This was so dumb that I wish there were negative stars to give. I couldn't even finish reading it which is rare for me.

I have to say, ever since I decided to read the first entry in the series, I've been glad to have taken a chance on it and this novel is no exception to that.

(Alexander Cold and Nadia Santos reunite for their final adventure in Isabel Allende's celebrated trilogy. This time they are heading to the blazing plains of Kenya, where Alex's grandmother Kate is writing an article about the first elephant-led safaris in Africa. Days into the tour, a Catholic missionary approaches the camp in search of companions who have mysteriously disappeared.

As the group investigates, they discover a clan of Pygmies and a harsh world of corruption, slavery, and poaching. Alexander and Nadia must trust in the strength of their totemic animal spirits as they launch a spectacular struggle to restore freedom to the Pygmies and return leadership to its rightful hands.) ~ Blurb from Goodreads

I have to say, when it comes to the pacing, this novel does not fool around. Like, within the first chapter, Alex and Nadia go to see this fortune teller, who basically makes them have a hallucination where they fight an invincible three headed ogre who's basically a Frankenstein of different animals and lose easily, even when using their animal forms. Even though it's a hallucination, the fight itself was still quite suspenseful and easy to follow. I also think this novel being much shorter than the others definitely contributes to its style of pacing.

Angie the pilot was a pretty fun character. I like how she thinks that flying a rickety airplane that could disintegrate at any moment is as fun as riding a roller coaster, even going as far as to do a "Comanche yell" whenever she does some kind of crazy maneuver. She's also a great foil to Brother Fernando, who is always trusting in God to do things, while she doesn't have time for that.

I really like how the main villain is more developed compared to the main villain in the last novel. So in this novel, the main villain is a king named Kosongo, who is aided by his commandant Mbembelé and sorcerer Sombe, and he's taken over the pygmy village, which is basically in shambles under his rule. Kosongo is the kind of person who lets his reputation over-inflate his ego (i.e his voice is like thunder, his mere gaze kills people, etc), regardless of how true or not certain bits are, to the point where he does things like funneling all of his communication through a third party called The Royal Mouth. To me, that's a really subtle and interesting way of conveying this character's overinflated ego and why he has it. In chapter eight, it's also implied that he doesn't like to settle in one place forever, as demonstrated by him not bothering to build a palace that isn't just several huts put together because he's just gonna move on after all of the area's valuable resources are gone. Even if it turned out that all three were just one guy, it still really gave subtle insight into just how intelligent and creative he was.

There's some twists that I really loved. The first involves the fact that, at first, it seemed like the entire trilogy is revealed to be stories written by Alex himself. But then in the epilogue, it's revealed that the trilogy was actually the work of Kate, who took the notes Alex gave her and made them into full fledged novels. Not only was it something that I was legitimately not expecting, but given the writing style of this novel (as well as the rest of the trilogy), which can best be described as an older person telling tales of their adventures to younger people, it does at least make a modicum of sense. I also like how this twist subtly implies that he was inspired by the articles his grandmother wrote for International Geographic and may want to follow in her footsteps. Another involves Angie, who is not revealed to be a villain. Even when she agrees to marry Kosongo, she never stops being on the side of the main characters and even attempts a plan where she takes the riches he would give to her and run away and sell them. In the previous novels, whenever a female character would tag along with the main crew, it would always turn out that she was one of the villains. So I'm glad that the author decided to mix things up here.

I wasn't a huge fan of Brother Fernando. To me, he was very one note. Like, ninety-nine point nine percent of his actions and dialogue involved God. I understand that God is a big part of his life, but even people that have one thing making up a huge chunk of their life still have other aspects of their character besides that one thing.

One of the things that got me scratching my head was the absence of unique yeti-like creatures for the setting of the novel. In the last two novels, each place the main characters would go to would have their own yeti-like creatures. For example, the first novel had sloth yetis and the second novel had regular Himalayan yetis. Not only that, but the creatures would act as major allies to the main characters, with the latter type aiding in the big battle at the abandoned monastery. What makes this even more head-scratching is that this novel is set in Africa, which is home to gorillas, chimpanzees, baboons, mandrills, and so on. In other words, if someone wanted to make a yeti-like creature based on real apes/monkeys or even something more unconventional, Africa is rife with choices, so the omission just comes off as kind of lazy and uncreative. It also makes the novel lose that bit of identity that the previous novels in the series established. I think it would've been a cool twist if the Pygmy's former queen was the leader of an army of African-inspired yetis, who are basically the ancestors of the Pygmies reincarnated, who eventually agree to aid Alex and Nadia in the fight to restore freedom and peace to the Pygmies' village.

Overall, Forest of The Pygmies was a pretty enjoyable conclusion to a solid series.

