Nika's review of Typhoon (original) (raw)

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Nika's Reviews > Typhoon

Typhoon by Joseph Conrad

Typhoon
by

76203549

Rumour has it that musicians on the Titanic kept playing until the very end. I must confess that there were moments when I wanted some fairy musicians to start playing on the Nan-Shan - the steamer sailing the China seas [sic] during the season of typhoons. Alas, the vicious howls of the wind were the only sound that was available on this literary journey.
The ship has been assaulted by a powerful storm. The wind intensifies, the position of the Nan-Shan and its crew becomes more and more dangerous. Some passengers seem to be more affected by the terrible storm than others. Hope, however, remains for the people and for the ship.

The story follows two very different men - captain MacWhirr and his mate Mr. Jukes. The first man is in charge of the ship. Not only his courage and tenacity are tested to the limit by the forces of nature, but also his ability to empathize with others. MacWhirr may be seen as a lone wolf who needs no one around him, but it turns out that our captain is someone not easy to penetrate. He speaks little, lacks imagination, and understands everything literally. At the same time, he loves his family and misses them a lot while overseas. He finds solace in writing long letters to his wife who is safe and sound on the land.
Mr. Jukes gives the impression of being a lively and quick-witted person.

Joseph Conrad’s own experience as a seaman led to his creation of this story. The author did a good job reviving the typhoon and the ship going through this ordeal. Those who like maritime adventure stories would probably find it engaging.
However, I did not root for any of the characters. Perhaps the most evocative moment for me was when Mrs. MacWhirr was reading her husband's letter.

She [Mrs. MacWhir] reclined in a plush-bottomed and gilt hammock-chair near a tiled fireplace, with Japanese fans on the mantel and a glow of coals in the grate. Lifting her hands, she glanced wearily here and there into the many pages. It was not her fault they were so prosy, so completely uninteresting—from “My darling wife” at the beginning, to “Your loving husband” at the end. She couldn't be really expected to understand all these ship affairs. She was glad, of course, to hear from him, but she had never asked herself why, precisely. “. . . They are called typhoons . . . The mate did not seem to like it . . . Not in books . . . Couldn't think of letting it go on. . . .” The paper rustled sharply. “. . . . A calm that lasted more than twenty minutes,” she read perfunctorily; and the next words her thoughtless eyes caught, on the top of another page, were: “see you and the children again. . . .” She had a movement of impatience. He was always thinking of coming home.

These lines somewhat resonated with me. I found the descriptions evocative but slightly long-winded.

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Reading Progress

March 14, 2022 – Shelved as:to-read

March 28, 2022 –Started Reading

March 30, 2022 – Shelved as:fiction

March 31, 2022 –Finished Reading

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