I’ve been looking forward to Gods of Jade and Shadow ever since it was announced. Hello, Mayan gods in the Jazz age? And I was not disappointed. The setting was atmospheric and Casiopea was a phenomenal heroine. If you loved books like Star Touched Queen and Bear and the Nightingale then you would probably enjoy this!
Summary
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.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Gods of Jade and Shadow is a story of gods, sacrifices, and freedom. Grounded in a setting that will transport you to prohibition, flappers, and the way change can be slow to come by. What is the most relatable to Casiopea is her indomitable spirit, her yearning for change, and her patience. Mixed with fairy tale themes, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a story not only about her encounter with gods of her own, but also her quest to find her own future.
Casiopea lives in a country on the brink of change, a moment between trends, religions, and culture. Feeling like she does not belong with her family, and sorely mistreated by them, Casiopea has never fit in. And her future has always been uncertain, whether it existed at the whims of her family or based on the fate of a god’s quest for revenge. Gods of Jade and Shadow is a story about power, mercy, and forgiveness.
When we are offered our heart’s desire, what do we ask for? Freedom proves to be elusive, ever changing in the moment, and it can be terrifying to see the potential on the horizon, yet knowing it can easily be torn away. And while we are absolutely enchanted by the setting and magic within Gods of Jade and Shadow, this book asks us if we will keep repeating the same slights over and over again. If we keep inflicting the same wounds, or if we are able to be more than that. Can we fight for something more than ourselves, our fate, our freedom?
Find Gods of Jade and Shadow on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound & The Book Depository.
I can’t wait to dive into this one!! 🙂
I hope you like it! It’s so wonderful!!!
This sounds like a fun read! The setting + time period sound like they make for a great story.
I hope you like it if you try it!!