More of a 2.5, rounded up.

What a strange read this was.

Quetzalpetlatl is an exiled princess tasked with not only helping raise her younger brother, Topiltzin (who happens to also be the son of a god), but also with working with her brother to end human sacrifice in their kingdom. That's about as straightforward a summary as I can write for the plot of this book, because it read like a bit of an ancient soap opera. So many twists and turns, betrayal, double crossing, over the top evil dudes, death - and, to top it all off, incest.

Yep, Quetzalpetlatl and Topiltzin fall in love. Topiltzin, being all special, ages very quickly. That still doesn't change my initial reaction to it, which was mostly...ick. Like yeah, I get that their closeness and their shared destinies would bring them together, but still.

Where the book really thrives is in the world building. I don't know much (or anything) about tenth century Mexico, other than the stereotypical Aztec/Maya/Incan things we all learn as kids. Reading about it felt like stepping into a completely alien landscape, one that was populated with what felt like authentic* people and events. Even certain things that I scoffed at turned out to be true to the time once I did some cursory research myself.

Did you know rubber actually existed in tenth century Mexico? And natural rubber comes from trees? I sure didn't. The more you learn.

The Bone Flower Throne isn't exactly the sort of book I'd recommend to everyone, but it is an interesting read if you're up for something different.


*Authentic as far as fitting in with the world the author has created. I don't know much (or anything, really) about historical Mexico to say otherwise.