Red Thread Reblog: Oh, Maya Gods! — VoVatia

Welcome to Red Thread Reblog, a feature that pairs a post about media inspired by mythology with a post about the mythology shown in the media.

Gods of Jade and Shadows draws inspiration from the Mayan Popol Vuh. In addition to the Mayan creation story, this collection includes a tale where the Hero Twins face off in a game of ball (and tricks) with the gods of death. This post from Nathan of VoVatia will give you a good overview of the Popol Vuh. He also starts off with a bit of history about how this key Mayan document survived into the present day. I’m still exploring the archives and recent posts of VoVatia, which covers a range of topics including video games, current events, mythology, religion, and Oz fandom. Each has Nathan’s characteristic blend of serious reflection and pragmatic humor. I am particularly glad to share his post on the Popol Vuh because it’s one of the few I found that examines the stories in enough detail to really create a sense of the worldview from which Gods of Jade and Shadow grew while handling the topic with a respectful curiosity. And he raises some interesting questions with his reflections on the death gods’ names!

I saw a mention of the Popol Vuh, a Mayan book of myths, at Intelligent Life, as well as a link to an animated narration. Since I haven’t said much about Mayan mythology, I might as well address this. When the Spanish conquered what is now Guatemala, they destroyed most of the artifacts of Mayan […]

Oh, Maya Gods! — VoVatia

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Red Thread Reblog: Fall in love with a Maya Death God in Gods of Jade and Shadow — Living in Libros

Welcome to Red Thread Reblog, a feature that pairs a post about media inspired by mythology with a post about the mythology shown in the media.

Let’s start off with a tale of stars and gods, bones and roads. In Gods of Jade and Shadow, Silvia Moreno-Garcia brings 1920s Yucatan together with the Mayan underworld of Xibalba through the story of Casiopea Tun. Both landscapes are fleshed out in vibrant detail, and I was thrilled to read such a complex portrayal of Mayan cosmology. In addition, Casiopea’s journey passes through several important cultural landmarks in Mexico, showing the nuances each location holds. For more about the book, check out Gaby’s review on Living in Libros! If you’re new to Gaby’s work, I highly recommend exploring her blog and her new YouTube channel. She provides a wonderful level of detail while balancing between calling out important social issues and pure booklove. I read her review of Gods of Jade and Shadow well after reading the book itself, yet I learned so much more from her comments about the cultural side of the story. Now without further ado, let’s meet that death god!

Do you love reading about baddies in lit? We all know I do! What about reading about death gods? Mayan mythology? Road trips? 1920s Mexico? Then Gods of Jade and Shadow is probably the book for you! Gods of Jade and Shadow is an adult fantasy novel set during the Jazz Age and in Mexico. Author of […]

Fall in love with a Maya Death God in Gods of Jade and Shadow — Living in Libros