Paperback, 384 pages
Published Feb. 18, 2020 by Del Rey, Del Rey Books.
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 …
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.
This book weaves together a coming of age novel, a heroic myth, and Mayan and modern (in the flappers era sense of modern) Mexican cultural tidbits.
Good story. It's written a bit too young-adult-like, which is okay for the young protagonist but not for gods. And for me, the ending didn't pack the emotional punch it could have.
Good story. It's written a bit too young-adult-like, which is okay for the young protagonist but not for gods. And for me, the ending didn't pack the emotional punch it could have.
This is a story told in dream logic, where you believe the impossible things that are right in front of you because to deny them would just waste everyone's time. The protagonist is unflinchingly practical, and learns to use her temper to her advantage. The antagonist is an embodiment of the petulant powerful who fear being laughed at, and find that that somehow justifies the disproportionate misery they inflict on others. The setting is a concentrated infusion of off-axis 1920s that seeps into every crevice of the narrative. Beautifully delivered.
This is a story told in dream logic, where you believe the impossible things that are right in front of you because to deny them would just waste everyone's time. The protagonist is unflinchingly practical, and learns to use her temper to her advantage. The antagonist is an embodiment of the petulant powerful who fear being laughed at, and find that that somehow justifies the disproportionate misery they inflict on others. The setting is a concentrated infusion of off-axis 1920s that seeps into every crevice of the narrative. Beautifully delivered.
The book is entertaining and easy enough to read. Has an interesting-to-follow plot
Wonderful characters. Who doesn't love some Mayan Death Gods! A fine adventure down a dark and adventurous road. Enjoyable and fun.
Wonderful characters. Who doesn't love some Mayan Death Gods! A fine adventure down a dark and adventurous road. Enjoyable and fun.
I’m sorry, I know the author doesn’t want this lumped in with YA books; but it reminds me of Rick Riordan.
Absorbing, fun and literally fabulous. I was convinced this was in translation but no, the author lives not far from where I live.
