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challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s an interesting piece to analyze, but it’s a really slow story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Colonisation, Classism
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Slavery
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Cannibalism
It just didn’t really click for me. This may be because I’m not a huge fan of older literature or because it was both rushed and too slow paced at the same time. Just not for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery
dark
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:
Complicated
Overall the anticipation of meeting Kurtz builds up an unsettling amount of mystery and suspense. I actually don't think the character in the book quite lives up to his reputation unlike in the film adaptation, Apocalypse Now. Nevertheless a good read and a fascinating anti-Colonial piece of literature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Colonisation
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I struggled with this book having had such high hopes for my first reading of Campbell’s fiction given his infamy as a storyteller and notoriety regarding the hero’s journey. The first thing I did was Google “Joseph Campbell Racist” & will definitely fall down the rabbit hole of various essays and articles on the topic of just how problematic this novel is. I understand the modern backlash and wrestled with my resistance throughout. All that being said… there is some beautiful writing in this novela and I think it’s important to read things that challenge you on occasion. In addition this was written in a very different time and I am grateful to live now instead.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism
Minor: Death, Slavery, Xenophobia, Colonisation
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I picked this audiobook up because it was one of the shortest one in my Mother's library. Kenneth Branagh is amazing, as is to be expected, but the contents weren't as enjoyable as his performance. Conrad's descriptions are captivating and definitely set the scene for the story, which was something I really enjoyed. But this book is still a product of it's time and uses a lot of racist language and is very colonialist in its messages. It might be an interesting study, but I wouldn't read it again or particularly recommend it to people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cannibalism
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I honestly only read this book because I have to for uni, and wasn't even sure I'd bother with a review.
And I won't give a good one, just say that this book had be almost fall asleep countless times and it's probably the most problematic book I've ever read. It's not worth it.
And I won't give a good one, just say that this book had be almost fall asleep countless times and it's probably the most problematic book I've ever read. It's not worth it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Misogyny, Terminal illness