Alex and the Alpacas Save the World by Kathryn Lefroy

Wow…what a read. This book has brought out every emotion I ever associate with family and friends in my life.

The story follows a young girl called Alex, who, after her Dad cancelled summer plans with her, decided to follow her mum to her Granddad’s farm to help out. While there, she starts to hear voices in the wind, and from the Alpacas. And suddenly, she had a destiny and had to go through dangerous trials to save the world.

*SPOILERS ALERT*

While the story had a typical storyline, the writing style only made the story so much more fascinating. The character building for the main characters are rather complete considering this is a pretty short book. Alex is so obviously a young girl, with the temper and willfulness that comes with it. She’s stubborn and proud, but also kind. Her reactions to situations are very believable and natural. Lefroy did a good job creating a minor similarity between Alex and the villain, Kiala. She wouldn’t have understood the ritual she needed to do if she didn’t have a sister.

The mystery element in the story was a huge part in the story, but it didn’t add much value in the plot. The journey, or process, however, offered situations in which Alex grew and changed in a short amount of time. Enough to become a better leader, to learn to accept help, and to become stronger.

I absolutely loved the part where Alex could understand the alpacas. Their characters were not as well built as Alex or Kiala, but the main traits were pretty well demonstrated. I also just love any book where the animals become friends with the main character.

Predictions I made along the way:

- Moraika was compromised when she decided to stay back and stall the tigers.

• She wasn’t hahahaha!

- Alex got the last sentence wrong, or the purpose of the ritual wrong. I thought that maybe she was supposed to show Kiala love, and set her free.

• The ritual bound Kiala to another olive sapling, it worked in the end.

- The tigers might come to her aid instead of staying bound to Kiala’s command because Kiala was getting weaker.

• Nope, they were bound until the ritual was done.

Favourite Quotes:

“Is the blood of one worth more than the blood of an empire?”

I feel that people tend to react much stronger in times of war, where remorse weren’t considered cause for leniency. Kiala did accidentally hurt her sister, but to bind her and leave her for a thousand years seemed extreme. Her backstory wasn’t complete, and I might not feel the sympathy I currently feel if she had cruelly slaughtered many people. But all that was revealed was her childhood and her gradual estrangement from her sister. I also didn’t like how her sister was kind and represented regeneration…so to speak…yet was able to imprison her sister and leave her with such a fate.

Alex’s sudden understanding of this sentence while she had to make a choice between her friends and letting Kiala win moved me. Unlike Resila – Kiala’s sister – she chose her friends instead of the world.