Forest of the Pygmies by Isabel Allende

About 3 or 4 of the books I read every year are actually unabridged audio books we listen to on road trips. The night before we left for North Carolina, I made a whirlwind trip to the library with the girls to grab a few possibilities Michael and I might enjoy. I remembered that Michael appreciated Allende’s House of Spirits, so I grabbed this one. There was no time to even read the back that day, so as we started listening, I was really confused. After a while, I realized this was a Young Adult novel, part of a trilogy that Allende wrote in the genre. Once that came to light, I tried to appreciate this for what it was. The plot had a great deal of potential but I was disappointed that it seemed like the protagonists, unlike their adult counterparts, didn’t find their way through the mystery and adventure by wit or strength but rather depended on their magical “totemic powers.” Overall, not a bad story, but Allende seemed slightly condescending in her writing for a YA audience. I’d still like to read her adult novels, though! (6/10)