Book Review: Ayesha, the Return of She

Ayesha, the Return of She by H. Rider Haggard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had very high expectations for this novel. For me, the excitement began only from the second half of the story. I was looking for more virtuous philosophical quotes and passages like the prequel. But it didn't break my heart completely. There are a few highlights I made that I would love to read again.

Thus, everything said and done, I am always a big fan of Rider Haggard and I love the way he expresses emotions, virtues and wisdom in great depth using the language of Victorian era as the ultimate weapon to overwhelm his readers.

SHE by H. Rider Haggard

Ursula Andress as SHE

All the books I read after Frankenstein didn't impress me much. That's the reason why I didn't write anything about them. They failed to seize my mind. I remember I have said in my review of King Solomon's Mines that She and Ayesha: The Return of She are next in my reading list. The time finally came to pick up She and what do you know? It overpowered me completely! Rider Haggard did it again. He is a genius! The words to admire him for this work falls short by miles. The concept of creating a woman who is so beautiful in every way, whose grandeur and beauty mesmerizes every man on earth is put forth by the power of words. There is more. It is very desirable for anyone that such a goddess should defy her age and live more than a thousand years. It is so! She is more than 2000 years old. She is not only beautiful by her appearance but also by her splendid Wisdom of Life she has gained over the years. The charm with which philosophy of Life is sandwiched in this history of adventure is truly remarkable. It talks about religion and the faith in God and His existence by giving details which seem subtle and clear at the same time. Such written accounts have made me read again and again to understand the core, which is much more than meets the eye.

It was incredible for to me to learn about the fictitious Caves of Kor. The beautiful landscapes, the tribe of Amahaggar and their hideous customs: the skill with which these are written greatly stimulated my mind. The insides of the caves are described in such a great detail that the sculptures on the walls of the caves have their own tales of history; especially the story of Wedded-in-Death is an exciting one. Ah! The more I try to say about the book, the lesser I succeed in describing its splendor!

Don't be surprised that I haven't revealed anything about the plot and the characters of the story like I do in my book reviews. Its only because I don't want to. Because it will kill the enthusiasm of enjoyment for anyone who is wanting to read the book. Finally, here is a list my favorite chapters of the novel:

Book Cover

Chapters:
10. Speculations
17. The Balance Turns
20. Triumph
21. The Dead And Living Meet
22. Job Has a Presentiment
23. Temple of Truth
25. The Spirit of Life

Further reading:
Quotes and passages from She: Goodreads.com

King Solomon's Mines

I have watched the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but I had no idea that Allan Quartermain is the brainchild of H. Rider Haggard. It is my uncle who suggested me to read King Solomon's Mines. When I read the introduction by Allan Quartermain, it blew my mind and sucked me right into it. The language is very simple and never fails to engage its reader very well. Its beautifully narrated. I have read 20000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. This one is even more gripping than that!

Right from the first page till the very end, it will keep your eyes glued to the book. The portrayal of Quartermain, Sir Henry Curtis and Captain John Good are too good. Well the best part comes when Twala, the King of Kukuana Land, and Gogool, the witch doctress appear in the course of the story and Zulu dialect is used. The detailing of their power, ruthlessness and cruelty is awesome. Reading about Gagool alone will send a cold shiver down your back! Not to forget the spectacle of Kukuana Land, the battle field and the caves in which the treasure was found - the narration is simply brilliant. Oh! I almost forgot mentioning about the climax. Alas, it is beyond my power to put it in words. It is impossible to imagine the clever brains of Rider Haggard who could conclude this adventure in such a creative way!

Even though you don't aspire to be a writer, this book not only teaches you about literature but it also inspires you a lot to start dreaming of coming up with a novel of your own. Although this is my second read in this genre, I believe this is an amazing adventure ever written - a masterpiece, and I consider Allan Quartermain as the greatest adventurer of all time. The name "Quartermain" itself produces powerful vibe. You will certainly love the use of language with which intelligent ideas are so eloquently expressed! With this finished, I plan to read all works of this great novelist - Rider Haggard; She, Ayesha: The Return of She, Allan Quartermain, She and Allan to name a few. This book is in public domain. So grab yourself a copy and have a great time reading it!