Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The ancient god of death has been imprisoned by his brother so when a young Mexican girl releases his spirit from a hidden box, she is bound to him and must help him find his missing body parts as well as take on his brother in the underworld. A clever mix of Alladin and Cinderella with wonderful Mayan myths this book is the Mayan mythology/fantasy we have been missing. This fairy tale is set in 1920s Mexico and is richly depicted with all the sights, jazz sounds and lush scenery from rural villages to dense jungle to the mecca of Mexico City.
Casiopea is a heroine like no other. She is basically an indentured servant who has the fortune or misfortune of discovering her families dealings with the underworld gods. Innocent but not without dreams and a need for adventure, Casiopea is in awe of, irritated, and a little in love with Hun-Kame to whom her destiny is tied to. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has brought to us a rich fantasy underworld mythical proportions and paired it seamlessly to jazz age Mexico.