Set in the Dutch East Indies in 1900, Joseph Conrad’s last major novel, Victory, tells the story of Axel Heyst, a European who has retreated to the island of Samburan following a business misadventure. Heyst’s aim to live a solitary existence is cut short when he meets an enchanting English violinist named Lena and brings her back to his island, rescuing her from her predatory patron Schomberg. Together they create a haven and Lena reawakens Heyst’s passion for life, but the world soon breaks in on them as Schomberg exacts his revenge.
