This was a solid read but definitely not as good as the first book. I liked the “good guy” characters overall better in this book, and I especially loved Sara Harding!! The plot line of the Biosyn “bad guys” coming to the island was also interesting and had a satisfying ending. I didn’t like how philosophical/lectury this book was; it was even worse than the last book, with less direction/purpose in the musings.l for the overall plot. The sense of dread/foreboding was not there either for much of the book, though there were some thrilling moments. The mysteries behind the dinosaurs on this other island were all linked together but the answers to the behavioral questions presented were not very satisfying because they were superficial. This felt like it was written to please the screenwriters and not because Crichton felt inspired.

After I read Jurassic Park for the first time, back in 2020, a good friend lent me the sequel. Now, after only a year and three months, I have finished it and can return it! The Lost World has the same dinosaur related mayhem as the first with a slightly different premise.

- Crichton is great at building suspense. The plot starts slow, building with snippets, until the action starts happening. Then things really take off and you are thrown straight into the action. 

- There were some inconsistencies between this book and the first including quite a major one which did annoy me. Also some of the plot events seemed a little too convenient and there just to advance the story.

- The dinosaurs and the wonder and terror they inspire was excellent though not quite as much as the original book. Who doesn't love raptors?

- The ending felt rushed and abrupt, like the author got bored and just wanted to be finished. A little more effort and it would have been brilliant. 

If you enjoyed Jurassic Park then The Lost World is a worthwhile sequel and enjoyable in its own right. Whilst not totally on par with the original, it engages the reader well and provides the dinosaur related issues one would expect.