City of the Beasts

I had to read this book for 7th grade summer reading, I looked at the back and saw what it is about. I thought it would be a self-discovery thing about a fantasy world of "The Beast", and guess what: I was right!!! But it's so much more than that, Isabel Allende makes it interesting. She also describes everything really graet. For example take one of the caves they were in when they found a dragon, she described it so you could actually picture it in your head. I'm only on chapter 17 but until now it's awesome! She talks about it like she was actually there, how the weather feels, how dense the forest is. Don't even get me started on the plot. The plot is really great, how everything fits into place with the nightmare and everthing. The only thing I can complain about is that SOMETIMES, not always, sometimes you don't really understand all the indian stuff and indian words, but then you get used to them and know what they mean. I really recomend this book for anyone, even though the adults who have read it are giving bad reviews about it.

The only Allende book I couldn't finish was El Plan Infinito. All the rest have been superb. La Casa de los Espiritus was the first novel I ever read in Spanish, once I got into the rhythm of her writing it was like reading a beautiful song. La Ciudad de las Bestias is no different, and I'm delighted that she's writing books for young people. Like the Harry Potter series, I suspect these books will be every bit as popular with her adult readers.Allende's ability and willingness to weave social themes into her books is to be applauded. All of us, no matter our age, need to be reminded that we have problems on this planet, and that we are the only ones who can solve them. We welcome her to the steadily growing group of human beings who are working to save this planet instead of destroy it. In light and joy, Nancy D.

Isabel Allende's book speaks to the hearts of those who are ready to change their emotional attitudes.This novel describes attitude change in a teenager, a change from being self-centered, sour, rigid, and emotionally blind (withrespect to the needs of others) to a sharing, helpful, more altruistic, and more positive outlook. This is a change that somereaders are not interested in contemplating, at this time in their life, for various reasons, and so we may hear their complaintsthat this book is not "entertaining" or that this story does not make a practical sense.Allende has extended the realm of so called magical realism to her allegorical stories of the wounded and partly frozen heart inwhich most characters on their life journey may slowly learn to move away from impulsive hatred, or from their lonely strugglefor finding their private comfortable role in life, further on to a more spiritual unity with others. Allende's book is prone to confuse numerous readers. Some may object that the imaginary world of her novel no longermatches the standard materialistic outlook on life, or that there are too many unexpected changes in her narrative style, in thedepth and scope of the vocabulary, or that her story is not a light entertainment. For example, some persons (both in her novel and in the real life) indeed may understand each other, at times, without knowingeach other's language. The fact that not everyone can replicate this (or at least views himself unable of replicating this at leastonce in his life) does not annihilate the existence of this uncommon phenomenon.Allende's story has several symbolic levels and latent meanings or aspects, similarly to abstract paintings. Some of the frequentcriticisms of this particular novel may be compared to those faced by Van Gogh for his paintings of sunflowers, or of woodenchairs, or of the trees moving in the wind. The paintings by Henri Rousseau were often misunderstood by some as paintings "for children" and this particular book byIsabel Allende is, in fact, mistakenly classified in many Canadian libraries as the one for the children's section. However, if we view this classification positively, it has the advantage of making the book accessible to teenagers.I have listened to this book in Spanish (from audiotapes) while commuting in my car. After hearing the whole book more than 5 times, I have developed more appreciation for its poetic and rather unpredictable language and symbols. I am looking forward to obtaining more of Allende's books on audiotapes, hopefully in her original Spanish.Not everybody is ready for this particular novel of Isabel Allende. However, it is a much needed tool for those human beingsthat have a need to engage in a similar allegorical journey, in a jungle of symbols, allusions via simplifications, and with anemotional symphony.

