She

The eponymous She is an immortal being living in a remote region of Africa who changes men into brutish monsters. In her attempt to conquer the world, she must contend with Leo Vincey, a young man who has set out to find the fabled realm of Kôr, the home of She.

Haggard drew inspiration for “She” from the ancient Greek story of Circe, although he took a decidedly feminist stance and turned his version into a cautionary tale about womanhood. Still, the book's anti-feminist undercurrents were not lost on contemporary readers and critics, one of whom observed: “It is unfortunate that Mr. Rider Haggard has yet to learn that masculine brains need purge themselves of all taint of prejudice before they can write with power or effect about women.

Although it is one of his lesser-known works today, Haggard's romantic novel “She” has been popular since its publication more than 100 years ago and enjoys continued popularity among aficionados of fantasy and horror fiction. Originally serialized in The Graphic magazine from December 1886 to March 1887 before being published as a full-length work in June 1887, it was later adapted to film by three different directors between 1925 and 1955.