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2020 Aurora Award for Best Novel (nominee)
2020 Dragon Award for Best Fantasy Novel (nominee)
2020 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (nominee)
2019 Nebula Award for Best Novel (nominee)
The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.
‘A spellbinding fairy tale rooted in Mexican mythology . . . Gods of Jade and Shadow is a magical fairy tale about identity, freedom, and love, and it's like nothing you've read before.’—Bustle
NEBULA AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • Tordotcom • The New York Public Library • BookRiot
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.
Praise for Gods of Jade and Shadow
‘A dark, dazzling fairy tale . . . a whirlwind tour of a 1920s Mexico vivid with jazz, the memories of revolution, and gods, demons, and magic.’—NPR
‘Snappy dialog, stellar worldbuilding, lyrical prose, and a slow-burn romance make this a standout. . . . Purchase where Naomi Novik, Nnedi Okorafor, and N. K. Jemisin are popular.’—Library Journal (starred review)
‘A magical novel of duality, tradition, and change . . . Moreno-Garcia’s seamless blend of mythology and history provides a ripe setting for Casiopea’s stellar journey of self-discovery, which culminates in a dramatic denouement. Readers will gladly immerse themselves in Moreno-Garcia’s rich and complex tale of desperate hopes and complicated relationships.’—Publishers Weekly��(starred review)
Genre: Fantasy
‘A spellbinding fairy tale rooted in Mexican mythology . . . Gods of Jade and Shadow is a magical fairy tale about identity, freedom, and love, and it's like nothing you've read before.’—Bustle
NEBULA AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • Tordotcom • The New York Public Library • BookRiot
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.
Praise for Gods of Jade and Shadow
‘A dark, dazzling fairy tale . . . a whirlwind tour of a 1920s Mexico vivid with jazz, the memories of revolution, and gods, demons, and magic.’—NPR
‘Snappy dialog, stellar worldbuilding, lyrical prose, and a slow-burn romance make this a standout. . . . Purchase where Naomi Novik, Nnedi Okorafor, and N. K. Jemisin are popular.’—Library Journal (starred review)
‘A magical novel of duality, tradition, and change . . . Moreno-Garcia’s seamless blend of mythology and history provides a ripe setting for Casiopea’s stellar journey of self-discovery, which culminates in a dramatic denouement. Readers will gladly immerse themselves in Moreno-Garcia’s rich and complex tale of desperate hopes and complicated relationships.’—Publishers Weekly��(starred review)
Genre: Fantasy
Praise for this book
"This is historical fantasy at its best." - S A Chakraborty
"A beautiful work that will draw you in and keep you transfixed and reading far too late. It blends the 'real' and the mythic seamlessly, and the clear-sighted heroine is a joy to read about. It's the sort of book that will leave you with beautiful after-images for weeks to follow, and going back to re-read favourite sections." - Genevieve Cogman
"Silvia Moreno-Garcia's prose is like the best kind of fairytale - dark, enchanting, and makes you wish that you could live within its pages. Casiopea's journey belongs on every bookshelf." - Zoraida Córdova
"A vibrant story of grit, giddiness, and glory with a protagonist whose personality burns bright as a star. Casiopea Tun will capture your heart and draw you into a jewel-toned world of myth-making and jazz music." - Lara Elena Donnelly
"Simultaneously heartbreaking and heart-mending, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a wondrous and magical tale about choosing our own path. I felt weepy and happy and hopeful when I finished - everything you want to feel at the end of a great story." - Kevin Hearne
"A lush, bittersweet tale of courage, love and carving your own place in the world . . . Silvia Moreno-Garcia's evocative prose will take you on an adventure for the mind and the heart." - Christina Henry
"I lost myself in the world, the magic, and the brilliance that is Gods of Jade and Shadow, a story that will linger with me for a very long time. Casiopea Tun will take readers on a journey they will not soon forget. She is the kind of heroine I rooted for from the very first page!" - Jennifer A Nielsen
"An evocative and moving fairy-tale about a downtrodden girl and the Mayan God of Death and how they both find each other and their humanity together . . . Loved it. Highly recommend." - Rebecca Roanhorse
"A beautiful work that will draw you in and keep you transfixed and reading far too late. It blends the 'real' and the mythic seamlessly, and the clear-sighted heroine is a joy to read about. It's the sort of book that will leave you with beautiful after-images for weeks to follow, and going back to re-read favourite sections." - Genevieve Cogman
"Silvia Moreno-Garcia's prose is like the best kind of fairytale - dark, enchanting, and makes you wish that you could live within its pages. Casiopea's journey belongs on every bookshelf." - Zoraida Córdova
"A vibrant story of grit, giddiness, and glory with a protagonist whose personality burns bright as a star. Casiopea Tun will capture your heart and draw you into a jewel-toned world of myth-making and jazz music." - Lara Elena Donnelly
"Simultaneously heartbreaking and heart-mending, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a wondrous and magical tale about choosing our own path. I felt weepy and happy and hopeful when I finished - everything you want to feel at the end of a great story." - Kevin Hearne
"A lush, bittersweet tale of courage, love and carving your own place in the world . . . Silvia Moreno-Garcia's evocative prose will take you on an adventure for the mind and the heart." - Christina Henry
"I lost myself in the world, the magic, and the brilliance that is Gods of Jade and Shadow, a story that will linger with me for a very long time. Casiopea Tun will take readers on a journey they will not soon forget. She is the kind of heroine I rooted for from the very first page!" - Jennifer A Nielsen
"An evocative and moving fairy-tale about a downtrodden girl and the Mayan God of Death and how they both find each other and their humanity together . . . Loved it. Highly recommend." - Rebecca Roanhorse
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