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karolina_bookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
shannenlc's review against another edition
3.0
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.
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.
dmcke013's review against another edition
4.0
Arthur Conan Doyle's (more famous for his Sherlock Holmes creation) adventure novel, following a scientific expedition to a plateau in the Amazon basin of South America, where prehistoric animals still survive.
Interesting not solely from a plot standpoint, but also as a window into the then contemporary views on the Dinosauria family: who mostly come across as slow and dull-witted compared to more recent interpretations, such as those in Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park.
Interesting not solely from a plot standpoint, but also as a window into the then contemporary views on the Dinosauria family: who mostly come across as slow and dull-witted compared to more recent interpretations, such as those in Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park.
branomir's review against another edition
4.0
A fun classic adventure story from time when the world map was rapidly being filled and our knowlegde took great strides. Well written and fun to read. Some parts are rather heavily dated though. The facts about the prehistoric animals have long since been disproven, indeed the idea that a therapod dinosaur "hopped along like a kangaroo" nearly gave me a laughing fit. Still it is impressive how varried Conan Doyle made his Lost world with such a great abundance of species that once roamed this earth. He certainly did his research. The book, unfortunately, also suffers from the "superior white male" syndrome of that time. Any character that isn't a white male is depicted as lesser. A lot of it would be considered racist and/or sexist by today's standards. I was able to put it all into perspective and context, however, I'm well aware that that is quite easy for me as I am myself a white male and therefore did not have to suffer under the stereotypes. The characters themselves are also great fun and form a nice little contrast. I know I say "fun" a lot but it is by far the best way to describe this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
gilexia's review against another edition
adventurous
3.5
I have to say, the beginning was a bit boring for me, but I started to like the book when they were in South America. From that point on it was rather adventurous. I then enjoyed listening to this book. The narrator also did a really good job and I really loved his voice. It was perfect for this book!
krste93's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lottiehardy's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
rwarn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lwb's review against another edition
4.0
Edwardian natural history fantasy in the proper British explorer mode, hard not to like. Particularly enjoyed Professor Challenger's pomposity and acerbic tongue - reminded me of one of my former colleagues.