I was really pleased to find a YA novel which promised a look at environmental issues with the background of Trindadian culture, language and legend.....and it started out well enough, (although I wouldn't say the writing was particularly gripping), but lost my interest entirely when aliens were brought into the mix (to the point that I didn't finish the book). I think it's a shame as there's enough good material here to have produced a really interesting and enjoyable book of magical realism and folklore, without the author turning it into a sci-fi.