Reviews with content warning for Racism - Heart of Darkness

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

208 reviews

morrisimo's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

An interesting read. This was assigned reading for a history class but I was quite impressed. Conrad is a great writer in two ways. First, the way he writes is very well crafted, the words apt and intentional, and, despite the time jumps, the flow is masterfully handled. Second, he manages to cultivate a brilliant atmosphere, differing based on his intention but they connected all the way through.
Marlow is a sexist, and while he improves, He's also a racist and a white supremacist. Marlow's arc is eventually an anti-colonialist one, expressing a deep and genuine disgust over what has transpired on the continent of Africa, however one cannot deny the racist overtures. On my part, I feel that Marlow is simply a great unreliable narrator. His perspective is our only insight into the events of the story, and that insight is flawed and certainly inaccurate at points and laden with narcissistic interest. And I love that. Unreliable narrators as so interesting to me, I just enjoy trying to unpack and examine a character's flawed portrayal of events.
The events themselves are somewhat inconsequential. The whole plot is boating up a river, stopping at a place and possibly talking to an interesting character, and continuing boating. It is much more about trying to put you in Marlow's shoes, how he felt, what his headspace was. In that regard I think it succeeds.
Overall a great little novella. Very atmospheric and dark, an intriguing and enjoyable read.

Content Warnings

vonlipwig's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

gxsobes's review against another edition

3.25

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

bweeb's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

As a required reading I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this book, I wasn't amazed by it but I didn't hate it. As an early modernist novel (which is the reason I'm reading it), I can see how it was largely influential and challenged the status quo and normal way of reasoning - there are however (as you would know if you have read it) some large flaws to say the least. Of course, racism is overt, prevalent, etc etc. and the dehumanisation of the African is frequent also. Not really sure how to feel about this book tbh.
It basically explores how imperialist ways were more or less an excuse for slavery - simply using "bettering the unstructured and uncivilised societies" as a guise for their mistreatment of African peoples and their disrespect for their land and culture.

Content Warnings