Set in a rainforest of anunspecified continent, Mungai and the Goa Constrictor is a tale littered withcolourful and enjoyable characters, conspiracies and unlikely friendshipsbetween the species. Told through the eyes of animals the narrative exploresthe predatory world of deception and greed. The book carries an important missive:‘Beware of predators in the guise of friends’.
Mungai, thecentral character, is a jungle creature of indeterminate origin, who creates acunning master plan allowing him to find ways of passing through life withouttoo much cost to himself and as little effort as possible and at the expense ofothers not as strong minded or as clever as he is.
He goes allout to achieve his objectives, regardless of the consequences, as he sets outto destroy the rainforest for personal gain.
On histravels Mungai encounters an equally ruthless and selfish creature, a boaconstrictor called Goa, and together they go in search of innocents to use toimplement their designs.
Theysubsequently meet, befriend and manage to convince all manner of creatures tojoin them in their venture with promises of great rewards in return for smalllabours. The creatures believe theirefforts to be beneficial to the environment and look forward to the promisedbounty. Before too long some noticetheir hard work continues but the rewards are not forthcoming and they begin torealise, with some input from the good outsiders they have teamed up with, thetwo legs, that what they are involved in is not good for anyone.
Dissatisfactionbegins to burgeon and rebellion is imminent.
Mungai findsout, all too late, that those he shamelessly inveigled into his plans are notso naive as he first thought and eventually the tables are turned.
The perpetrators become the victims as Operation Equinox isdevised and executed.
Praise and Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars "A Fable That Packs a Powerful
Punch", March 3, 2012
By Claudia Moss "TheGoldenGoddess" (Clarkston,
Georgia United States)
This review is from: Mungai and the Goa Constrictor (Kindle
Edition)
Kudos for Amelia Curzon and her impressive fable, "Mungai
and the Goa Constrictor"!
Like the other reviewers of this work, I haven't read an
animal fable in years. The last I enjoyed was a film of "Charlotte's
Web" and a while before that, I read and taught "Animal Farm."
Truly, Curzon crafts an unforgettable story that speaks to the soul, reminding
us to think for ourselves, to look inward for inspiration that drives us in
life and to fearlessly turn back if we find ourselves heading down a path that
doesn't feel right.
Readers, this is a story for older children and, perhaps,
keenly intelligent 12 to 13-year-olds. The vocabulary will send young readers
running for a dictionary, although that is a good thing. The web of intrigue
the mysterious Mungai and his sidekick Goa set for the charmingly sweet albeit
gullible, two-legged creatures is what could happen Anywhere in the Universe,
if people do not learn to look beyond slick words and ill-wrought intentions of
those who want to slither through life looking to live comfortably from the
fruits of others' labor.
I love the fate Curzon culls for both Mungai and Goa at the
tale's end! Read it for yourself to discover the hidden treasures and
subterfuge taking place under lush jungle and woodland foliage.
Great literature teachers are
going to have a delightful time creating learning centers and novel maps and an
array of writing assignments for this book! Well done, Curzon!
5.0 out of 5 stars A Modern Day Animal Farm Story?, February
27, 2012
By T. Levesque "The Kindle Queen" (USA)
This review is from: Mungai and the Goa Constrictor (Kindle
Edition)
Although, the storyline is altogether different, this one
reminds me of the characters & personalities found in Charlotte's Webb. I
haven't read anything of that genre since substituting grade school students
more than 20 years ago. The story is reminiscent of a modern day Animal Farm,
but yet, not quite. I don't want to say too much more, as not to spoil the
story.
It is in my opinion that this book is geared more for the
adult than a child. I wouldn't neccessarily consider this a young children's
book at all. Perhaps, for an older child of 12 or 13, maybe? Given the
vocabulary alone in the the first two pages, is proof enough that it wasn't
meant for little ones under age 5 or 6.
Regardless of the delightfully colorful, descriptive
characters that any child might find visually appealing & attractive; the
more critical part of this book, being the "moral" of the story, that
is.....I feel, would not or, could not, be comprehended until a much older age.
