The most downtrodden member of an influential family, Casiopea Tun dreams of a life far from her bullying cousin and endless chores but she doesn’t imagine that her much anticipated escape will be in the company of a Mayan death god or that her continued existence will rely on them completing a dangerous quest.

I am so here for the spate of fantasy fiction dabbling in less familiar mythology. Ideal for the many among you who love Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy, the prose perhaps lacks some of Arden’s lyrical grace but is more than made up for by the seamless integration of 1920s Mexico and Mayan myth. A compelling, female and decidedly no-nonsense protagonist, a dark and twisty plot and an array of beautiful settings, each vividly brought to life.

I will admit that it does feel a little formulaic. It is essentially a series of increasingly challenging boss fights sandwiched between various modes of transport and brief (but highly enjoyable) bursts of character development but I thoroughly enjoyed it regardless. Highly recommend and very deserving of all the praise it’s received thus far.

This was actually my second of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s book (which I actually didn’t realise until just now) and definitely won’t be my last! This book’s official publication date is the 23rd of July.

Big thank you to @quercusbooks and @netgalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.