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jackroche's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The foreboding atmosphere I’d hoped for; Heart of Darkness just moved up on my list. I feel like he’s mostly discussed in modern times to argue over whether or not he’s racist, and, well yeah at least a little bit, but he’s clearly much more critical of the hypocrisy of “civilization”. Misanthropic literature like this has to pick between “deep down all men are violent” and “deep down all men are cowards”, but this blends the two in a way that is much more honest and haunting.
uhambe_nami's review against another edition
5.0
Conrad considered it his best tale, and I can see why. This short story of two white men posted in a remote trading station in Congo perfectly illustrates what kept Conrad - after his confrontation with the brutalities of colonialism - preoccupied for the rest of his life: the horror of how people who are left to their own devices lose their innocence and integrity, and slowly become agents of corruption, cruelty and madness.
suzandeniz's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
interlunar's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
floooodle's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Comparisons to Gatsby:
Plot similarities: Kayerts shoots Carlier like Wilson shoots Gatsby. Kayerts then kills himself like Wilson. Only thing missing is Wilson shot Gatsby for 'killing Myrtle' whereas Kayerts shot Carlier because he wanted sugar.
Other similarities see annotations in book (less important)
graceemreads's review against another edition
2.0
I found this one difficult to rate as I don't often read short stories. I appreciated the writing and the themes this story represented. However, I wouldn't read this again out of choice and I don't think it's particularly memorable. I'm glad I read it as I haven't read anything like it before but for me this was only 'ok'.
esirasinari's review against another edition
5.0
The title sets an expectation, about to be utterly and ironically subverted. Two white men – lazy and incompetent – and a black man, who manipulates their actions like a skillful puppeteer. Akin to the psychological and dark atmosphere of The Yellow Wallpaper, this short story is just as impactful. Its message is loud and clear: colonialism is vile. There is no better race, no better culture. We are all corrupt, killing to achieve our own selfish needs.