Tuesday 1 March 2016

Heart of darkness by Joseph Conrad


Heart of darkness by Joseph Conrad

I've never written a negative book review but this was such a boring book. 110 pages of indigestible contents. I feel sorry for anyone having to read this for school or university- I bet I'll have to study it now. I just don't feel like anything happens. Anyway the only reason why I read it was because it was on the A2 reading list. However, I did finish it! I'm surprised as you are.

When I saw the title "A heart of darkness" I thought it would be about a society or people without the knowledge of love. Not at all. It seems like the book is all metaphors for greater ideas but I'm not convinced. Maybe if I had read it to study it, I would have been more interested. 

I don't know about you but I like short chapter that I can quickly flick through. Well guess how long these chapters were?! 45 pages! And it was small text on each page. Honestly. 

So basically, this guy called Marlow arrives on an island where there's loads of slaves. The language used to destine the slaves are shocking and I know they were 'more acceptable' then, it's still awkward to read. Marlow finds that his ship has sunk and that it will take a long time to repair. Once it's repaire they travel up the river in search of Kurtz who they're told is ill. They come across a hit with firewood and notes telling them to turn back. There is then a fog and they are attacked by natives. It runs out that the natives think of Kurtz as their God. He is bought on on a stretcher. They bring an ill Kurtz back onto the ship and onto the shore where his mistress (the first woman mentioned). Then Kurtz disappeared into the forest. There is a sense of urgent as his health is falling fast. Will Kurtz survive and will Marlow get back to Europe? 
 
I'll write soon about a better book!

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