Review: A historical novel of Montezuma's Mexico with a current events thread
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 23, 2010
I must admit that I really like historical novels.That being said, this is a very unique book.It provides the historical story of Malintzin Tenepal, the hereditary Princess of Quetzalcoatl, who became known as La Malinche during the Conquest of Montezuma's Mexico by Spain's Cortez.  It fills in some gaps in historical knowledge, as all historical novels do, with speculation.  This makes the story flow. And at the end we are not sure but that Montezuma's Treasure may have been left as this story suggests.The book combines this adventure with a modern-day search for that very Treasure. And this takes place in tandem. We get a little of the current story and then we switch to the historical one and follow that. Intertwined.  This can be disconcerting.  Just as you get involved in Mexican border wars we switch to conquistadors on horseback.  But I thought this just made the whole better.And add to the mix the frequent transcriptions of a Mexican talk-radio reports to move the action along.Clever literary devices that will can spark your interest.The author has managed to tell the story of La Malinche and the Spanish Conquest and to describe the potential of a Mexican government melt-down while providing a colorful description of the heritage of the Americas.A terrific read.