me.
What I loved
- The setting: 1920s Mexico and Mayan mythology.
- All the classic fairytale elements: mean non-humans (and not-so-mean ones), a protagonist coming into her own, a rags-to-riches story, quests, humans coming in contact with a mythlogical world etc.
- The writing and narrative voice fit the mythological/fairytale theme very well.
- The fact that the classic fairytale elements were modernized.
- The heroine. I thought she was a believable and likeable character in a fairytale story.
- I had a feeling for how the story would end in general, but I kept guessing how they would get there, which I consider a plus.
- The ending. I suspect some people will not like it, but I loved it. Here's why: The gods are clearly depicted as not caring about humans and a happy end for the blossoming romance between Casiopeia and Hun-Kamé would have been her exchanging one bad master for another. I even think it is made pretty clear throughout the book that this would not be a happy ending for her. I love that the book ends with her out on her own, not with a lover, in the comapny of a colourful character that might become her friend, off on a road trip. That's a great, optimistic ending for me.