Review: The Jaguar Mask by Michael J. DeLuca
My Quick Take: This book is a fascinating take on revolution and revolt in Central America, where ancient mythological creatures are key to uprising.
Thanks to Stelliform Press and NetGalley for a gifted copy!
See my chat with Stelliform Press's publisher and editor-in-chief Selena Middleton here.
***
I’ve only casually explored the rich variety of magical realism and mythology that is a feature of much Mesoamerican and South American literature, but when I pick up a novel that showcases this genre, I inevitably feel richer for it. That’s just what happened when I read Michael J. DeLuca’s new novel The Jaguar Mask (Stelliform Press), which has some basis in real events, but adds depth with an exploration of Indigenous Mayan mythology.
Felix K’icab is a young man who feels most comfortable picking up fares in his cab, blasting music as he drives the chaotic streets of Guatemala City, aware of but distancing himself from the revolutionaries protesting governmental oppression and environmental degradation. Cristina Ramos is a visionary–literally–and “sees” her mother’s murder at the hands of men wielding machine guns and appearing to her as angels bringing death to the marketplace. El Bufo is an ex-law enforcement officer pursuing the killers, drawing Felix into his web of intrigue. As Cristina and Felix circle the truth of the murders and draw closer together, Felix finds it increasingly difficult to keep his human masks in place as his shapeshifting jaguar self emerges.
***
I’ve only casually explored the rich variety of magical realism and mythology that is a feature of much Mesoamerican and South American literature, but when I pick up a novel that showcases this genre, I inevitably feel richer for it. That’s just what happened when I read Michael J. DeLuca’s new novel The Jaguar Mask (Stelliform Press), which has some basis in real events, but adds depth with an exploration of Indigenous Mayan mythology.
Felix K’icab is a young man who feels most comfortable picking up fares in his cab, blasting music as he drives the chaotic streets of Guatemala City, aware of but distancing himself from the revolutionaries protesting governmental oppression and environmental degradation. Cristina Ramos is a visionary–literally–and “sees” her mother’s murder at the hands of men wielding machine guns and appearing to her as angels bringing death to the marketplace. El Bufo is an ex-law enforcement officer pursuing the killers, drawing Felix into his web of intrigue. As Cristina and Felix circle the truth of the murders and draw closer together, Felix finds it increasingly difficult to keep his human masks in place as his shapeshifting jaguar self emerges.
I found myself really enjoying this novel and I loved the themes. DeLuca has a way of writing that sharply evokes a tone of danger, violence and the fantastical wrapped into one. The scenes he wrote painted a vivid picture of the action, the magic, and Guatemala in my imagination. Tonally, this kind of reminded me of reading a William Gibson novel: The prose takes effort and attention, but you'll be rewarded for it. The Jaguar Mask benefits from a slower reading.
On its surface, this novel presents an interesting story of the moments leading up to a pivotal moment in Guatemalan revolt, with tear gas laden street protests and citizen uprisings against a corrupt, foreign-backed oppressive regime after killings in a rural region. Poverty, poisoned rivers and social injustice have pushed the people to protest. It’s a specific place and time that nonetheless stands in for the same issues all around the world. Felix and Cristina come from different backgrounds but find themselves drawn into events and cannot turn their eyes from the suffering of their fellow citizens.
Another level presents the magical realism that so enhances this narrative. I enjoyed seeing Felix’s character arc in particular. He is a jaguar by nature, but he wears “masks” to hide his true nature, and these masks make him appear human to everyone. There’s an interesting blurring of reality and myth in De Luca’s story, not fully explained. Felix is a jaguar and human at the same time, with paws that grip the steering wheel of his beloved car, and he can talk in his human voice while in animal form. But for me this inexactness added to the magical quality of the book. It also fit with Cristina’s visions of the future, and of angels of death that plague her.
By the end of the book there were some unanswered questions about Guatemalan history and its mythology that I wanted to know more about, and a bit of explanation built into the narrative would have been a welcome addition. Alternatively, this book would really suit having an Afterword or “reader’s guide” from the author to teach about the Guatemalan conflict and the ideas in Mayan mythology about shapeshifters. I did my own research and discovered the idea of the Nahual (or Nagual). One’s birth date determines if one can become a shapeshifting nahual, often a jaguar or a puma, imbued with magical abilities. This is in line with the idea of tonalism, that everyone has an animal that they are closely linked with depending on their birthday.
Likewise, I was curious about how much the story was based on real Guatemalan events. De Luca is writing based on events during the long Guatemalan civil war ending in the 1990s, but some of the names I searched didn’t come up with results. An incident of civilian protest in Totonicapan, a rural area outside of Guatemala City, is a key element in the story, and in 2012 one such incident where protesting civilians were killed is factual.
This novel will reward the reader who is interested in a slower paced, detailed and thoughtful exploration of the cycles of oppression and revolution as it explores uprising against injustice, revolt against the poisoning of our environment, and Indigenous rights. The idea of the Nahual shapeshifter throwing aside its masks and glorying in its true nature without hiding adds power and interest to this compelling story.
On its surface, this novel presents an interesting story of the moments leading up to a pivotal moment in Guatemalan revolt, with tear gas laden street protests and citizen uprisings against a corrupt, foreign-backed oppressive regime after killings in a rural region. Poverty, poisoned rivers and social injustice have pushed the people to protest. It’s a specific place and time that nonetheless stands in for the same issues all around the world. Felix and Cristina come from different backgrounds but find themselves drawn into events and cannot turn their eyes from the suffering of their fellow citizens.
Another level presents the magical realism that so enhances this narrative. I enjoyed seeing Felix’s character arc in particular. He is a jaguar by nature, but he wears “masks” to hide his true nature, and these masks make him appear human to everyone. There’s an interesting blurring of reality and myth in De Luca’s story, not fully explained. Felix is a jaguar and human at the same time, with paws that grip the steering wheel of his beloved car, and he can talk in his human voice while in animal form. But for me this inexactness added to the magical quality of the book. It also fit with Cristina’s visions of the future, and of angels of death that plague her.
By the end of the book there were some unanswered questions about Guatemalan history and its mythology that I wanted to know more about, and a bit of explanation built into the narrative would have been a welcome addition. Alternatively, this book would really suit having an Afterword or “reader’s guide” from the author to teach about the Guatemalan conflict and the ideas in Mayan mythology about shapeshifters. I did my own research and discovered the idea of the Nahual (or Nagual). One’s birth date determines if one can become a shapeshifting nahual, often a jaguar or a puma, imbued with magical abilities. This is in line with the idea of tonalism, that everyone has an animal that they are closely linked with depending on their birthday.
Likewise, I was curious about how much the story was based on real Guatemalan events. De Luca is writing based on events during the long Guatemalan civil war ending in the 1990s, but some of the names I searched didn’t come up with results. An incident of civilian protest in Totonicapan, a rural area outside of Guatemala City, is a key element in the story, and in 2012 one such incident where protesting civilians were killed is factual.
This novel will reward the reader who is interested in a slower paced, detailed and thoughtful exploration of the cycles of oppression and revolution as it explores uprising against injustice, revolt against the poisoning of our environment, and Indigenous rights. The idea of the Nahual shapeshifter throwing aside its masks and glorying in its true nature without hiding adds power and interest to this compelling story.
Comments
Post a Comment