Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad
Set in St. Petersburg and Geneva, the novel follows a young Russian student named Razumov who becomes embroiled in revolutionary politics after unwittingly helping a fellow student who has assassinated a high-ranking official. Struggling with his own beliefs and loyalties, Razumov is sent to Geneva as a spy, where he becomes entangled with the exiled revolutionaries, including a woman named Haldin. The novel explores themes of identity, betrayal, and the ideological divide between East and West.
The 1596th greatest book of all time
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This book is on the following lists:
- 7th on 100 Best Novels in English Since 1900 (Counterpunch)
- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (The Western Canon (Book) by Harold Bloom)
- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (The Guardian)