I was unable to appreciate Nostromo as one should. Part of the reason was my state of mind lately and some of it is due to my poor ability to tune in to any narrative which develops into a swirling web of political intrigue. I was hounded by an unusual level of stress and worry while reading Nostromo (from other sources, not from the novel itself) and this led me to tread through its storyline as one of the Costaguana commoners might...living the day-to-day being hazily aware of the conflicts and the chess matches played by the big figures while never placing any of it within my direct line of sight.

My more detached approach was perhaps a reaction to my growing weariness toward Conrad's persistently disjointed storytelling...jumping around the timeline, changing narrators, and such like. It would work beautifully in a cinematic setting, I think, but it didn't suit my stylistic preferences in a novel (though some really love it and find it refreshing). The above reasons and considerations are why I have refrained from posting a rating for what many feel to be Joseph Conrad's greatest masterpiece.