GODS OF JADE AND SHADOW

Narrator Yetta Gottesman successfully tackles the worlds of gods and men in this sprawling historical fantasy set in Mexico during the Jazz Age. When browbeaten Casiopea rebels against the cruelty of her family, she accidentally frees the Mayan god of death, Hun-Kame, from imprisonment and links her fate with his. Gottesman excels at evoking the dreamlike qualities of Casiopea and Hun-Kame's quest for his lost power, gently unfurling each phrase in measured tones. Some listeners may struggle with Casiopea's initial reserve or the deliberately flat affect used for the Mayan gods. But this production rewards those who enjoy slow reveals as Gottesman ramps up Casiopea's liveliness and humor to match her growing awareness of her own power and the scope of the adventure she finds herself involved in. N.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2019]