Review
As a fan of historical fiction and being of Mexican heritage, I had high hopes for The Other Moctezuma Girls. And I’m happy to report that Sofia Robleda did not disappoint. Through 16-year-old Isabel’s eyes, readers get a “treasure” hunt through the Mexican valley and how children come to terms with learning the truth about who her late mother really was.
The author successfully offers an exploration of a prominent figure’s personal life through monumental historical events. With descriptive storytelling and dual timelines/POVs, readers can immerse themselves in the characters’ journey and their fear of getting caught before the quest is complete. I could picture the Moctezuma estate, feel the butterflies of a budding romance, and imagine the smells of the 500-year-old cuisines.
Moctezuma matriarch has a heartbreaking past – it’s a wonder how she pushed through everything that happened to her. But through her journal entries, later reflected on by her daughter’s POV, we get an idea of her cleverness and resilience. Just be aware of potential triggers such as child marriage, violence, murder, sexual assault, and slavery.
Sofia Robleda joins the Cantina Book Club Podcast to talk about her fascinating research for this book and plans for more. Keep an ear out for the episode and preorder The Other Moctezuma Girls, available February 24.
Book
In sixteenth-century Mexico, a fearless young woman strives to uncover the secrets her mother kept as the last Aztec empress in a sweeping historical epic by the author of Daughter of Fire.
Tenochtitlan, 1551. Thirty years after the Spanish Conquest destroyed everything she loved, the last Aztec empress has passed and left behind a pristine yet tenuous legacy for her children. As her last will and testament is read out, her daughter Isabel suspects that another account of her mother’s life may exist, hidden away chapter by chapter in the Valley of Mexico. Following each clue, Isabel is determined to find out who her mother really was and to discover the secrets she buried in order to survive.
Joined by her siblings and a handsome young cook named Juan, the party embarks on a perilous journey to piece together the past—a journey that will force them to brave the brutal viceroyal court, face fearsome legends in mystical chinampas, and trek through desert, fire, and snow. As Isabel’s feelings for Juan grow, she confronts everything she thought she knew about her Spanish father, her empress mother, and herself. From the tunnels of ancient pyramids to the summit of an active volcano, Isabel will meet every challenge to fulfill an epic quest for the truth.
