Review: The African Queen, The Novel…

I must confess, I preferred the movie over the book.

In many cases, I read the book before I watch the film, but since the movie was chosen by my Weekly Movie Club—a bunch of college buddies and I get on Zoom every Sunday evening to discuss movies and other bull%#@t—decided on viewing the film, I did so, and decided to read the novel afterwards. 

And I didn’t think I would be so indifferent at first. Usually, I’m a bigger fan of the source material than I am of an adaptation. But the novel, The African Queen, by C.S. Forester, just didn’t move me as well as the film did. 

It wasn't about the distinctions between the two. It wasn't the simplification of the original characters for better consumption by Hollywood audiences; it wasn't the alteration of the ending, nor was it the varying timelines of the romance between the two lead characters.

Admittedly, the star power of the film was one of the first things that made the story so appealing to me. Humphrey Bogart—despite his outright refusal to use a Cockney accent—can do no wrong, and Katherine Hepburn—portraying Rose as much, much meeker—absolutely sizzle on screen. Although their relationship starts way earlier in the novel, I didn’t detect their chemistry in Forester’s prose, despite his long descriptive paragraphs about their feelings. When reading the book, I instantly imagined Bogart and Hepburn as Charlie and Rose. 

I expected the resolution of the book to be more realistic, and it was. But I still don’t care. That the mission Rose had persuaded Charlie into helping her with, and the outright failure as a result—the goal here is truly unrealistic, but not as such for Hollywood—should have rang more authentic for me as the reader. It did not. 

There came a point when I considered abandoning this book, but I don’t quit so easily. I mean, I could simply look up the differences between the two media online, which I did, and just be done with it. No. I trudged along, finishing the 48th book for 2026. My To Be Read List is over 800 titles deep, and still growing. 

I do not recommend this book. Watch the movie instead. You’ll have a better time of it.