Marie

Set in a district of the Cape Colony, a British settlement in South Africa, young Allan Quatermain and Marie Marias meet when they share the same tutor. Though they quickly befriend each other, their friendship is frowned upon by Marie's father, since Marie is Dutch, and Allan is English. Despite her father's distain, Marie and Allan get closer as they grow. After Allan helps save Marie's life, their relationship becomes more passionate. In attempts to end their romance, Marie's father promises her hand in marriage to her cousin, Hernan Pereira. When Marie refuses, her father decides to move their family, participating in the Great Trek of 1836, in which a mass of Dutch South Africans migrated north to escape the influence of colonial Britain. However, as they travel into lands of unpredictable danger, the group runs low on supplies and is threatened by a group of aggressive natives. After Marie writes to Allan, concerned about this danger, he rushes to help save them. But as he follows in the footsteps on their long journey, Allan becomes concerned that he will not make it in time, and wonders if the group would even accept his help if he did. Marie by H. Rider Haggard has been regarded as a fan favorite of the author's work, praised for its exciting action and compelling romance. Featuring prominent events in African history, Marie provides a unique perspective and a plot loosely inspired by real events. Written with masterful prose, Marie is heart-wrenching, thrilling, and provides meaningful backstory of Allan Quatermain, the prolific star of many of Haggard's novels. First published in 1912, the action and romance of Marie has remained to be fresh and engrossing to a modern audience, simultaneously upholding the novelty of classic literature.