Reviews

The Lost World is a fascinating adventure story which combines elements of zoology, history and sci-fi with interesting results. I really liked the story for what it was and that it felt grounded in reality despite the sci-fi elements. There's no science lab experiments or genetic modification gone wrong here, it's simply what the title says - a lost world.

The story is narrated by journalist, Ed Malone, who reports about his expedition to the Amazon with 3 fellow Londoners - Challenger, Roxton and Summerlee - with the mission of proving Professor Challenger's theory that there are certain prehistoric creatures residing in an undiscovered location in the Amazon. As expected, adventure ensues and the group have a number of surprising and thrilling encounters. Although there is action and adventure present, it's not what I'd described as "action-packed". The intellectual pursuit and concerns of the characters is more central than the action itself. These men are educated, curious, opioniated, strong-willed and intellectual; they're not on this expedition for adventure but to advance their careers, expand their knowledge or achieve glory. As a result, the discourse between Malone, Challenger, Roxton and Summerlee is a key aspect of the story throughout. Personally, I enjoyed this and was engrossed in listening to their conflicting opinions and perceptions and ongoing disputes. Challenger, in particular, was an incredibly infuriating but compelling character to listen to.

I did sometimes struggle with the blatant racism and sexism present throughout the novel, but the racism in particular. Zambo, as a black servant, was treated as less than human and written in a degrading manner. Mixed race characters were described as being "half breeds" and the way the Indian tribes were written were deeply problematic. However, I did try to take into consideration that these themes are to be expected for a book written in 1912. Plus, it was illuminating to see this presence of non-white characters in a classic novel. It certainly sheds light on the way in which non-white people were viewed in British society in the 20th century.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Lost World. It's a fun and satisfying adventure story with interesting characters and themes. I was uncomfortable with some of the depictions of race and gender, but it was nonetheless, illuminating and thought provoking in regards to how they reflect the culture and values of 20th century Britain. I particularly liked the academic and intellectual focus throughout and the way in which Conan Doyle wove the fictional aspects of the story with factual information from our history.

I listened to the audibook on Scribd narrated by Randal Schaffer.

More...