Booknote: Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

Peter Kuper, Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. New York: W.W. Norton, 2020. ISBN: 9780393635645.

Genre: fiction
Subgenre: graphic novels, adaptation
Format: hardback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library 

This is a graphic novel adaptation of Conrad's short novel. The volume includes a foreword by Maya Jasanoff that provides a bit of context on Conrad's novel and why the novel remains significant. The volume also includes an artist statement by Peter Kuper, who did this adaptation, where he discusses how he created the art and provides some insights on his craft.

The adaptation itself is very good. The art captures the spirit and setting well. It balances text and image well to tell the story. I read Conrad's novel years ago, and I admit I had parts I did not get. Reading this adaptation helped me understand the story and narrative better. It may be an easier read due to the graphic novel format, but the adaptation captures the complexities of the source material. For me, this adaptation does make the novel more accessible. For reluctant readers, this graphic novel can be a good option.

Overall, I really liked it.

4 out of 5 stars.