i'm not exactly a fan of this, but i also am glad that i read it. it's really interesting to read classics and see how it shaped the genre, and i think APOM did that for me but probably not in a good way. as inventive as the world is, i was really just bowled over by the racist overtones. it's not like i didn't expect it — john carter is a literal confederate soldier and this is the same author who wrote tarzan — but i wasn't expecting it to be so overt about it lol. from john carter's snide remarks about the tharks's community/family structure, their noble savagery, and perceived brutality to the literal feathered headdresses of one tribe and the way dejah thoris is literally just the caricature of a beautiful naked native princess, it's hard to feel like this is a cool and unique alien species when it feels like burroughs just injected a bit of fantasy into native stereotypes. yes i know this was written like two hundred years ago and attitudes have changed; just personally this was the most glaring aspect of the story.

i was actually way more fascinated by the water canals. considering that burroughs was inspired by the theory of the day that mars had water canals on its surface, the idea that a species has been able to live off them is super fascinating. i would've loved to learn more about the canals and the structure of society outwith all the duels to the death for power, and also would've liked more exploration of the atmosphere plant. i had all but forgotten that it existed by the time the ending came around, which felt super left field. really? everyone just wanted to lay down and die EXCEPT john? it's giving white saviour the whole way thru x