First published 1904
Giovanni Battista Fidanza, known as Nostromo, commands respect on the docks of Sulaco, a coastal town in the fictional republic of Costaguana. Silver from the San Tomé mine flows through this port, drawing foreign investors and fueling local ambitions. When civil war erupts, Nostromo finds himself caught between competing factions that threaten to destroy the fragile order he has helped maintain. The mine owner Charles Gould believes his enterprise will bring progress and stability to the region. His wife Emilia watches as the silver transforms her husband and their adopted country in ways she never anticipated. As violence spreads and loyalties shift, each character faces choices that reveal their true nature. The subtropical landscape witnesses betrayals and heroic acts in equal measure. Conrad examines how political upheaval creates opportunities for both nobility and corruption, showing how individuals respond when their world collapses around them.
Genres: fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, 19th-century, political-thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, thought-provoking
Tropes: corruption, nobility, political-intrigue
Setting: Costaguana, Sulaco
Period: 19th-century
489 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books Ltd
Content warnings: violence