Review: Unusual historical fiction, beautifully written
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 22, 2014
As soon as I started "The Visionary Mayan Queen" I was drawn into the story. I am not very familiar with ancient Mayan culture or lore, so this book has a unique and interesting cultural setting. The story is of course framed around royal families, priestly class and the usual conflicts of succession and personal desires, so it's completely enjoyable as a novel. The background is exquisitely researched, and the foods, clothing, and customs of the Mayan culture make for an exotic but realistic backdrop.In a way the book is also like science fiction/fantasy because Yohl Ik'Nal, the Visionary Queen can time-travel and has met a girl of the American Prairie, Elie. Elie has parallel problems to Yohl Ik'Nal--she's being pressed to marry someone, not to extend a royal dynasty but for equally non-romanitc reasons. This fantasy makes the story even more interesting and adds quite a dimension to the novel.This is a welcome first novel in a series that mixes ancient culture, mythology and fantasy in a fascinating way. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series. Recommended.