She: A History of Adventure (1887)

Author: H Rider Haggard
Publisher: Project Gutenberg

Synopsis:
A man and his ward venture to unexplored parts of Africa to uncover the truth behind an ancient legend.

Impressions:
Before reading this, I only had a passing familiarity with the works of H Rider Haggard, mostly from a couple film adaptations of Allan Quatermain stories. I enjoyed this quite a bit, largely because stories like this aren't written anymore (and arguably they can't be). It's a relic of a bygone era and I found it fascinating. An oversensitive modern reader will get worked up to a frothy tizzy and even the more charitable will at least find the prose and often the dialog to be rather overwrought in a bid to give them a poetic air that was antiquated even when it was written over a century I go. I appreciate that Holly rather than Leo is the protagonist as he's the more interesting character and I really liked his relationships with Billali and Ayesha. Ayesha, the eponymous "She", is complex and intriguing, leaving nearly as strong of an impression on the reader as the characters she enchants with her wiles. If the trappings of its time are no obstacle, then I can easily recommend adding this to your collection.

Rating:
Own It