City of the Beasts

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City of the Beasts is the first young adult novel by Chilean-American writer Isabel Allende. Published in 2002. To prevent this review from becoming a novel in itself, I will get to the book now. I really had a great time with it, and with the entire trilogy for that matter. I loved the setting, the writing, I loved the hint of magic, and loved the character (especially grandma). The People of the Mist test Alex and Nadia with harrowing experiences, teaching them about their culture and values. In exchange, the tribe learns to trust—and even rely on—the teens. Eventually, they set Alex and Nadia off on a journey to El Dorado. There, the two find unlikely treasures, valuables that may enrich their lives in unforeseen ways if they can survive the many obstacles in their paths. Making the right decisions becomes a matter of life or death.

Al principio no sabía qué esperar, sin embargo, me encontré con una historia de aventuras muy bonita, rodeada de fantasía, personajes increíbles y una lección sobre la destrucción de ecosistemas, en donde nos obsequia valores familiares y una verdadera amistad. Echter, onder de expeditieleden bevinden zich ook enkele corrupte mensen, die het helemaal niet goed voorhebben met de indianen, maar ze willen uitroeien, zodat ze het land in bezit kunnen nemen en kunnen exploiteren. Materie genoeg voor een spannend verhaal! I loosed a breath I didn’t know I was holding. An endless labyrinth of shelfs lie before me. I am simultaneously intimidated and in awe. For nostalgias sake I’m keeping it at 4/5 stars because I have wonderful memories of reading this with my mum when I was about 10, but really: this doesn’t age well.Novela juvenil cargada de aventuras cuya trama es la perfecta excusa para acercarnos al mundo de los indígenas en Hispanoamérica. Eagle and Jaguar meet again in the sequel to this book, " Kingdom of the Golden Dragon", and a third book in this series, " Forest of the Pygmies." When they reach the village, they are welcomed by the Natives - but their happiness is tempered by the death of Mokarita, which follows shortly after. He is given a traditional funeral, which unfortunately sends up a great amount of smoke from the pyre. During the funeral, everyone is given a drug which reveals to Nadia her totem of the eagle. Jaguar and Eagle are initiated into the clan. Alex, being fifteen, is put through a rite of passage into manhood; during the ceremony, unusual things happen. Firstly, he turns into a jaguar, his totem; secondly, he receives a vision of his mom on her hospital bed and he talks briefly with her. After the ceremonies, the Shaman takes them to visit the Beasts, who live in a lair city deep within the forest. These Beasts are considered gods by the People of the Mist. Jaguar correctly assumes their city to be the famous El Dorado which is really made from fool's gold. Jaguar and Eagle embark on a journey to visit El Dorado and its inhabitants with the help of Walimai, the mystic's spirit wife who will serve as their guide. The city is located inside of an inactive volcano, and the only entrance is a confusing labyrinth of lava tunnels and caves. Reread 2021: you know that great feeling of rereading a childhood favourite and finding it actually manages to hold up to your memories? Yeah, well: this didn’t... In the end, Eagle and Jaguar must part. She gives Alex the three "crystal eggs", which turn out to be giant diamonds. With the money gained from their sale, it was hoped that they would be able to fund a foundation to keep the World's Eye safe. Alex tells her that the best thing about the trip was meeting her, and they agree that they will be best friends forever.

What an absolutely splendid book by Isabel Allende! I haven't read any of her young adult books before and this is the first one in the Eagle and Jaguar Series. Such a joy to read! Initial reception was split between harsh criticism and approval. Some critics regarded the novel as an engaging read and a good first try at a children's book, [3] while others note its slow start, and tedious, somewhat unconvincing speech in translation. minutes later I emerge from the labyrinth, the book from my piece of paper in hand. But I know in that moment that I will return here often. This is my new home: The Adult-section.Suspicion starts to grow around some members of the party. The stated objectives of a couple of nefarious types seem at odds with their actions. Fortunately, Alex teams up with Nadia, the guide’s daughter, and the two form a bond which unites them throughout the journey. They go into each day with open minds, allowing them to see the good in evil-appearing individuals, and the bad disguised as beauty in others. El profesor Leblanc representa esa visión del indio, que todavía perdura entre algunos, como ser salvaje, violento, caníbal, de tradiciones y cultura inferiores y demás repertorio de la época de los conquistadores. I had always known this day would come, but never thought it’d come so soon. I take the right turn, where I have always taken the left, half expecting to hear someone ask me: “are you lost little girl”. But I am not lost. I stand at the threshold, and open a door I have never been able to close ever since. I do hope you enjoyed that piece of melodrama… Seriously though, when you are a kid, going to the adult section for the first time seems like a big deal. The first time I went there was for this book. Nowadays, this book would be appropriately shelved as YA, and my mom knew this when she recommended this to me (Don’t worry, she didn’t send her child out to fetch 50-shades of erotica or some traumatizing horror-book). However, this was the zeros and small-town libraries in the Netherlands where blissfully ignorant of the existence of such rebellious new genres.

Quizás su final fue un poco precipitado, pero ha sido una historia genial que se lee de forma sencilla, devorando cada palabra y cada frase; plagada de un mundo fantasioso y de personajes curiosos. Whatever the age of the reader, Allende’s first book for young adults is sure to be a huge hit. And maybe, just maybe, Alexander Cold will venture out on another quest in the near future. I, for one, would be disappointed if he did not.”Lo que mas me gusto fue el personaje de Alex y como se desarrollo a través de la trama, todas las pruebas que tiene que superar, desde las que le presenta la vida en su hogar,las que le impone la inhóspita y salvaje selva amazónica, y la prueba que lo llevara a ser hombre y mas adelante héroe. The exciting, surprising finale will leave you hungry for more. Never fear— City of the Beasts is the first book of a planned series. Why don't you go ahead and clear out a little space in your bookshelves now? These are going to be keepers!” Con “La ciudad de las bestias” Allende comienza la trilogía “Las Memorias del Águila y el Jaguar” y su incursión en la literatura juvenil, bastante alejada de las novelas a las que estábamos habituados: su protesta sobre la dictadura que azotó por muchos años a Chile. Está narrada en tercera persona siguiendo un argumento lineal y bastante descriptivo (usual en la autora), pero sin resultar aburrido. Está poblado de animales, indígenas, chamanes, dioses y espíritus, en donde se entretejen a la perfección la magia, la fantasía y la realidad. Me encanto la historia por varias razones, es una travesía a tierras fantásticas y peligrosas al estilo de Julio Verne, que se desarrolla en las selvas de mi tierra Venezuela, tiene algo de magia y misticismo, y habla de las culturas autóctonas de mi país, si bien es algo inocente en algunos puntos con respecto a los indígenas, no deja por ello de ser un libro juvenil muy bueno, a la altura de varias de las sagas que están de moda en la actualidad.