City of the Beasts (Memories of the Eagle and the Jaguar #1) [B2110]

2009 PB reprint of the 2002 original, in nice clean condition. In this stunning YA novel of high adventure, internationally celebrated novelist Isabel Allende leads readers through the intricacies of two personal quests, and on an epic voyage -- teeming with magical realism -- into the wonder-filled heart of the Amazon. When Alexander Cold's mother falls ill, the fifteen-year-old is sent to stay with his eccentric grandmother in New York. A tough and prickly magazine reporter, Kate Cold takes Alex along with her on an expedition to the Amazon to verify the existence of the fierce, gigantic, legendary creature known as the Beast. Joining them on their adventure are a celebrated anthropologist; a local guide and his daughter, Nadia; a doctor; and a local entrepreneur. But not everyone's intentions are pure-and dangerous discoveries await Alex and Nadia as they embark, with the aid of a jungle shaman, on an epic journey into the realm of the mythical Beasts of the Amazon. City of the Beasts is the first book in the extraordinary Memories of the Eagle and the Jaguar trilogy. The other two books in the trilogy are: Kingdom of the Golden Dragon (2004 to the Himalayan kingdom of the Forbidden Valley) and Forest of the Pygmies (2005 to the heart of Africa).

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "An outstanding coming of age fantasy and a delicious bit of work by the author. Wonderful characters with believable growth. And the beasts are actually historically accurate, just from a very long time ago."; "Wonderful exciting plot. With every page it turned stranger, but really exciting. Very inspiring characters."; "I adore Isabel Allende and here in City of the Beasts she has created a rich, fascinating, world. Her use of magical realism is transporting."; "I do love books written about other cultures. This really digs into native South American mythology and culture."