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The Hidden Force

The Hidden Force

Author(s): Louis Couperus

Location(s): Java

Genre(s): Fiction

Era(s): End of 19th Century

Location

Content

A withering indictment of Dutch colonialism, Louis Couperus’s The Hidden Force is a vivid portrait of fin-de-siècle moral and social decay.

A mystical Javan prince and a promiscuous wife are twin challenges to Dutch Commissioner Van Oudijck’s seemingly impregnable authority. As he struggles to maintain control of his district and his family, ancient local traditions reassert their influence and colonial power begins to disintegrate. Set at the height of Dutch colonial rule in the East Indies, this classic of Dutch literature portrays the clash between Western rationalism and indigenous mysticism through an evocative and sensual narrative.

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Book Reviews

Lead Review

Atmospheric and memorable. A large dose of orientalism, but somewhat turned on its head, with the author clearly championing the mysticism of the east over the cold rationality of the west.

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