Ayesha: The Return of She (1905)

Author: H Rider Haggard
Publisher: Project Gutenberg

Synopsis:
Years after Ayesha's apparent death in the Caves of Kôr, Leo and Holly travel to Central Asia pursuing a vision that might lead to their reuinion with her.

Impressions:
As I rather enjoyed the original She, I wanted to read the story's continuation. Now, an uncharitable person might call this a retread of the first book, as it does hit many similar story beats. Perhaps a parallel structure was a conscious choice by the author, tying into the themes of death and rebirth. Who can say? We swap Africa out for Asia in this outing, weaving the conquests of Alexander into the backdrop. The cursed love triangle of Ayesha, Kallikrates and Amenartas is central here, reborn in Ayesha, Leo, and the Khania Atene. The relationship between Ayesha and Holly feels more distant here, which is a shame because it was one of the things I liked best about the first book. I continue to not find Leo all that interesting and as a result, Ayesha becomes less interesting in her efforts to please him. Much as with the first book, the ending is rather abrupt, but you can argue that too ties into the thematic elements. All told, it's not as good as the original but still a good read. If you liked the first book, definitely give it a shot.

Rating:
Read It