The novel "City of the Beasts," by Isabel Allende, is a mystical adventure about a terminally ill mother and the child who saves her from death. However, after reading a little further, it is clear that the story is similar to a fairy tale or a mystical journey. Although not as well known as many other fantasies about childhood adventurers such as the "Harry Potter" or "Artemis Fowl" series, "City of the Beasts" was written by a New York Times best-selling author, Isabel Allende. It's a good read and would be of interest to young teenagers and adults. .
In the beginning of the novel, Alexander Cold - the protagonist of the story - is a fourteen year old boy in who is about to have his life turned upside down. He is going to join his mean spirited, fearless, and slightly crazy grandmother on an International Geographic expedition to track down the legendary Yeti, better known in the Amazon forests as "The Beast". Soon along the journey, Alex meets up with a new friend, and the only other child to be taken on the expedition into the rain forest, Nadia. Nadia is a girl who lived in the wilderness for most of her life, and spent considerable amount of time with the natives in the area, learning their culture and language. Together, Alex and Nadia will go through many challenges, most of which they never even dreamed of. Throughout their journey, they encounter their shipmate's near death experience with a Boa Constrictor, experience the assassination of a shipmate, and an attack from the beast itself. They are even abducted by the people of the mist and eventually visit the lost city of gold.
This book has an attention grabbing plot driven story, and often times expresses issues that are most likely taking place in the world today. It deals with problems such as genocide of the native tribes in order to posses their land, and the loss of ancient native culture to western influence.
