Gods of Jade and Shadow Audiobook By Silvia Moreno-Garcia cover art

Gods of Jade and Shadow

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Gods of Jade and Shadow

By: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Narrated by: Yetta Gottesman
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About this listen

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 • Tor.com • 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)

©2019 Silvia Moreno-Garcia (P)2019 Random House Audio
Classics Fairy Tales Fantasy Fiction Historical Magical Realism Romance Heartfelt Suspenseful Mexican Folklore

Critic reviews

"Casiopea is not a damsel in distress, but rather a young woman coming of age in a time where music, myth, art and exploration thrum colorfully around her.... Readers will be floored by Moreno-Garcia’s painstaking attention to detail. Her descriptions of the emotionally charged interactions between realistic human characters and otherworldly gods, witches and demonic forces are unforgettable, as are the fairy-tale and folktale aspects of the plot." (BookPage starred review)

"Set in a lushly rendered and gorgeous world, this is historical fantasy at its best: a fresh, feminist coming-of-age tale that lets the ancient and the new meld and clash in a tale you can't put down." (S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass and The Kingdom of Copper)

"An evocative and moving modern Indigenous fairy tale filled with quiet moments of vulnerability and honesty. Oh, my heart!" (Rebecca Roanhorse, Hugo and Nebula award-winning author of the Sixth World series)

What listeners say about Gods of Jade and Shadow

Highly rated for:

Rich Mythology Engaging Adventure Excellent Narration Vivid Descriptions Compelling Heroine Unexpected Romance
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A fantastic adventure fantasy in 1920s Mexico

A fantastic adventure fantasy drawing on Mexican indian mythology in a 1920s landscape. The story follows a young woman resigned to living with her mother and their extended family due to financial hardships. Within the confines of her family's home lies a mystical relic that has the power to change her life by forcing her to leave her home and embark on a once in a lifetime adventure. Moreno-Garcia draws on the multi-layered and ancient Maya and Aztec faiths to create a cast of interesting and arrogant gods who rely on their earthly servants to accomplish their deeds.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and had a hard time putting it down! Highly recommend for fans of fantasy set in real world landscapes.

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I couldn't get enough!

This story was so enthralling. I loved everything about it. From Casiopea's TERRIBLE relationship with her family, to her relationship with the death God and how they created a better life for themselves in the end.

4.5 Stars

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Interesting story dragged down by narration

Very enjoyable story, kept me engaged and wanting to know what happens nexts. The narration though… the narrator reads this like a middle schooler reading their school play lines for the first time. The inflection is all over the place but also somehow monotone. I have the physical copy of the book and I think I might just finish this story by reading instead. The convenience of listening while I work is great but this might not be worth it. A cool story being dragged down by an awful audio execution.

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Perfect for Hispanic Heritage Month

I read Mexican Gothic and while I enjoyed that book, some parts are definitely scary! Gods of Jade and Shadow was not as scary. It was very interesting, had a great storyline, and I enjoyed learning more about the Aztec/Mayan mythology. Would have love to see Cassiopeia’s life after the adventure - perhaps as a short story! Really enjoyed this one.

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Amazing

What a lush cornucopia of words and images. A true delight for the imagination.

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Wonderful tale, ok narrator

Loved the story, it was just what I was looking for: a mythology based fantasy with a Mexican backdrop. The characters and imagery are very entertaining. The narrator was pretty good, but i didn’t love her tone- it sounds like she is reading to children and I found it distracting.

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beyond incredible!!

I was surprised by this story and I LOVED it's message!!! At first I was a little skeptical about the story, seemed cheesy, but you fall in love with the characters and the story really doesn't stay in that initial state for long, just enough to set the scene. I could listen to this over and over again!!!

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A fun and refreshing read for spooky season

I saw this book once or twice on #booktok and bought it last year. I really enjoyed it, especially having starting it in pre-spooky season.

The setting and world building was so intriguing, the Yucatán peninsula in the 1920s is not a setting I’ve seen often. I loved the nods and inspiration that came from Mayan mythology and the reference to the other indigenous peoples of Mexico. The pace of the book was fast to medium which lead to some parts going by with some under development, however the focus placed on setting and character development in the last act of the book really helped the overall story.

Is this book the best, most life changing plot you’ll ever read? Probably not. But it’s subject matter, setting and characters are based in a very rich cultural tradition and quite frankly was refreshing. I’m not sure if I’ll re-read in the immediate future but I will definitely recommend to friends.

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Amazing book

Amazing book! I enjoy every second of the book. It’s different and fun! I will definitely recommend it!

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Beautiful!

I literally cried lol it was such a great story!
Totally recommend! I wished there was more to the ending but still told beautifully

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