Gripping and fascinating… Read-in-one-sitting kind of ride.
Immersive from the get-go, Coco’s first installment in The Legend of the Winged People series is a page-turning read. For fifteen-year-old Pamela Kendall, a quiet girl with blue hair and an exceptional ability to talk to animals, life in the small African village is uneventful until an unexpected discovery shakes her world: there is a secret behind her unusual appearance and abilities. Determined to find the truth about her identity, Pamela leaves her home and sets out on a dangerous journey to unravel the truth. Meanwhile, David Thompson, a misfit sixteen-year-old aspiring novelist, is struggling to understand his newly developing strange abilities. A conspiracy brings him together with Pam, forcing him to come out of his comfort zone and becomes the hero he never thought he could be. Blending adventure and a fantastical world of mystery, ancient artifacts, hidden treasure, enigmatic prophecies, this engrossing novel explores the subjects of power dynamics, prejudices, and revolution with nuance. The story starts on a high note, becoming deeply layered as it moves forward. The third-person omniscient narration is well-paced and engaging. Coco’s expert storytelling skills are evident in the balancing of Pam and David’s self-doubts as well as her treatment of certain worldbuilding elements, such as bullying, adolescent angst, and the protagonists’ struggles to find their own place in the world. The fully fleshed-out character arcs are emotionally impactful, and the many parallel stories effortlessly merge into a cohesive whole, with enough threads left wide open for future adventurous exploits. A gripping and layered series kicker.
The Conspiracy
The Legend of the Winged People – Book 1
Alessandra Coco
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Pub date November 11, 2022
ISBN 979-8842539970
Price $16.99 (USD) Paperback, $3.99 Kindle edition