Overall Grade: B+

Esta novela es la tercera de la trilogía (Las memoria del Águila y el Jaguar) de la autora Isabel Allende. Efectivamente, el libro que he leído es la tercera parte del volumen combinado pero prefiero escribir reseñas independientes, así que pongo la reseña aquí.

En esta tercera parte los protagonistas van a África. Después de pasarlo bien en Kenya asistiendo a un safari organizado, de parte de la revista International Geografic y justo cuando están por regresar encontraron a un misionero, hermano Fernando, quien está en camino a una aldea muy remota para buscar unos misioneros de los que no han recibido ningún mensaje desde hace mucho. Como hermano Fernando está muy preocupado del bienestar de los misioneros, los protagonistas deciden a ayudarle y contratan a la piloto, Angie Ninderera, a llevarlos ahí. Esto desencadena una aventura y nuevamente se liaron con gente peligrosa y tienen que salvarse la vida y salvar a los aldeanos de la tiranía y opresión y los pigmeos del bosque africano de la esclavitud mientras protegiendo los elefantes y los gorilas. Esto es una tarea monumental.

Honestamente, de los tres libros, este me ha gustado menos. Para mi, la historia carecía suficiente profundidad y desarrollo pero tampoco estaba mal. Si el libro fuera una comida, la llamaría sosa. Por eso, le he dado 3 estrellas, el grado medio. Es como si la autora estuviera bastante prisa para completar la serie. Igual yo esperaba más de la última parte. La próxima vez, de la autora, voy a leer una novela para los adultos. Ojalá tenga más suerte.

The last book of the trilogy, again wonderful journey for both young Alex the Jaguar and Nadia the Eagle this time deep in Africa.

I'll just recommend you to read anything that written by Isabel Allende regardless what you think about this trilogy ;)

i curse my compulsion to finish a book once i've started it. this was good for killing time when i couldn't sleep and didn't want to read anything of substance, but holy crap is it awful.

isabel, que paso?? i understand that this is young adult and 'magic realism' in the vein of her more famous works, but boy does this cross the line. basically, these adventuresome teenagers and a grandmother and some randoms use magic and their wits to defeat an african dictator and free some pygmy slaves. did i mention that the boy turns into a jaguar and the girl can turn into an eagle? and that the girl speaks all the languages of the animals? and that they're just like, soooo in tune with the mystical things of the world and they saw a yeti on their last adventure? and you'd think all of this would be palatable as long as allende's delicious prose was present, but alas, it is decidedly not. the writing is dumbed down just like the plot, the dialogue makes you wanna kill something, and the corn factor is through the roof. aaarrgh i hate wasting time on bad books.

Al terminar este libro no he podido evitar pensar q mal peyote se fumó la Allende cuando escribió los últimos capítulos. Definitivamente no ha sido el mejor de su carrera. Desde donde yo estaba leyendo, perdió tanto tiempo describiendo el calor y la humedad africanas q se olvidó completamente de la historia q estaba contando y para cuando se dio cuenta, se suponía q tenía q terminar el libro y metió todo lo q pudo en los tres últimos capítulo. Y ese Epílogo... en serio???
La mejor parte del libro es cuando finalmente se termina.

Questo ultimo libro della saga fantasy della Allende mi ha annoiata, credo che non sia avvincente come i suoi predecessori. O forse è solo un po' ripetitivo.

2015 Reading Challege: #42 Un libro que tengas pero que nunca hayas leído

Lindo cierre para esta trilogia. Me gustó, me gustó, me gustó. Me dio la sensación de que Nadia no ha pronunciado más que un par de frases en todo el libro, es del tipo silencioso me temo.
El libro está bárbaro para pasar el rato y tremenda despedida para estos chicos.

Forest of the Pygmies by Isabelle Allende was a great book. I really liked how at the beginning Alexander and Nadia went to a future teller and got a prophecy because I like books like this where the main characters feel that they have to live up to the prophecy. In this book the International Geographic team goes to Africa but they end up going to the Forest of the Pygmies.
The International Geographic team goes to a primitive village called Ngoube with a missionary who wants to find his two missing brothers, or other missionaries. This village is run by King Kosongo and Commandant Mbemble. I think that the reason that they decided to go and help the missionary is because they thought that they could get a good story out of it.
I think that Alexander and Nadia really focused on freeing the people of Ngoube from Kosongo and Mbemble. I thought that they showed great bravery and courage by organizing a revolt with the Pygmies and Bantus. I thought that it was very interesting and surprising when at the end of the book it turned out that King Kosonge, and the Sorcerer Sombe were both actually Mbemble the Commandant and he had just created the other two to scare the Bantus into being his slaves.
Overall I think that it was a great book and I would recommend it to anybody. You should read the other two books in the series first. The City of the Beasts and The Kingdom of the Golden Dragon.