I strongly recommend this book
for ages 12 & up.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Cautionary Tale, February 13, 2012
By BookChatterCath
This review is from: Mungai and the Goa Constrictor (Kindle
Edition)
This book is aimed predominantly at children and so its not
something I would normally read or review.
However, I have to say that I loved it and can not fault the
story or the writing at all.
Not since reading Animal Farm as part of my year 7 English
class can I recall reading anything from the point of view of animals living in
a human like society.
And just like with that book, Mungai and the Goa Constrictor
takes you on a journey of intrigue and quite self discovery. To a world that,
were it not for the fact that the characters are jungle animals, it could be
set in any school, town, business, or city near you.
Where the top dog is always looking for ways to be bigger
and better with less effort, by taking more from the less worldly and more
gullible underdog.
With great dastardly characters and lovable up risers, and
set amongst the glorious, if disappearing backdrop of an undisclosed jungle,
Mungai and the Goa Constrictor is a cautionary tale and a must read book for
all.
An engaging and subliminally
educational 5 Star read.
5.0 out of 5 stars An Environmental Allegory for Our Time,
January 18, 2012
By Jason Sullivan (USA)
This review is from: Mungai and the Goa Constrictor (Kindle
Edition)
Mungai and the Goa Constrictor by Amelia Curzon is a
wonderful story. It is allegorical in the tradition of Animal Farm, and I must
admit I am a fan of allegories, but it is also a witty and fascinating story
filled with a splendid collection of characters. There are important messages
in this book. Themes such as responsibility, needs versus desires, and
trustworthiness are woven into the plot. There is also wit and whimsy and a
cast of thoroughly enjoyable animal characters.
Mungai and the Goa Constrictor is a fairly quick read and
the action moves swiftly. There is never a dull moment. Many of the
interactions between the animals will seem familiar as indeed they are
insightful into human society. The animals have a certain irrepressible spirit
that shines through, even in the worst situations, which is authentically
heartening. One can't help but despair, however, at the damage Mungai and Goa
inflict upon the others through their greedy and self-centered behaviors.
Mungai is a sneaky and manipulative
creature. He is not quite lovable, but certainly unforgettable! I think we have
all met a Mungai at some point in our lives! There are also many animals on the
good side of things. I liked Caw-Caw the crow and, of course, the outrageously
named Captain Gerald Rupert Horatio Peanuts Brice-Copperbottom! Mungai and the
Goa Constrictor is a charming story filled with much wisdom of the sort the
world so desperately needs. I highly recommend it!
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fable For All Ages!, October 24, 2011
By Patricia Paris (Annapolis, MD USA)
This review is from: Mungai and the Goa Constrictor (Kindle
Edition)
Mungai and the Goa Constrictor is a finely crafted fable
that can be enjoyed by older children and adults alike. As in most classic
fables, we live the bulk of the story through the animals, in this case those
of the woodland and jungle, but there are a few two-legs, as the animals refer
to them, rounding out the forces of good and evil. The reader never quite
discovers what Mungai, the creature who sets the story in motion, is; we just know
he's bad news. For purely selfish reasons, Mungai aligns himself with Goa, a
boa constrictor, who for equally selfish reasons, conspires with Mungai to lie
to, flatter, entice, and persuade the good animals of the woodland to follow
them to the forest to do their bidding with promises of many rewards and an
easier, better life.
The animals slowly become aware that the only ones their
hard work appears to benefit are Mungai and Goa. Still, they are grateful for
the meager scraps of food and flattery Mungai has given them, and rather than
trust their own doubts and intuition, they continue to do his bidding, even
ignoring a trusted friend who discovers the truth and tries to warn them.
When the animals finally do realize the truth, they band
together with some of the good two-legs and devise a plan to stop Mungai, Goa,
and the bad two-legs before they can destroy the forest.
Curzon deftly shows us how easy it is to be taken in by
flattery and the promise of more for less, even when the voice in our heart and
head is telling us something isn't right. She offers up the age old battle of
good vs evil, right vs wrong, and the fine line that is straddled between them.
We are reminded that if something sounds too good to be true it probably is,
and that we need to trust our instincts because evil will always be out there,
looking for its next victim. This is a quick read and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
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