Title: Book 1 – Yohl Ik’nal of Palenque
Author: Leonide Martin
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Yohl Ik’nal is a young noble woman, and niece to the ruler of Lokum Ha, a prominent city of the Maya. She’s brought up among the priests and priestesses, as she’s a gifted student. Yohl is also destined to become ruler. Though there are some who oppose her and her city. As she grows, her enemies start to make their move. For a show of strength, Yohl is promised to Han Pakal. Can their strength be enough to stop their enemies? Or will the enemies take over the city? Or can Yohl and Han find a way?
Rating: 3.0 – a different take on the Maya
Opinion: This was a pretty good book. Not at all what I was expecting. The book focused more on the history of the Maya, instead of a story. It also focused more on the Maya’s culture. At times I felt like I was reading a history textbook. I couldn’t really connect to the characters because the author focused so much of the Maya culture and history. The author also started a side character, then had them disappear or didn’t do much with them. While I enjoyed learning so much about the Maya, I felt like the story didn’t have much of a plot. I felt myself skimming parts of this book because of all the historical and cultural details in the book. While that’s not bad, it’s not what was expecting in this book. This is a great boon for those who love history and want to learn about the Maya.
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