Joseph Conrad's the Heart of Darkness and the Secret Sharer

by James Weiss

Book by Weiss, James

80 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1986

Reviews

[Jean Philippe Huet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a challenging read that, despite its fame, can be a struggle for many readers. 😬 While lauded for its deep dive into the darkness of colonialism and human nature, the novel’s prose is often dense and convoluted, making it difficult to stay engaged. The narrative, following the seaman Marlow up the Congo River, is laden with a kind of overwrought, dramatic tone that can feel alienating rather than immersive. Instead of a gripping tale of adventure, it often reads like a philosophical treatise on a bad trip. For those who prefer a more direct narrative style and find overly dramatic language draining, Heart of Darkness may not be an enjoyable or a particularly rewarding experience. It's a classic, sure, but not every classic is a good fit for every reader.