The Actual Star

Today's long count date is 13.0.8.17.1 in the Mayan calendar system. Dec 21st 2012 was 13.0.0.0.0, the end of the supposed last cycle of the Mayan calendar, by some believed to be the end of the world. On that day in The Actual Star a young woman follows her inner voice and descends into an ancient Maya cave. Her story will bloom into a new world order and religion centuries later, in the futuristic world that emerges after climate catastrophes. The novels follows three timelines millennia apart (1012, 2012, 3012), connecting from royal siblings at the collapse of the Maya civilization to a tourist in present day following her ancestral roots, to an utopian civilization of travelers who survive on a strict ruleset forbidding them to settle and to amass property. The complementary forces and dualities of twins, inspired by the Maya Hero Twins, are at the heart of the story. This is a story about power, sacrifice, ritual trance, the underworld, belonging, and belief systems. This novel toys with mysticism and reincarnation AND YET I loved it! This goes to Byrne's wonderful, immersive storytelling and complex, smart world-building (in fact the extensive glossary for the future world at the end convinced me to round this 4.5 read up to 5). Absolutely worth the long wait since [b:The Girl in the Road 18297954 The Girl in the Road Monica Byrne https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1379897131l/18297954.SY75.jpg 25782502]! In addition, the acknowledgement section at the end is full of intriguing and inspiring book recommendations, which I will have to all look up now.