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wjtalbert's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
toffishay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The book is explicit that in a situation like this, there are no heroes. There are people hurting and healing and hurting all over again. Life is both paused and unending in a time of isolation and confinement. While not being heroes, the names characters that we do follow help connect with the world and give you something to hold onto in the midst of a huge collective event. Dr. Rieux especially won't get out of my head, but all of the characters are complex and layered. Through their inner thoughts and especially through their interactions with each other and their community, you see the tiny ways that people seek control, connection, or commiseration in the midst of death where everything, even the next day is uncertain.
What I have come to like about Camus, that I think could turn people away or be very polarizing, is that he offers a very particular brand of hope. His books, this one included, have a theme of the necessity of human hope. We are looking for distractions, but that can only get us so far and often alienate us from our true selves. Hope offers a window for something new and encourages you to fight for what matters, but hope doesn't always mean that things will be better. There will be pain again. There will be death again. All we can do is work through it and find what's worth fighting for.
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and War
kibiiiariii's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
mary_juleyre's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide attempt
rld1727's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail