Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky: Myths of Mexico

by David Bowles

The stories in Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky trace the history of the world from its beginnings in the dreams of the dual god Ometeotl, to the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico and the fall of the great city Tenochtitlan. In the course of that history we learn about the Creator Twins, Feathered Serpent, and Dark Heart of Sky, and how they built the world on a leviathan’s back; of the shape-shifting nahualli; and the aluxes—elfish beings known to help out the occasional wanderer. And finally, we read Aztec tales about the arrival of the blonde strangers from across the sea, the strangers who seek to upend the rule of Motecuhzoma and destroy the very stories we are reading.

David Bowles stitches together the fragmented mythology of pre-Colombian Mexico into an exciting, unified narrative in the tradition of William Buck’s Ramayana, Robert Fagles’ Iliad, and Neil Gaiman’s Norse Myths. Readers of Norse and Greek mythologies will delight in this rich retelling of stories less explored.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, History, Short Stories, Folklore, Adult, Latinx

300 pages, Hardcover

First published May 22, 2018

About the author

David Bowles is a Mexican American author and translator from south Texas. He has written several award-winning titles, most notably THEY CALL ME GÜERO and MY TWO BORDER TOWNS

His work has also been published in multiple anthologies, plus venues such as The New York Times, Strange Horizons, School Library Journal, Rattle, Translation Review, and the Journal of Children’s Literature.

Additionally, David has worked on several TV/film projects. In 2019, he co-founded the hashtag and activist movement #DignidadLiteraria, which has negotiated greater Latinx representation in publishing. He is presently the president of the Texas Institute of Letters.

Reviews

[Evelina | AvalinahsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the full review (with GIFs!) here on my blog

This was a spectacular collection of myths - written in an easy to follow way, arranged chronologically, and truly epic enough to just read them casually, without the aim of education or research.

Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky is both a mythical creation story, as well as the history of the Mesoamerican tribes - much like The Old Testament is to the Jews. In that way, it's spectacular. I truly enjoyed the creation stories, as well as the earliest myths. The middle age stories of certain tribes rising to power I enjoyed less, as well as the Spanish conquest stories - those less so because it was just sad to read of these amazing nations being destroye and subjugated. But all of these stories are equally worth attention - especially if you have any heritage in those cultural regions.

Another thing I must mention was that I was pleasantly surprised to find so many amazing strong female heroines here! There are a lot, and I mean, A LOT of stories about strong women, fighter women, wise women - it's not a narrative that's present in Western mythology almost at all - so this was an incredibly pleasant surprise for me. Some of these stories I know I will remember for sure. One of the stories even teaches that being sexually passionate and free as a quality in a woman can absolutely walk along with a heart made of gold and purity of soul. Also not a narrative present in the Western stories at all. Which makes it all the more sad to know that these cultures were destroyed and replaced with our brilliant culture of muting, silencing, shaming.

And of course, my personal favorite? Where Lake Patzcuaro falls in love with a princess and she loves him back :)

I thank the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange to my review. It does not affect my opinion.

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[Ernest Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential pre-Columbian mythology in an enjoyable package. Should be required reading for Chicano/Latinoid studies. When I was a kid I had to scour libraries for beat up copies of academic texts and comb through lackluster prose. I'll probably reread it a few more times.

[Anna Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating delve into the myths and legends and religious beliefs/practices of the Mesoamerican cultures pre-colonisation. The stories of how they incorporated the landscape and nature into their beliefs is engaging, and the sheer complexity of some of their rituals e.g. the two calendars, the cycles of time, the Ages of existence, is astonishing.
Not just a reference book, but a compendium of tales packed with heroes and villains, gods and demons, landscapes and wars. Highly recommended for anyone interested in history and/or religions.

[Michael Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book represents a tremendous undertaking, the synthesis of the history of Mexico, the sea-ringed world, from it’s native creation-myths, through it’s internal wars and strife, alliances and betrayals, ultimately to it’s conquest by the Spanish. The principals involved are represented mostly in overview, or loose character sketches, as a volume of the scale can require, but they are none-the-less rendered truly and realistically, without any over-simplification of personality or motivation. All-in-all I was very impressed by this sweeping history and intrigued and entertained by the play of gods and men and several of the smaller folk-stories within the greater framework. I recommend this book to those interested in mythology, history, and folk-legends.

[Sergio Troncoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite section was the last third of the book, beginning with Aztecs Ascendant. These myths and legends were mesmerizing to read because names I knew--Coyoacan, Azcapotzalco, Michoacan, Tenochtitlan, Xochimilco, Tlatelolco-- took on a new meaning and context with these stories suffused with history. I was filling in a knowledge I have always been thirsty for, that of my ancestors and Mexico.

[Morgan Tamm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, beautiful myths of Mexico, stretching back from groups we think we know about, like the fearsome Aztecs, to groups of people and specific heroes many have never heard of. David Bowles writes to entertain and inform his readers; to protect and pass on these legends.

[Gregory Mele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very ambitious project that succeeds beautifully! Bowles, himself half-Mexican, introduces this bold work by talking about his own experience, growing up Tex Mex with a deep love for mythology...and not knowing anything about the indigenous myths of Mexico until college. Explaining how the apocalyptic destruction of the Conquest has left a complete narrative from any one culture's perspective virtually impossible, he sets out to create a Mesoamerican monomyth -- a coherent tale from mythical creation of the First World, through the Second to Fifth, and up to the Conquest itself. At times, we leave the Valley of Mexico for the lands of the Maya or the Zapotec, and each major section begins with a "Convocation" where Bowles leaps ups forward in time or place, sets his stage and returns to his narrative.

The overall result is very well done. There are gods, heroes, mythic quests, betrayals, and history, especially of the Aztecs -- not as historians see it, but as the Mexica themselves wanted to see it. Bowles has a wonderful narrative voice, and does an excellent job creating a cohesive thru-thread. I found the final section, on the Conquest, surprisingly powerful. Rather than focus on Cortes and Montecuhma II AGAIN, he tells just enough of that story to explain what happens, but instead lets us see the Spanish invasion through the eyes of three princess, each representing a different culture Malinche (Nahua), Citlali (Nahua, but specifically Mexica), Erendira (Michoacan) and Donaji (Zapotec) -- two of the stories being historical and two mythical, showing again how history and mythology interwove in the pre-Conquest Mexican mind. The work ends on a surprisingly upbeat note, showing us that something of this ancient world lives on in Mexico today.

A delightful work. If you enjoyed what Neil Gaiman did with Norse Mythology, you should equally enjoy this. The old gods and heroes of Mexico deserve your attention.

[Kyle Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary approach and synthesis. And a lot of fun to read, too. Really enjoyed this one. The stories are written in an approachable manner, like myths and history cast as bed time stories. Very much worth your time.

[Anna Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feathered Serpent, Dark Heart of Sky started off as a fantastic retelling of the myths of Mexico. The storytelling was vivid and the mythology of the beginning of the world was compelling. However, as the ages passed, moving onwards to the third and fourth ages, it started to read a little like a history book. Part of this was because it was concerned with the dealings of men (with the interference of the gods) but also because it was dealing with a lot more with wars between humans themselves. There were still some wonderful stories of passionate women and men with some interference from the gods, but the last part (Fifth Age, I think) became very much a history of which nation rose to conquer which other nation, and who betrayed someone else for power, culminating in the Spanish invasion.
I was really only here for the mythology, so I started losing interest at about that point. Still, it was mostly an enjoyable read, so I guess 3.75 stars?

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Esperanza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this. I really like the author’s goal to create something similar to the Iliad, especially because so much was lost when the Spanish murdered hundreds of thousands of people. If you are interested in learning more about Mexican religion before the Spanish arrived, I highly recommend this.

[A.P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and informative.

[tesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

So rude of Erendira to steal my heart like this, absolutely did not have me giggling or screaming at my book at all ;)

Devoured this, loved every second. Tasted delicious, very smooth going down. Also really appreciated the pronunciation guides at the back

[Mike]

Really interesting book. Every bit as rich as the classical European mythology that I read as a kid, but coming from a different frame of reference entirely. I think it’s a real service to put these stories in a form that’s accessible to the lay reader.

[isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

so good i love mayan and aztec myths and the book was written with so much care
took me a thousand million years to finish but :))))))

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to have to read this book again because I was lost in names and genealogies for at least the first two-thirds. If you think the Greeks are complicated, these will boggle your mind. The three and four syllable names like Cuauhtlequetzqui, or Miclantecuhtli, of which there are many, also slowed me down, but fortunately there's a pronunciation guide and glossary included.

These are bloody myths reflecting a bloody history, but a history rich in accomplishments, and in some cases so far ahead in governance, city planning, architecture, and story as to have stunned the Spanish invaders. Not to say there was much egalitarian about the societies. They were rife with warfare, to some extent relied on slavery, and were awash with the blood of human sacrifice. They myths reflect the society/the society reflects the myths. That being said, the Spanish weren't exactly civilized especially infected as they were with gold fever, and religious bigotry, and their willingness to slaughter in the name of a faith based on a blood sacrifice.

My favorite character was Erendera of the Purchpecha Empire. Erendera was the daughter of the kings most respected counselor, and rode into myth on a white stallion as a warrior against Cortez.
She was a brave teenager, never captured or killed who led troops, and when all was finally lost, just disappeared. She's venerated in Michoacán.

I wanted to read these myths because I spend quite a bit of time in Mexico, and like India, there's a mythological present that lifts the country into a feeling of being a separate reality so removed from North America as to be a different planet. These stories will add depth to my visits.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

FANTASTIC! If you are interested in the myths and legends of any culture, this book should be at the top of your list!
David Bowles goes through the history of Mexico, reaching back to its furthest myths and bringing them all into one book - from their creation story through the conquest by the Conquistadors.
Mexico has some fascinating myths, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. Through the pages of this book, I was able to travel through a country I have never visited, and gain some insights into their culture. From the beginnings, journeying through the land of the dead, and then of course the glorious heroes and heroines who fought to save their people - I could NOT put this book down!
Some of the stories held me a little more than some of the others, but this chronicle was well done. Told in chronological order, the rise and fall of each of the nations who roamed, cultivated and dwelt, and eventually fell is told. The gods are brought forth and explained in such a way, that a high school student who is looking to find information on this civilization would do well to start here.
Understanding the myths and legends behind each of the cultures of this world, is one way of unlocking who the people are today. Each culture, each country has their own legends to fall back on, but the mighty warriors of Mexico have been preserved, passed down from generation to generation.
Get to a bookstore and reserve your copy today! You will not be disappointed with this book at all! Easily broken down, this will allow for lighter reading, or for those who choose to power through, you can read through the entirety within four to five hours.

[Raul M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This narrative of the history of Mexico -- the land and her Indigenous -- does not rely on empirical data, nor on the biased interpretation of European invaders. Rather, it's told through the sacred and heroic lore recorded by the Aztecs and the Maya, which has survived via word-of-mouth and in writing. The text goes so far as to lament the loss of many such myths (notably under the heels of conquistadors). I commend the author for his efforts in researching what has been preserved, condensing it, and presenting it in a reader-friendly format.

The tales are divided into seven sections, and each begins with a "Convocation" that gives an air of reverence and invitation. The final section, while the most tragic, contains my favorite stories in this collection. I believe these won me over due to how they revealed the experience of both calamity and bravery among the native peoples, in a manner I'd never before known. As I'd long recognized the girl Malinalli by a whole other name, only gradually did it dawn on me where her story was going; plus, I appreciated discovering the likely roots of a popular Borderlands folk legend.

Keeping track of the multiple Mesoamerican names of characters and places was a challenge for me, but this is where the Glossary at the end offered some aid. I was struck to notice, in the more ancient tales, ideas (such as "twinning") that I'd already read about in this same author's Young-Adult novels (also based on Maya and Aztec myths). I was fascinated to learn of the various races of proto-humans -- created and destroyed, one after the other -- along with dwarves, sorcerers, changelings, merfolk, even deities prone to mortality.

[Lizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I put this book on a DNF list for now. It was interesting in the beginning as it talked about the creation of the gods but as the book got further in it just talked about the kingdoms. That’s fine but I was more expecting this book to literally be about the creation of the gods, their stories and what they are the gods of. I got very limited stories as such and so it kinda put me on a readers burnout for a bit. I took a few days to collect and when I decided to read again I read a different story instead. This book reminds me of something I would have to read as a filler book than an actual sit and binge read like I normally would

[S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written collection of pre-colonial Mesoamerican myths and tales, some of which I was not familiar with at all--and others that I was not familiar with enough. If you are in need of a thorough introduction to a pantheon that's often overshadowed by our western fascination with Greco-Roman mythology, look no further than Bowles' book!! 😍 (Please don't be intimidated by Nahua and Mayan names, either...he includes an incredibly helpful pronunciation guide and glossary.)

[Baobab · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently when the Spanish conquistadors committed holocaust on the native Americans of Central America, they almost completely destroyed their literature as well. David Bowles tells the stories of the Aztecs, Mayas and others based on the few surviving texts and traditions, and organizes it as a kind of history of the people, particularly the Aztecs. While I would have preferred an actual history, or attempt at history, this was still interesting. I did find that the sentimental tales of young lovers sound suspiciously like western romances, even though it is supposed to originate in pre-western-contact Central American culture.

[Verónica Zavala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muchas de estos mitos e historias los había escuchado, pero tienen más sentido ahora. Muchas de estas historias han pasado de boca en boca. Yo escuché las historias de los.mexicas porque nací en el Estado de México. Y mis papás nos platicaron las de Michoacán porque nuestras familia es de esa región. Me deja una suerte de tristeza, pero como los aztecas mi familia ahora hemos migrado una vez más al norte. Los ciclos se repiten.

[Paul Wandless · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to more fully understand, learn and enjoy the mythology of pre-Columbian Mexico. It's well written by the author with the myths being presented in chronological order. I love mythologies from different cultures and bought this to learn more about these myths. This is a book I know I'll come back to often to re-read individual chapters, like I do with collections of mythologies. I also really enjoyed the illustrations that were included as well.

[Kurami Rocket · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book detailing and showing in an epic story format the myths of my people and country before the invasion of the Spanish. It is a great starting point for anyone interested in learning about Pre-Hispanic Mexico's mythology and legends, as well as for those who want to learn more about their people's culture, heritage and history if you are Mexican like me.

If it isn't already this book should 100% be required reading in college.

100% also recommend to everybody!!

[Romeo Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read. For somebody who frequented Mexico often growing up, I was oblivious to the Myths of Mexico. Akin to Gaiman's "Norse Mythology," this book is beautifully told. Despite common misconceptions about Mexico and its history, it truly is a beautiful country. This book solidifies that in many ways. I highly recommend this one.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love me some learning about ancient cultures! Although I put this on my myths shelf, this book is a great combination of history, religion, and stories of Mesoamerican peoples. I loved the mix of epic tales, with religious and historic details, and I think the author did a great job piecing together what must have been an enormous and wide-spread amount of research! Highly recommended read!

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I studied Mexican/Mexican American history in college, but it barely touched on the mythology of the various tribes that connect Mexico. I thought this book was amazing how each myth woved into the next story. I will do a follow-up review, but anyone who loves any myths and who want to know more about Mexican mythology should read this.

[Carole Nickolai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay retelling of Mexican/South American myths, combing Incan and Aztec. See book for detailed notes. I enjoyed the compilation and see many similarities with other world myths. I am struck by how recent the mythologies are (part of CE through 1400s) compared to ancient dates of other mythologies.

[Gabriella Zavala · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book I had to read for class. It discusses the history of indigenous Mexico highlighting their history from what is very opposite of the Western perspective of it. Some of the topics were ones that related to what we have heard in classes like the spread of Christianity and the arrival of Hernan Cortes. Most of it read like short stories.

[Li · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started reading this after hearing the author speak on a panel at WorldCon, and one of his co-panelists rave about this book. And so glad I did because I learned far more than was ever told in the whitewashed history books of my school days (daze).

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive history and the myths of the culture of central america and mexico including the toltecs, maya, and aztecs. A much needed piece of culture and anthropology to balance out the overwhelming amount of mythology from Greece, Rome, and Egypt. Quite dense, though.