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tanyabc 's review for:
A Princess of Mars
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Written in 1912 and centered around a Confederate soldier, this book has some problematic elements you have to overlook to enjoy it. John Carter, through unexplained magic / science, finds himself on Mars and immediately begins describing his disgust with the appearance and customs of the green martians he encounters. For the rest of the novel, we see an insta-love story play out and John Carter play the role of white savior for the entire planet of Mars (Barsoom).
All that being said, it's just a pulp fiction romp. There's enough plot to keep it entertaining and I especially loved the subplot of Tars Tarkas and Sola, two green martians. It's disappointing, but not at all surprising, that this subplot was removed from some editions, since it gives humanity to the "savage race." Princess of Mars is actually a great example of how minority races have been viewed in the past and present. The green martians are labeled ugly savage brutes and the red female martians of Helium are fetishized. The women are valued by how well they take care of their men and how beautiful they are. Typical sexist and racist shit you'd expect from a book written in 1912.
All that being said, it's just a pulp fiction romp. There's enough plot to keep it entertaining and I especially loved the subplot of Tars Tarkas and Sola, two green martians. It's disappointing, but not at all surprising, that this subplot was removed from some editions, since it gives humanity to the "savage race." Princess of Mars is actually a great example of how minority races have been viewed in the past and present. The green martians are labeled ugly savage brutes and the red female martians of Helium are fetishized. The women are valued by how well they take care of their men and how beautiful they are. Typical sexist and racist shit you'd expect from a book written in 1912.