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| Image via Amazon.com |
Amazon Burning is the new novel by Victoria Griffith, and I was lucky enough to be offered an advance copy to review.
At first, I wasn't sure about this book as it's referred to as both a "young adult novel" and a coming of age story and I don't consider it to be either. The protagonist, Emma Cohen, is a 22-year-old NYU student which seems a little bit long in the tooth to be considered a "young adult" or to be "coming of age." But, once I got into the book, it didn't matter.
Because, what Amazon Burning is, is a good little mystery. Journalism student Emma Cohen is forced to flee NYU to Rio de Janeiro, where she interns with her father at his newspaper. While Emma is in Rio, a famous environmentalist is murdered in the Amazon and she goes with her father to cover the story. Emma and her father are joined by a young photographer named Jimmy who, like Emma, is looking to help cover the story and make a name for himself.
While in the Amazon, Emma investigates the murder, tries to keep from being murdered herself and falls in love, all while trying to deal with the situation that forced her to leave New York. There are mysteries on top of mysteries in the novel, making for an exciting read. And the twist at the end was completely unexpected. It was also a little strange, but it was definitely a true twist and I appreciate that.
Quite possibly the best part of this book is the job the author does of conveying a sense of place with her writing. You can tell she's experienced with the Amazon and with the Yanomami Indians she writes about and she handles both of those topics exceedingly well. She falters a bit in other areas, but all in all, it's a quick, enjoyable read.
As I said, I received an advanced copy of Amazon Burning, but it is available for purchase now, at both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Happy Reading, All!
Gracey
