By Isabel Allende
Age: 13+
Region: South America
Language: Available in English and Spanish
Who? What? Where?
Alexander Cold is a boy from northern California. The oldest of 3 children and the only boy, Alex is close to his father and looks after his younger sisters especially since his mother Lisa was diagnosed with cancer and undergoing treatment. As his mother’s condition worsens, his father’s attention is increasingly focused on his wife, forcing him to make the difficult decision of sending his children away to stay with family members until the worst of the treatment is over. Alex’s two younger sisters Andrea and Nicole are sent to stay with their grandmother Carla while Alex is sent to his dad’s mother Kate. Kate Cold is a bold, independent women who doesn’t coddle her grandson. She is a writer/explorer who works for the National Geographic who has assigned her a mission in the Amazon. Alex will accompany her there unaware of the magical and harrowing adventure awaiting him and his grandmother.
Once in the Amazon Kate and Alex are connected with the group they will be traveling with. They are on a mission to find the purported Beasts who are deadly, seem invisible, and leave an intoxicating stench wherever they go. No outsiders to the region have witnessed the Beast so Kate is eager to be the first to see it and write about it. The group includes the pompous professor Leblanc, a few soldiers, a Venezuelan doctor tasked with vaccinating the elusive Indigenous groups living deep in the Amazon, a local father and his daughter Nadia, and a few others. Nadia and Alex become fast friends. Nadia opens Alex up to his power within that enables him to connect to nature and help Nadia “save” the Indigenous people who are called the People of the Mist because they have never been contacted by outsiders. Through their connection to nature and the trust the Indigenous people come to have in the duo, Alex and Nadia uncover the mystery of the Beast and the intentions of certain members of their crew, both growing immensely in the process.
This is a fantastical adventure tale taking readers deep into the Amazon as they follow Alex as he grows out of the boy he was when he embarked on the journey with his grandmother Kate, and into the young man who understands the interconnectedness of humans and nature, leaving fear behind to find strength in love for the world around him.
My issues:
While reading City of the Beasts I couldn’t help but notice several elements of Isabel Allende’s story that were problematic. The most glaring issue was her use of the word ‘indian(s)’ to describe the Indigenous people of the Amazon. Why is the word ‘indian’ problematic? The word was first used by European colonists when they arrived in the Americas to describe the Indigenous populations. They erroneously believed they had landed in the Indies therefore the word ‘indian’ seemed appropriate at the time but would later be revealed to be a misnomer. This term is considered offensive as it perpetuates the power of colonists, is a reflection of a complete misconception of the Americas, and groups many diverse people into a single category robbing Indigenous people of their individuality and distinct cultures. As a tool for discussing peoples who do share some commonalities, we still group them into distinct categories that may be beneficial at times and harmful at others.
‘“Indigenous peoples’ is considered a safe general term for many differed groups. ‘Amerindian’ can be used to refer to Indigenous people from North and South America… When possible, it is preferable to be specific about which group you are referring to, as there are distinct differences to each group.”
– “No Offense? Some Terms and Phrases to Become Aware of, Potentially Avoid, and Why” Compiled, written, and edited by Paula R. Curtis and Jacquiline D. Antonovich. (link below)
My second issue is rooted in the depiction of the People of the Mist, the uncontacted Indigenous group of the Amazon that Nadia and Alex save. Allende illustrates this group of people using rich descriptions of cultural practices and norms with no apparent research or prior knowledge about them. Their religious dedication to the Beasts who are a group of large, smelly, and extremely slow sloths could be offensive and promote misconceptions about Indigenous groups of the Amazon. It seems irresponsible to depict a group of people potentially falsely and from a position of her own power and privilege. Further, the idea that the Indigenous people of the Amazon, in particular the People of the Mist, need Alex as their savior is a tired and harmful narrative that we should question and avoid.
City of the Beast was an enjoyable novel to read but it is a good reminder that we should always read critically and look within ourselves and to our communities to question, research, understand, and explore topics, words and depictions that appear harmful and promote misconceptions and prejudices.
Discussion questions for educators: (Please post any responses in the comment box so together we can open up discussion)
Is it beneficial to introduce students to literature that may be problematic?
What lessons can be learned from books like City of the Beasts?
How do you confront difficult topics in your classroom? What are some strategies for teaching students the harm of using certain words and promoting misconceptions about marginalized groups?
Did this review bring up books you have read in the past? If so, which ones?
Additional Resources:
“No Offense? Some Terms and Phrases to Become Aware of, Potentially Avoid, and Why”
“Rethinking the Brazilian Amazon: A Conversation with Indigenous Poet Márcia Wayna Kambeba”
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