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alexyssj's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
We meet Moctezuma as an aging, highly irritable, depressed ruler, high on mushrooms and seemingly losing his grip on the kingdom. His closest advisors doubt his abilities to take control of the kingdom especially when the Caxtilteca- the Spaniards led by Hernan Cortes show up and get all the way to Tenochtitlan unharmed- everyone is questioning Moctezuma’s sanity. I would too to be honest. We know what happens in the real world because we speak Spanish and English in the Americas. This book allowed me to read and think about a different outcome if just for a moment.
I haven’t read anything like this before and I want more. I want to read more colonial revenge stories. I want to feel as immersed in the next world as I was in this one. I think it helped that I went to see the Mayan ruins in chichen itza midread. Different group of people and different regions of Mexico, but it helped me envision more the daily goings on of this book and what it could have felt like to live in the jungle back then. Between the temple and the ball court and the old houses. I find the way the characters are envisioned in this book accessible, sort of modern in a way and 3 dimensional. This book was tense and violent while simultaneously giving us a look into daily life for Aztec royalty. The inner working of the court, ethnic divisions, succession, spirituality, power, war. We’re on the edge of life changing but first Moctezuma needs to take his nap.
I was worried Moctezuma didn’t know what he was doing but he knows his job better than me lol I was not an huey tlatoani with at least 3 rebelling cities under my rule.
I haven’t read anything like this before and I want more. I want to read more colonial revenge stories. I want to feel as immersed in the next world as I was in this one. I think it helped that I went to see the Mayan ruins in chichen itza midread. Different group of people and different regions of Mexico, but it helped me envision more the daily goings on of this book and what it could have felt like to live in the jungle back then. Between the temple and the ball court and the old houses. I find the way the characters are envisioned in this book accessible, sort of modern in a way and 3 dimensional. This book was tense and violent while simultaneously giving us a look into daily life for Aztec royalty. The inner working of the court, ethnic divisions, succession, spirituality, power, war. We’re on the edge of life changing but first Moctezuma needs to take his nap.
I was worried Moctezuma didn’t know what he was doing but he knows his job better than me lol I was not an huey tlatoani with at least 3 rebelling cities under my rule.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Murder
historicalmaterialgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
unlike anything i've ever read... dizzying & dazzling. ur gonna have to work to understand it and author is very clearly playing with form but the more I read the more I was like girl WHAT is going on
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Sexual violence and Violence
patlo's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
GORGEOUS retelling of the historical events of Spanish conquistadors under Hernán Cortés entering the city of Tenochtitlan and meeting with the court of emperor Moctezuma.
It's rare that, as I'm reading a book, I wished it were MUCH longer, or a series. But this one is an entire world, and reimagines a dense and complex world that many of us have some passing familiarity with. It's trippy hallucinogenic; it thrives in court politics and religious variety; its characters are all well shaped. The reader's head swims in a fast paced, dense story with color and flavor everywhere.
Think multicultural Game of Throes meets Hunter S. Thompson packed into a 220 page novella.
TIP: Don't skip the author's notes to the translator in the first pages.
It's rare that, as I'm reading a book, I wished it were MUCH longer, or a series. But this one is an entire world, and reimagines a dense and complex world that many of us have some passing familiarity with. It's trippy hallucinogenic; it thrives in court politics and religious variety; its characters are all well shaped. The reader's head swims in a fast paced, dense story with color and flavor everywhere.
Think multicultural Game of Throes meets Hunter S. Thompson packed into a 220 page novella.
TIP: Don't skip the author's notes to the translator in the first pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Rape and Murder
hamohero's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I did quite enjoy the cheeky narration but I barely understood what was happening without the historical/literary knowledge along with the lack of punctuation, huge cast with multiple names, and the sudden shifts in setting/povs.
Also tw:mention of rape p111 and reference to said rape p129
Also tw:
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Murder, and War
aleyajo's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Fascinating look at Tenochtitlán history and what could have been.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Colonisation
30something_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Honestly, this was a fever-dream (in the best way possible.)
A hallucinogenic and fantastical rendering of Mexican colonial history.
I found that I best enjoyed this as a tandem read with the audiobook. It was very interesting to see the exclusion of quotation marks throughout the entire book but the narrator provided such great differentiation between characters during the dialogue.
A hallucinogenic and fantastical rendering of Mexican colonial history.
I found that I best enjoyed this as a tandem read with the audiobook. It was very interesting to see the exclusion of quotation marks throughout the entire book but the narrator provided such great differentiation between characters during the dialogue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Colonisation
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
ritual sacrificeclynns's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Like taking mushrooms.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, and War