A review by alexagarcia
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

3.0

3.5/5 - My Professor suggested I read this book and I added it to my list immediately - and it was not what I was expecting. While it is impressive (and very beautifully written), if you can use such a word, that Conrad was openly anti-colonial/imperialist at the time of this novella’s publication in 1899, it is still very racist & continues to portray Africa as a dark continent, & further paving the way for Hugh Trevor Roper’s idea of Africa’s past being “unedifying gyrations of barbarous tribes in picturesque but irrelevant corners of the globe”. Not to mention how inhumanely the African people are portrayed. After a quick google search, I’m now adding Chinua Achebe’s criticism on this novella to my list to read as well.