No es para nada mi estilo.
Es muy fantasioso y aveces llega a lo infantil. Fue una pesadilla intentar acabarlo.
Me habían dicho que Isabel Allende era una magnífica escritora y este libro la dejo lejos de eso, espero tener la oportunidad de leer otro libro de ella en el futuro y poder retractarme de lo que he dicho.

Originalmente escrito el 27 de agosto de 2011

En este libro, Isabel nos adentra en África donde se encuentran con un misionero que por buscar a dos compañeros suyos los lleva a una tribu donde un rey ha esclavizado a sus habitantes y también a los pigmeos que estaban por la zona. Nuestro grupo intentará salvar a ese pueblo de la esclavitud recurriendo a acciones casi suicidas, a una confianza extrema en sí mismos y como no, a la magia. Este libro sigue la misma línea que los otros así que no hablaré del libro en general ya que me repetiría. La cultura africana también es una cultura en contacto con la naturaleza, ya que en este caso, los pigmeos hasta forman parte de ella. Pero en cambio, son un poco bestias, éstos si abusan un poco del poder "humano" que tienen y ven a los animales como comida o amenaza, no como seres individuales que necesitamos cazar para sobrevivir. No hacen distinciones en cazar un mono de una rata. Por un lado está bien porque son "todos iguales" pero comerse a un mono es una acción de "semi-canibalismo" a mi vista, ya que son muy parecidos a nosotros. Así que religiosamente hablando me sigo quedando con el budismo, porque aunque estos tienen lo que me gustaría que tuvieran los budistas (el comer animales) son muuuuy supersticiosos, y yo no soy para nada así así que... . Por otro lado, con lo tranquila que estaba yo en los otros libros sin la presencia de la iglesia católica! y ahora en África me aparece un misionero, que además en sus años mozos, era torero! Por favor, le podríais haber puesto algo más para que se me vuelva insoportable? Y fallo de la autora, ponerlo español y por eso torero, ODIO que todos los extranjeros vean eso cuando según a mi entender, ni la mitad del país va a ver las masacres esas, porque no sigue siendo más que un circo romano. Y luego criticamos la crueldad de aquellos tiempos cuando ahora seguimos haciendo lo mismo. Y poco más que decir, me gustaría viajar a Africa para visitarla, pero no estoy segura de sí me gustaría vivir allí, prefiero algo más parecido al Amazonas, no se sí será mi impresión pero me da la impresión de que es un sitio con más riqueza gastronómicamente hablando, porque al menos con este libro me ha quedado una impresión algo mala de África ''n.n Aunque seguro que todas las zonas "salvajes" tienen su cosita, pero después de leer este libro y que me digan que las chinches se meten entre la uña y la carne para poner sus huevos... se me han quitado todas las ganas de ir ''n.n

Desde que leí el primer libro de esta trilogía, La Cuidad de las Bestias, quede enamorada de la manera en la que escribe la autora, sus historias y su manera de hacerte sentir que todo lo que estas leyendo es real. En cuanto me entere que La Cuidad de las Bestias era parte de una trilogía supe que tenia que leer los siguientes dos libros de inmediato.

El Bosque de los Pigmeos narra las aventuras de Jaguar y Águila en una tierra exótica, poblada de espíritus y seres misteriosos y cuenta la evolución de una extraordinaria amistad. Con la ayuda de los poderes mágicos de sus animales totémicos, Jaguar y Águila, Alexander y Nadia se lanzan en una espectacular lucha por restaurar la libertad de los pigmeos.

Así como con en los primeros dos libros, no hay palabras para expresar lo mucho que me gusto este libro, la historia captura tu atención y se lee muy rápido. Esta es una perfecta historia que contiene acción + historia + amistad + aventura. No puedes dejar de leer y es un libro apto para todas las edades.

La manera en que la autora escribe te hace sentir que estas ahí en África con Alex y Nadia y el crecimiento de los personajes es algo muy hermoso de leer. Este libro es una maravillosa representación de la codicia del hombre y al extremo que este puede llegar por riquezas y poder. Este libro hace mucho con muy poco y el final me dejo con demasiadas preguntas y ganas de saber más.

Este libro me fascino, me encanta aprender de otras culturas, en este caso la cultura africana, me encantan los libros de acción que no te dejen soltar el libro hasta saber que pasa y finalmente, me encantan Alexander y Nadia. La amistad entre estos dos personajes es genuina y dulce, es lógico lo mucho que se quieren el uno al otro y la conexión que tienen y el hecho de que no es una relación romántica lo hace mil veces mejor. Así mismo, los demás personajes también son extraordinarios, Isabel Allende tiene mucho talento para crear personajes que te robaran el corazón.

En conclusión, si ya estaba obsesionada con esta trilogía, el tercer y último libro lo único que hizo fue exponencial ese amor. Estos libros me hacen sentir bien y me hacen perderme en mundos distintos al mío.