Take a photo of a barcode or cover
and_so_it_goes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Slavery, Violence, and Cannibalism
nopestrathomas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The writing reflects the inherent racism and dated views of a man at the turn of the 20th century. Not a single female character of note. The people of Africa featured in the piece are often referred to as savages or other slurs. That said, the book is well paced–slow, but that’s the point. It’s suppose to be a quagmire of perverse discovery. The writing itself is creative (the use of quotations, narration of Marlow, etc.). Worthwhile, and will leave you thinking about human nature as well as societal development since it's release. Potentially even, what comes in the future and what views we hold today as commonplace that those 120 years from now will rightfully categorize as backwards.
I’d recommend the 1997 Modern Library Edition with a forward by Adam Hochschild. Hochschild is the author of the fabulously written nonfiction account of the Belgian Congo, King Leopold’s Ghost, and rightfully calls out Conrad's failings while placing the piece in important modern context. Additionally, it includes robust endnotes which add further context and food for thought.
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Genocide, Racial slurs, and Colonisation
As mentioned: this was written at a time of astounding inequality. So much so that even the contemporaneous voices—such as that of Konrad's—freely use racial slurs as standard vocabulary.puckman30's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Slavery, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Cannibalism and Abandonment
bilbili's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Colonisation
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Mental illness and Cannibalism
hjb_128's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, Slavery, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Misogyny and Sexism
librarymouse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It's a slow paced book, but time moves quickly for the characters.
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Cannibalism
cinderellalovesbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism
saraaaa's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I liked that the reader is constantly reminded that the story is being told by a specific character with specific views on life, and therefore is only one of many different perspectives on the narrated events.
Conrad paints the colonial environment and the Congolese forest as engulfed in a haunting, menacing spell that gives an air of magic realism to the novella – when it did not have the tones of exoticism, it painted a beautiful picture.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Gun violence and Blood
Minor: Animal cruelty, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Cannibalism, and Alcohol
jade_smith's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Genocide, Misogyny, and Cannibalism
oliviatheron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Colonisation