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Historical Fantasies: Gods of Jade and Shadow & His Majesty’s Dragon

5 Feb

Gods of Jade and Shadow
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Gods of Jade and Shadow was our Hoboken Public Library Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Discussion Group’s pick for last June. The story is set in 1920’s Mexico. It is the coming of age story of Casiopea Tun who is treated like a servant compared with her spoiled male cousin. When Casiopea opens the chest in her grandfather’s room she get a sliver of bone stuck in her finger linking herself to a Mayan Death God who is dealing with his own family rivalry with his brother. Casiopea is a fun spunky heroine and I enjoyed reading her story as well as all the interesting spins Moreno-Garcia put on Mexican folk lore. This wasn’t as popular with the group as some of Moreno-Garcia’s work such as Mexican Gothic, but will delight fans of fairytale/folklore retellings. I think this might also be enjoyable for a teen audience as well.

His Majesty’s Dragon
by Naomi Novik
We read His Majesty’s Dragon for our Book Discussion Group in August 2025. The story takes place during the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. Captain Will Laurence is plunged from his seafaring life, into the world of Dragons when his ship captures a French frigate carrying a rare and highly prized dragon egg from China. The group had mixed feelings about the book. Some found the book slow paced and light on battles for something military focused, while others were charmed by the witty dragon, Tremeraire. I enjoyed seeing Laurence and Tremairaire’s bond grow over the course of the novel. If you enjoy His Majesty’s Dragon there are eight other books in the finished series to also enjoy. My son who loves fantasy stories about dragons also enjoyed the novel; his favorite part was in the beginning when Will is first raising Tremeraire.

Our next HPL Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Discussion Group is on February 23 at 6 PM. We will be discussing another fun fantasy, The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. Hope you can join us!

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Villains Re-imagined: How to Survive a Fairy Bargain and Kaikeyi

15 Oct

How to Survive a Fairy Bargain
by Laura J. Mayo
How to Survive a Fairy Bargain is the second in the Laura J. Mayo’s Fairies and Familiars series. The first novel, How to Summon a Fairy Godmother, used the story of Cinderella as a springboard which cleverly painted one of the ugly stepsisters, Theodosia, as not being the villain that she was portrayed in the original and the fairy godmother as not being quite as altruistic. This story continues Theo’s adventures and looks more at the world of fairies and their familiars (human servants who each also have an animal form and limited magic). I love that Theo’s form is an adorable hedgehog and that this novel gives a stepsister her own HEA story. Theo has begun trying to settle in to her new life and learning what it means to be a familiar to Cecily when a new adventure begins. There is a bit of romance and an intriguing plot about a missing fairy princesses and an ages old assassination added in to the mix. If you are a fan of stories that build on the lives of side characters then you will want to dive into the intriguing world Mayo has created. Also I have to say the covers for this series are some of my favorites; you might not always be able to judge a book by a cover, but these clever art nouveau-esque covers hold an equally enchanting story.

Kaikeyi
by Vaishnavi Patel
Kaikeyi is a feminist retelling of a the story of a well-known villain from India who in the Ramayana had banished the hero Rama for ten years to the forest. In the novel which focuses on the time before Rama’s banishment, Kaikeyi is seen as a courageous woman who sought to prevent needless blood shed due to war and championed the women of the kingdom. Unlike with Cinderella, I was not familiar with Kaikeyi’s story so I had to do a bit of research to find out how the novel diverged from the original material, a main change is that Kaikeyi has the power to see threads that connect her to other people, which helps her influence them, unlike in the original where her gift is to have a strong iron hand. Besides the main story, sprinkled throughout are other interesting folk-stories from India that Kaikeyi recounts. Whether you are new to Kaikeyi’s story or are looking for a feminist take on a classic you grew up with, Kaikeyi is a fascinating tale of a tragic woman. This is our November pick for Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club, if it sounds interesting to you, please join us for a great discussion.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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