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Incredible and deserving of its reputation
I knew this book by reputation for many years and thought that I knew the ending having studied A Handful of Dust for ‘A’ Level. It lived up to its reputation and I can imagine spending many hours thinking about it. It is beautiful and bleak. Full of existential horror and vivid detail. It conveys what I imagine it must have been like for the first Western European men to explore the heart of Africa. It uses language and expresses attitudes consistent wi ...more
I knew this book by reputation for many years and thought that I knew the ending having studied A Handful of Dust for ‘A’ Level. It lived up to its reputation and I can imagine spending many hours thinking about it. It is beautiful and bleak. Full of existential horror and vivid detail. It conveys what I imagine it must have been like for the first Western European men to explore the heart of Africa. It uses language and expresses attitudes consistent wi ...more
Conrad's life experiences create the frame for this graphic look at imperialism, cruelty, corruption, and moral dilema. That it was written in English, not his native language, makes this small gem more impressive. I think this must have been a scathing expose in 1899 and account for it's popularity and literary longevity.
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I wanted to love this book because it's one of my sister's favorites, but I didn't. I wasn't prepared for Conrad's writing style, which I found dry. I'll re-read it some day, give Conrad the benefit of the doubt. Once I was ready for his writing style, I really enjoyed his book The Secret Agent. 18/1,001
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Jan 24, 2011
themis
added it
Oct 26, 2018
Ashley
marked it as to-read
Dec 14, 2022
Sorobai
rated it
really liked it
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