Sarah (is clearing her shelves)’s Reviews > King Solomon's Mines > Status Update

"We had killed nine elephants"

I was ready for misogyny and racism, but didn't think of the well-described hunting scenes (I'd be surprised if Haggard himself wasn't responsible, in an individual way, for the near extinction of African elephants). To be honest, the animal deaths are worse than the way he talks about POCs or likens women's bodies to mountains.

How interesting that Haggard went to the trouble of writing out the letter that accompanied the map to Solomon's Mines in both English & Portuguese (the Portuguese is in a footnote, which you don't get in the audiobook).

Also, I know I said I was ready for the misogyny, but Sheba's Breasts? & the cave described as being on the north side of the nipple? Honestly. I'm surprised society didn't revolt at such profanity.

"& now it only remains for me to offer my apologies for my blunt way of writing. I cannot make any pretence to the grand literary flights & flourishes which I see in novels. I suppose they are desirable [...] but I cannot help thinking that simple things are always the most impressive, & books are easier to understand when they are written in plain language."

Sounds like you're speaking my language, Mr. Quartermain.

Written in 1885 - I didn't realise this was that old. I'm expecting lots of racism and misogyny and will try not to judge the book by the time it was written in (too harshly).