Thursday, June 13, 2019

SciFi/Fantasy Book Review: Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia




Full Disclosure:  This book was read as an e-ARC (Advance Reader Copy) obtained via Netgalley from the publisher in advance of the book's release on July 23 2019 in exchange for a potential review.  I give my word that this did not affect my review in any way - if I felt conflicted in any way, I would simply have declined to review the book.

Gods of Jade and Shadow is the latest book by author Silvia Moreno-Garcia, an author whose works I've found myself really enjoying despite their often very different genres - the two books I've read of hers include a Mexican Vampire story (Certain Dark Things) and a Romance Novel with fantastical elements (The Beautiful Ones), and both had strong settings and characters I really enjoyed.  Moreno-Garcia describes herself on her website as "Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination," and her Mexican heritage seems to form a common basis in her work (well not The Beautiful Ones as much), leading to settings and characters very different than that I'm used to.  And that's a good thing, especially when those works are as well-executed as those of Moreno-Garcia.

Gods of Jade and Shadow is absolutely no exception, with it using Mayan myths as the foundation of its story: the journey of a young woman with a Mayan death god to regain what the god has lost in the battle with the god's younger brother.  In a very general sense, the story follows a very typical structure, but the book's Mayan setting twists that structure into less familiar and often fascinating ways, with a conclusion that totally took me by surprise and yet works completely.  In short, the Mayan-myth based setting, excellent characters, and surprising yet satisfying plot make Gods of Jade and Shadow a clear winner, and a definite recommendation.


-------------------------------------------------Plot Summary-------------------------------------------------------
Since her father died, Casiopea has grown up with her mother in her grandfather's household in the drab Mexican town of Uukumil.  She has always dreamed of leaving the town, driving an automobile - still new in the 1920s - and seeing the rest of Mexico and perhaps beyond.....but instead has suffered being treated as an unwanted servant for her grandfather and her arrogant and bullying cousin Martin.  But one day, Casiopea is left behind in the house all alone, and finds the key to a weird chest in her grandfather's room and opens it to release Hun-Kame, one of the twin gods of Xibalba, the Mayan Underworld.

Casiopea finds herself tied to Xibalba by a bone shard driven into her hand, promising her death if she cannot help Hun-Kame recover his lost body parts...and his lost power.  For Hun-Kame was imprisoned by his twin brother Vucub-Kame, who stole his place as Lord of the Underworld, and has been hidden away Hun-Kame's lost body parts with several other beings out of Mayan myth throughout the Country of Mexico.  Casiopea soon finds herself discovering the parts of Mexico and the American Southwest she only ever dreamed of....in addition to discovering more about herself as well.  For the longer the journey takes, the more mortal Hun-Kame becomes, and the more interesting he seems.....

Yet Vucub-Kame will not be content to allow Casiopea and Hun-Kame to complete their journey unopposed, and his plots, using some familial persons as tools, may be the greatest threat of all to Casiopea and her death god's journey to find their rightful places in life.....
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I am hardly familiar with Mayan mythology, and Gods of Jade and Shadow uses such myth to fill its setting with fascinating creatures, characters, and places - in addition to the real world places in 1920s Mexico and the American Southwest.  Into this extremely well written setting is this story, told in general from the perspectives of three characters: Casiopea - who gets most of the narrative as the central character; Martin - Casiopea's bully cousin who finds himself unwillingly chasing after her; and the antagonist Vucub-Kame himself.

But again, the main focus of this story is on Casiopea, and she's a terrific character.  New to the world outside her small town but far from naive, willing to make tough choices while still occasionally feeling afraid, wanting more for herself but feeling unsure and anxious about how her actions affect others - Casiopea is a fully three dimensional character whose growth throughout is wonderfully written, making her naturally easy to root for.  Her companion, Hun-Kame is not quite as three dimensional, but he's written well as he transitions more and more into mortality, and his and Casiopea's growing feelings for each other - while predictable - grow naturally and make complete sense.

The lesser characters are also excellently done.  I worried at first that the story was going to try and exculpate Martin for his bullying behavior towards Casiopea, but the book does not do that at all: it explains how Martin became this way, through his own being-bullied, his own privilege, and his own insecurities, but does not expect him to be forgiven.  It's really well done honestly, making him an interesting character throughout.  The other lesser mythological figures are all rather interestingly done (although as having no background in this mythology, I couldn't say anything as to their accuracy), and even the main antagonist Vucub-Kame is both believable in his motives and interesting in his choice of actions.

These characters form the basis of a plot that has elements of the familiar but is done in a satisfyingly different way.  The story of the mortal and immortal traveling together on a journey and the immortal growing more human along the way is a classic one, but Moreno-Garcia executes it really well, and with some very different touches specific to this setting of Mayan myths and Death Gods.  Even the familiar twists are thus done rather surprisingly in how they're adjusted for the themes of this mythology, making them feel fresh and new.  And the ending takes a turn that makes complete and utter sense - and yet is totally not the way these things tend to go, to my surprise.  It forms a satisfying, if bittersweet conclusion, and it's nearly perfect.

So yeah, really really enjoyed this one, and writing this review is only reminding me more of how I did.  Definitely recommended.

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