Scan barcode
cafeina_eborea's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Sobre um cara que só foi sentir alguma coisa quando se aproximou de um padre e da morte.
foxsphere22_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
alyssatuininga's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
theorygirl_ftw's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
mymiddlename123's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't read too many books about philosophies on life but I've always kind of found it to be an interesting subject because there's really no right answer and everyone's answer is different.
For Meursault life is kind of hopeless. He seems pretty indifferent to the emotional aspects of life but on the other end of the spectrum he is almost hypersensitive when it comes to his senses and the physical things around him: the feel of the sun, the sounds of voices, the minute details of his room, the feel of the water, etc, etc.
On the surface he may seem like he's existing rather than living, but in other ways I think he experiences life in a purer sense than most people who let their emotions rule their life. At many times even before his imminent death he says "it doesn't matter": to a job promotion, to being pals with Raymond, to marrying Marie, etc. But I don't think he says this because he doesn't care, I think he just doesn't see these things as really effecting the end game: that we're all simply waiting for death, some of us just get there sooner than others.
In relation to the return on the investment for our time living: death in 100% of the cases.
Throughout the whole book Meursault's view on life is simply that it doesn't matter. Most of us don't matter and when we're dead we don't effect the living anymore. It's kind of a sad and depressing view on life, but there you have it.
I have to wonder, though, if this hopeless view on life is perhaps a fairly new prospect for him and maybe he is mourning his Maman a lot more than he lets on. We never see how Meursault was before his mother dies since that's how the book opens up. So it makes me curious if his "it doesn't really matter" view is really a result of emotions stirring inside him about his mother dying that he can't really puzzle together. Death always becomes a little more real and terrifying when someone close to you dies and it hits close to home.
While Meursault's view on life is perhaps very sad, it's also kind of true. None of what we do really matters because the future of everyone on the planet is the same no matter how we get there. I personally like to take the point of view that life is short and it's worth experiencing as much as possible within the short time we're here. But hey, to each his own.
Depressing or not, this was a really interesting read. I know it's been translated so I'm not sure if other translations are better or worse, but the one I read was translated by Matthew Ward and I really enjoyed it.
For Meursault life is kind of hopeless. He seems pretty indifferent to the emotional aspects of life but on the other end of the spectrum he is almost hypersensitive when it comes to his senses and the physical things around him: the feel of the sun, the sounds of voices, the minute details of his room, the feel of the water, etc, etc.
On the surface he may seem like he's existing rather than living, but in other ways I think he experiences life in a purer sense than most people who let their emotions rule their life. At many times even before his imminent death he says "it doesn't matter": to a job promotion, to being pals with Raymond, to marrying Marie, etc. But I don't think he says this because he doesn't care, I think he just doesn't see these things as really effecting the end game: that we're all simply waiting for death, some of us just get there sooner than others.
"But everybody knows life isn't worth living."
In relation to the return on the investment for our time living: death in 100% of the cases.
"Since we're all going to die, it's obvious that when and how don't matter."
Throughout the whole book Meursault's view on life is simply that it doesn't matter. Most of us don't matter and when we're dead we don't effect the living anymore. It's kind of a sad and depressing view on life, but there you have it.
I have to wonder, though, if this hopeless view on life is perhaps a fairly new prospect for him and maybe he is mourning his Maman a lot more than he lets on. We never see how Meursault was before his mother dies since that's how the book opens up. So it makes me curious if his "it doesn't really matter" view is really a result of emotions stirring inside him about his mother dying that he can't really puzzle together. Death always becomes a little more real and terrifying when someone close to you dies and it hits close to home.
While Meursault's view on life is perhaps very sad, it's also kind of true. None of what we do really matters because the future of everyone on the planet is the same no matter how we get there. I personally like to take the point of view that life is short and it's worth experiencing as much as possible within the short time we're here. But hey, to each his own.
Depressing or not, this was a really interesting read. I know it's been translated so I'm not sure if other translations are better or worse, but the one I read was translated by Matthew Ward and I really enjoyed it.
dodobees's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mintomillk's review against another edition
5.0
a breathtaking, quick read with boundless depth and an entire philosophical undertaking. there's nothing i could say about this classic that hasn't been said in much better detail and analysis by trained others, though by adding my own personal thoughts i hope to impress just how much i love Camus into this review.
i held off on reading Camus' most famous work throughout the entirety of my undergrad in philosophy, perhaps thinking that i knew so much about Absurdism already that it would be meaningless to read a metaphorical exploration of the concept. oh, how wrong i was -- Mersault is a fascinating character, and i had to reread the last few pages multiple times due to the sheer depth and questioning behind a few simple sentences. all throughout the entire book you have the faint idea that Camus is joking with his reader to not take any of the events so seriously with Mersault's apathy, yet that same impassionate exploration of the story's events drive one to intense seriousness. all at once, Camus impresses upon you the importance of finding meaning and also realise the fundamental lack of meaning behind anything that we do. an absolutely gorgeous book worth rereading many, many times.
i held off on reading Camus' most famous work throughout the entirety of my undergrad in philosophy, perhaps thinking that i knew so much about Absurdism already that it would be meaningless to read a metaphorical exploration of the concept. oh, how wrong i was -- Mersault is a fascinating character, and i had to reread the last few pages multiple times due to the sheer depth and questioning behind a few simple sentences. all throughout the entire book you have the faint idea that Camus is joking with his reader to not take any of the events so seriously with Mersault's apathy, yet that same impassionate exploration of the story's events drive one to intense seriousness. all at once, Camus impresses upon you the importance of finding meaning and also realise the fundamental lack of meaning behind anything that we do. an absolutely gorgeous book worth rereading many, many times.
racheldare14's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
pillarofmyth's review against another edition
3.75
"(...) j'ai tenté de lui expliquer une dernière fois qu'il me restait peu de temps. Je ne voulais pas le perdre avec Dieu."
à la fois très beau et complètement absurde.
✯
"I had only a little time left and I didn't want to waste it on God."
beautiful, thought-provoking, and completely absurd.
à la fois très beau et complètement absurde.
✯
"I had only a little time left and I didn't want to waste it on God."
beautiful, thought-provoking, and completely absurd.
anyisreading's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0