A review by ed_moore
Oroonoko by Aphra Behn

challenging dark reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

This book was brutal. I think that may be the best word to describe it. Oroonoko was written in 1688 by the English writer Aphra Behn. Written in an age where British colonisation was prominent and the slave trade was ongoing, Behn writes condemning the institution of slavery, whereas not in the means that immediately you’d assume. She does not criticise the evil of the institution, instead his becoming enslaved lessens the prince Oroonoko’s nobility. This is where I note some substantial flaws in the book, firstly it’s context meaning the institution of slavery is not criticised and in some cases even justified, and secondly in regards to the protagonist of the story. Oroonoko is of nobility and depicted to have a much more comfortable experience than the ordinary slave throughout the majority of the story. Behn avoids the massive and unavoidable issues in her writing only putting emphasis on the nobility of one individual. I would also add this book is full of trigger warnings, notably the slave trade, inappropriate sexual relations and extreme violence.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings