Gods of Jade and Shadow Book Review

• Steeped in stunning Mexican historical culture
• Really interesting Mayan mythology woven into the plot
• Romantic tension has a slow build that I loved throughout
• Main characters have outstanding growth and development
• High stakes that propel the plot forward and bring characters together

In Gods of Jade and Shadow, Cassiopeia gets pulled from her downtrodden life under the strict authority of her grandfather’s house and her mean, deprecating cousin when she accidentally frees an imprisoned god of death. Now she is bound to help Hun-Kame reclaim his throne in the underworld, or risk perishing herself. The story followers their journey around Mexico in the 1920s in a scavenger hunt type bid to reclaim the pieces needed to restore Hun-Kame. This book is a stunning modern mythology fantasy about gods, destiny, change, and understanding your true self. It’s a familiar tale of strangers growing closer after being bound together, yet filled with unexpected moments. 

I loved how every component of this book contributed to the rest of the story. For instance, the plot of girl being bound to a god and forced to go on a journey with him feeds the romantic subplot. And that in turn leads to them being forced to see different ways of the world and alternative perspectives, which was a major catalyst for growth and development in both characters. It also greatly pushed the romantic development along.

The most well-done aspect of this book in my option was the relationship between Casiopea and Hun-Kame. The relationship starts on icy terms with a clash of personalities between an immortal and grumpy god adjusting to the modern world, and a headstrong, brave yet stubborn girl who knows exactly what she wants (and that’s not a bad thing). It was beautifully done how the author showed them traveling great distances and simultaneously the distance between Casiopea and Hun-Kame shrinks. It allowed for more of a slow-burn, gradual growth in romantic feels, which makes the tender moments between them feel so much more special and moving. And by the end we really get a glimpse of how much these two people have grown to care for each other, but also what they’ve learned about themselves. 

I thought Moreno-Garcia’s style of writing was very appealing. It was straightforward storytelling, but also beautiful and lyrical in moments.  There is a mesmerizing quality to the way she relays a story and introduces a character to the reader. And the way she portrays Mexico with the hints of underlying Mayan mythology was enlightening into a world I’d not previously explored. She made Mexico sound and feel magical, even outside the mythology parts. It truly felt like seeing a different side of the country and like I was gaining a true perspective of it. 

My one very tiny complaint centers around the beginning. Casiopea came off as almost too headstrong for me, but I will note it’s possible this is a preference issue. I just had a hard time sympathizing and rooting for her in the first few chapters. But once she got our of her normal world, we saw the true Casiopea blossom and I loved her. The sense of adventure definitely brought out the best in Casiopea. 

Gods of Jade and Shadow is a beautiful book set in a beautiful world with a beautiful evolving relationship between the two main characters. It is full of high stakes and growing tension and built with excellent storytelling craft. If you want to explore Mexico or read more tales steeped in Mayan mythology, this is the book for you! I would gladly recommend it to one and all.