In the ancient Aztec empire, a young girl is taken captive from her remote jungle tribe and made a slave. She attempts an escape to freedom but fails, is sold to a different owner, and initially has only the lowest of tasks- emptying chamberpots. Unexpectedly someone discovers she has a natural gift for writing (in pictorial glyphs) and suddenly her life changes. She is trained to be a scribe, sent to live in a new place, and eventually attracts the attention of the highest rulers, who not only want her skill in depicted and copying sacred texts, but also strive to control and manipulate another great gift she possesses- to turn into the form of a jaguar. An ability she wasn’t aware of at first, its expression such a frightening and confusing thing. Other people in her life emerge who can teach her to handle the jaguar side of her nature, but for a long time she struggles to accept it, fearful that as a jaguar, she will not recognize those around her, and might harm even her friends . . . This was one of the author’s first published books, and I have to admit much as I love her work, it’s not one of her best. The writing felt kind of rough, not so polished. While I really liked the ideas the story explored, but the whole thing felt dry and held at a distance, as it were. I would have preferred far more from the girl’s point of view, but I appreciate how the sections told from the ruler’s perspective gave the reader a fuller understanding of the issues involved. Mainly about power struggles.There's also theme of the conflict between animal instincts and human nature. And of course because it was about the Aztecs, there was a lot on the beliefs and human sacrifices, particularly about how some people in the novel found that distasteful and wished to worship other gods, or turn the religion back to an older iteration, and the efforts to make changes. Very compelling story, one I can’t stop thinking about, even though I was a bit frustrated with the telling ( )

I picked this up at a used book store for a dollar because the cover attracted me. And it turned out to be one of the best shapeshifter novels I have ever read!

The Jaguar Princess melds shapeshifter fantasy with historical fiction set during the Aztec Empire. Mixcatl is a young girl stolen from her jungle village to become a slave in the capital city. Her artistic talents soon come to light and she becomes a scribe. But, she another talent even more rare. She is one of the jaguar people; descended from ancient rulers of this land. Will she be the one to free her people from the cruel Aztec king whose sacrifices grow more and more demanding?

I enjoyed the story so much because I immediately identified with the protagonist. She is spirited, intelligent and curious. One of my favorite scenes is at the beginning when, upon arriving in the city, she hears the rumor that if a slave touches the walls of the palace, they are freed. Naturally, she makes a run for it! She doesn't succeed, yet after she becomes a scribe she doesn't try again. The author shows that a person can change as they grow. Mixcatl has been indoctrinated to her new society - readying her to remain here and fulfill her destiny. ( )

Excellent fantasy set in a very different setting. Makes great use of historical tensions within Meso-America pre-conquest and within the city states of the Aztec empire.

The characters are richly developed and there are some very interesting tensions.

A great read for someone looking for a fantasy outside the norm. ( )

Several years ago I checked this book out from my local library, read it, and returned it. Since then this book has haunted my dreams, yet when I went back to the library to check it out again it was not even recorded in the catalog. This is a fascinating read on a young girl with practically no choice in where her life is going, and who lives in a world controlled by warriors and a blood-thirsty god. The threat of death and punishment for mistakes is ever looming over the protagonist's head, and one cannot help but to root for her freedom. From the beginning of this book I had a strange sense of doom, and I worried constantly for the main character. Will she ever be free? Read it and find out. ( )