Ambivalent Conquest

The reason that I believe the book is called Ambivalent conquest due to the way that the Yucatan region was controlled by different forces and the fact due to the region lacking major resources the way the area wasn't the key focus of the conquest.  Throughout the time that the area was being colonized the Spanish population remained very low, as the 1580's there were only 400 Spanish households pg. 43.  Due to the low population of Spanish the indigenous were allowed keep the culture for a longer period of time and weren't as influenced by the Spanish.
The conquest was also ambivalent due to the fraction between the friars who made the Yucatan an area were the inserted a large amount of influence and the secular conquers who were more prevalent in Mexico.  The region was stuck in between two forces where if one won out then the cruelty and capital punishment would reign and if another then a faction of the church would dominate the region.  The area was passed over by the main set of conquers, ie Cortez, as they traveled to Mexico and the region was conquered sort of haphazardly by Spanish forces due to the lack of resources.
I think the book tries to showcase the overall lack of importance towards the region that the Spanish showcase due to the lack of material resources.