Isabel Allende's book speaks to the hearts of those who are ready to change their emotional attitudes.This novel describes attitude change in a teenager, a change from being self-centered, sour, rigid, and emotionally blind (withrespect to the needs of others) to a sharing, helpful, more altruistic, and more positive outlook. This is a change that somereaders are not interested in contemplating, at this time in their life, for various reasons, and so we may hear their complaints that this book is not "entertaining" or that this story does not make a practical sense.Allende has extended the realm of so called magical realism to her allegorical stories of the wounded and partly frozen heart inwhich most characters on their life journey may slowly learn to move away from impulsive hatred, or from their lonely strugglefor finding their private comfortable role in life, further on to a more spiritual unity with others. Allende's book is prone to confuse numerous readers. Some may object that the imaginary world of her novel no longermatches the standard materialistic outlook on life, or that there are too many unexpected changes in her narrative style, in thedepth and scope of the vocabulary, or that her story is not a light entertainment. For example, some persons (both in her novel and in the real life) indeed may understand each other, at times, without knowingeach other's language. The fact that not everyone can replicate this (or at least views himself unable of replicating this at least once in his life) does not annihilate the existence of this uncommon phenomenon.Allende's story has several symbolic levels and latent meanings or aspects, similarly to abstract paintings. Some of the frequentcriticisms of this particular novel may be compared to those faced by Van Gogh for his paintings of sunflowers, or of woodenchairs, or of the trees moving in the wind. The paintings by Henri Rousseau were often misunderstood by some as paintings "for children" and this particular book byIsabel Allende is, in fact, mistakenly classified in many Canadian libraries as the one for the children's section. However, if we view this classification positively, it has the advantage of making the book accessible to teenagers.I have listened to this book in Spanish (on audiotapes) while commuting in my car. After hearing the whole book more than 5 times, I have developed more appreciation for its poetic and rather unpredictable language and symbols. I am looking forward to obtaining more of Allende's books on audiotapes, hopefully in her original Spanish.Not everybody is ready for this particular novel of Isabel Allende. However, it is a much needed tool for those human beingsthat have a need to engage in a similar allegorical journey, in a jungle of symbols, allusions via simplifications, and with anemotional symphony.

Isabel Allende's book speaks to the hearts of those who are ready to change their emotional attitudes.This novel describes attitude change in a teenager, a change from being self-centered, sour, rigid, and emotionally blind (withrespect to the needs of others) to a sharing, helpful, more altruistic, and more positive outlook. This is a change that somereaders are not interested in contemplating, at this time in their life, for various reasons, and so we may hear their complaintsthat this book is not "entertaining" or that this story does not make a practical sense.Allende has extended the realm of so called magical realism to her allegorical stories of the wounded and partly frozen heart inwhich most characters on their life journey may slowly learn to move away from impulsive hatred, or from their lonely strugglefor finding their private comfortable role in life, further on to a more spiritual unity with others. Allende's book is prone to confuse numerous readers. Some may object that the imaginary world of her novel no longermatches the standard materialistic outlook on life, or that there are too many unexpected changes in her narrative style, in thedepth and scope of the vocabulary, or that her story is not a light entertainment. For example, some persons (both in her novel and in the real life) indeed may understand each other, at times, without knowingeach other's language. The fact that not everyone can replicate this (or at least views himself unable of replicating this at leastonce in his life) does not annihilate the existence of this uncommon phenomenon.Allende's story has several symbolic levels and latent meanings or aspects, similarly to abstract paintings. Some of the frequentcriticisms of this particular novel may be compared to those faced by Van Gogh for his paintings of sunflowers, or of woodenchairs, or of the trees moving in the wind. The paintings by Henri Rousseau were often misunderstood by some as paintings "for children" and this particular book byIsabel Allende is, in fact, mistakenly classified in many Canadian libraries as the one for the children's section. However, if weview this classification positively, it has the advantage of making the book accessible to teenagers.I have listened to this book in Spanish on audiotapes while commuting in my car. After hearing the whole book more than 5 times, I have developed more appreciation for Allende's poetic and rather unpredictable language and symbols. I am looking forward to obtaining more of Allende's books on audiotapes, hopefully in her original Spanish.Not everybody is ready for this particular novel of Isabel Allende. However, it is a much needed tool for those human beingsthat have a need to engage in a similar allegorical journey, in a jungle of symbols, allusions via simplifications, and with anemotional symphony.