H. Rider Haggard

She (Oxford World's Classics)

a history of adventure

andrea

Deyana

I simply just did not like this one, and despite it being one of the first popular works of fun/adventure in the midst of the fin-de-siecle, I just could not look past its imperialist tones and did not find it riveting. Reminded me a bit of Salome, which I also had a difficult time enjoying, for whatever reason.

The story is a first-person narrative that follows the journey of Horace Holly and his ward Leo Vincey to a lost kingdom in the African interior. There they encounter a primitive race of natives and a mysterious white queen named Ayesha who reigns as the all-powerful "She", or "She-who-must-be-obeyed". In this work, Rider Haggard developed many of the conventions of the Lost World subgenre, which many later authors emulated.

A History of Adventure

Caellum

Would I read it again? No. Do I regret reading it? No. It's a real vibe here. We're talking the Tarzan meets Frakenstein kind of spooky story people just don't write anymore. If you're used to more modern prose it might be a bit of a chore to move through this slower paced novel. But it's solid and interesting. 

She (Oxford World's Classics)

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