Just finished the Secret Sharer. It was ok, very psychologically focused and an interesting take on the Jungian idea of the shadow self or the double. Part of why I found this interesting was the subtle message was that if one can either let go of that self, or integrate him (I think Conrad left it open to interpretation) one will become better accepted by those around us. The question of course is at what price does that occur.

Heart of Darkness - This is a tough read. Reading the critique of it at the back made me feel more confident that I was correct and also bolstered my self-esteem as a reader. Conrad writes in a somewhat confusing style. For example the story is really the story of Kurtz told to Marlow who then tells it to his friends on a boat who then one of whom tells it to the reader. I'm not sure if this was an ode to spoken word but an interesting approach. Also, Conrad will omit many things so the leader is in some ways left in the dark.

As for the actual story, it is a narrative on the darkness inside of all of us. This is a story about the savagery of mankind, the kind that is falsely stated as savagery (a cultural tradition we don't understand) and the kind that is an internal aggression against others (imperialism). To fully appreciate this novel I believe I will have to read it again.