Ayesha: The Return of She

The conclusion (and sequel) to She (see review). Leo and Horace journey to Tibet where Leo is convinced he will find Ayesha in some human form....he does and alove triangle begins with a Tibetan local, Atene. More danger, traps, and thrills ensue, a suicide here, a random mutilation there, but Leo is convinced his search for Ayesha will not be in vain... In this novel Haggard seems to...more

The conclusion (and sequel) to She (see review). Leo and Horace journey to Tibet where Leo is convinced he will find Ayesha in some human form....he does and alove triangle begins with a Tibetan local, Atene. More danger, traps, and thrills ensue, a suicide here, a random mutilation there, but Leo is convinced his search for Ayesha will not be in vain... In this novel Haggard seems to have focussed on the storyline and the eternal love affair between Leo and Ayesha. Whats more interesting is that in finding a new villain(ess), it makes us easier to accept Leo and Ayesha's love, and this just gives the sequel a whole new feel to it. In the first book we feel for Leo's life and suspect Ayesha of evil. In this book, we want to see them together as destiny has planned out for them. While still dealing with feminine mythology, Haggard instead focusses on Buddhist elements like reincarnation, and incorporates this into the story. He ramps up the action by putting Leo and Ayesha in danger from larger forces and this gives the book nice finish. Whats interesting is that 'She' 's original title was "She who must be obeyed'. The original book written in the heyday of Victorian Britain (the Queen who must be obeyed), Ayesha was written in the post-Victorian hangover, giving Haggard more leeway in exploring themes of human sexuality and power-relations between the male and female genders. Not as deeply textured as 'She', nevertheless, Ayesha is a rousing action adventure that hits the spot quite nicely in fact.   hide