Welcome to Litsy!

(Review is of an edition not in Litsy)

An epic poem of creation and culture from the K'iche' people of what is now Guatemala, newly translated into verse by Michael Bazzett.

This came out August 2018 and I had an eARC that I was late to get to. I found it breathtaking and intriguing throughout, but I especially liked the long period before the humans turn up, and how many elements of the culture are embedded into the creation story.

Translator Dennis Tedlock did an great job at explaining the nuances of the cultural significance of the myths.

I found it particularly interesting that most of the stories in the Popol Vuh can be linked to specific astronomical/calendrical events. An incredibly complex and sophisticated world-view.

The journeys of the hero-gods into the underworld realm of Xibalba were both funny and horrifyingly grotesque at the same time. Though probably 👇🏼