Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

A steamboat captain named Marlow travels deep into the Congo River to find Kurtz, a legendary ivory trader who has become a godlike figure among the locals. As Marlow witnesses the horrors of colonial exploitation, he confronts the darkness within men and empires. The plot is framed as a voyage both outward and inward. A haunting and atmospheric story about power, corruption, and the human soul. A landmark in modern literature and political critique.