I have to wonder, darlings, just as I had to wonder if all the projections of male sexuality, and their interactions with women, were projections of H. Rider Haggard's own mind. I believe they were; the man does not strike me as gay, but terribly repressed, and scared to death of women. I wonder what kind of upbringing he had????????????
Since I was a child, I had heard about "SHE", or as she is called in the novel, "She-who-must-be-obeyed!" Uh huh!!!!!!! This bitch never met me, so let's not talk about who obeys who, darlings. From the supposedly brilliant 1935 film--which I am certain uses some of "King Kong's" sets, as it was shot on the RKO lot, to the campy version of the Sixties, with a scantily clad Ursula Andress, in the only pathetically defining role of her career, "SHE" has been out there. But I had never read it, nor had I read "King Solomon's Mines."
Think of the 'Inidiana Jones" movies. Think of Jules Verne. This is the terrain "SHE" traffics in, though I have to say, Haggard is not as compelling a writer as Verne. His ideas, and storytelling skill is, but his prose style comes off as a bit stodgy, much like the male characters in the book.
I won't say I had a difficult time reading "SHE," but, considering the genre, it was more a labor than I had anticipated. I kept hearkening back to "The Mysterious Island," of "Journey To The Center Of The Earth," none of which was as belabored as this.
As for "SHE" herself, she is some sly piece. Wait till you find out her secret; I am telling you, girls, this is a lesson in make-up and beauty treatment validation. If you do not pay attention to your appearance, look what happens!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am glad I read "SHE," --hey "Fifty Shades of Grey" is a direct descendant!!!!!!--and I do want to read more of Haggard, but after reading this, I would not want to be "SHE" for anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've got my own Kingdom--excuse me, Queendom!!!!!--to run, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!
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