Review::Atlantida by Pierre Benoît

Atlantida by Pierre Benoît

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Atlantida by Pierre Benoît

Even though this is a bit average in a classic; I enjoyed reading it.

It reminded me of those old Tarzan movies.

What it is though; is more of an example of the old Trope about the beautiful, seductive, feminine character whom the protagonists all fall in love with (sometimes inexplicably).

It seems there was some argument that Pierre plagiarized this from H.R. Haggard's SHE.

Though it does use a similar template of lost world and has Africa as a setting and the lovely irresistible woman as the centerpiece; the similarities end there.

Where She's Alesha, the centerpiece of H.R. Haggards story, is an almost tragic woman trapped in her own tragic love story; the centerpiece of Alantida, Antinea, is more of a sinister siren that would be almost a complete opposite to Alesha.

Alantida seems to lack the examination of morals and ethics that She has.

It's still an interesting read that once again gives the reader an examination of the views of woman and the affect on literature. But as I mentioned, it reads, to me, more like some of the movies I've seen from that time where the male characters are paralyzed under the influence of a hideously though beautiful and seductive evil.

I recommend this to anyone who has read SHE for the contrast and to those who have read this I'd recommend SHE for something with just a bit more substance.

J.L. Dobias



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