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schwambibambi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I don't know, I didn't particularly enjoy this book. It was fine I guess but I'll probably forget it in a year.
Though I think this was the right time to read this book, you know since COVID is the a thing after 2 years. The growing apathy you developed over the months of lockdown and no social interaction was exactly how I felt these past years, so that was great. I hope our pandemic ends soon and we can have the kinds of reunion like the people of Oran had in the end. The fear that it'll come back stays though.
Though I think this was the right time to read this book, you know since COVID is the a thing after 2 years. The growing apathy you developed over the months of lockdown and no social interaction was exactly how I felt these past years, so that was great. I hope our pandemic ends soon and we can have the kinds of reunion like the people of Oran had in the end. The fear that it'll come back stays though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Animal death, Child death, and Blood
margztgz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Having read The Stranger last year, I was excited to pick up my third writing by Camus. However, I can't say I loved this novel as much. I greatly appreciate the absurd optimism (if it can be called that) in comparison to the emptiness that the stranger made me feel. It's like yes! Life is meaningless and any understanding of stability in your life is fragile. But hey, it's not so bad when people can love and suffer together.
I thought that his writing was very beautiful in some parts of this, and the descriptions of emotional distancing, degeneration, and plague that the citizens experienced is eerily similar to very real experiences of the pandemic. In fact, many of his descriptions were frighteningly specific and made me tear up. Most of the characters I was not very connected to which turns me off. But alas, this is Albert Camus. It is not about connection, it's about philosophy, damn it!
I thought that his writing was very beautiful in some parts of this, and the descriptions of emotional distancing, degeneration, and plague that the citizens experienced is eerily similar to very real experiences of the pandemic. In fact, many of his descriptions were frighteningly specific and made me tear up. Most of the characters I was not very connected to which turns me off. But alas, this is Albert Camus. It is not about connection, it's about philosophy, damn it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Grief
zickzackzachi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Es ist schon erschreckend die Parallelen zwischen der Pest Epidemie und der derzeitigen Covid-19 Pandemie festzustellen! in so vielen Dingen. Seuchen/Pandemien/Epidemien sind des Menschen ewigerer, schrecklicher Begleiter und kommt dann zum Vorschein, wenn es niemand erwartet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Blood
thevampiremars's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Reading The Plague in the midst of a pandemic is an odd experience. It’s hard to say whether it makes the story more impactful or less. The idea of a city going into lockdown isn’t particularly shocking to me now, but, at the same time, I can appreciate the accuracy of the depiction in a way I wouldn’t have been able to previously.
At the heart of the story is Camus’s absurdist philosophy. I’m not being hyperbolic when I say it has genuinely changed my life. I’ve often struggled with hopelessness and pessimism, so the insistence on fighting losing battles – on knowing you can’t fix the world but doing the best you can regardless – was something I took to heart. This philosophy most obviously manifests in the actions and beliefs of the protagonists (“Your victories will always be temporary, that’s all.” [...] “Always, I know that. But that is not a reason to give up the struggle.”) but there’s also something to be said about the way it intertwines with other themes. Take language, for instance. There is initially some debate over whether or not the plague should be called a plague, the citizens of Oran struggle to verbalise their anguish when the city is quarantined, and Grand is stuck writing and rewriting the first line of his novel. Words are not enough to accurately describe the human experience, but we try to communicate with them anyway. The irony of this message being conveyed through a work of literature does not escape me.
Speaking of language, my copy of The Plague features a sub-par translation, and I’m going to attribute the clunky sentence structure and wonky grammar to overly-literal translation from French to English. Nevertheless, Camus’s skill as a writer shines through. Something I picked up on was the way he set the mood through careful pacing. The book starts off slow and meandering when discussing the banality of life in Oran before the plague, then pivots to quick, urgent clauses when the plague strikes. It’s masterful.
There are some aspects of the book which deserve criticism (for example, women exist only in their relationships to men) but there’s also so much to love. I think this is the best novel I’ve ever read? I will definitely be checking out the rest of Camus’s work.
Hats off, gentlemen!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Colonisation
biblioseph's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Blood, and Medical content
Moderate: Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Confinement, Gun violence, and Violence
konfot's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Grief
spanishblue's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
More relevant than ever in times of Covid-19, it is surprising, interesting and even alarming/depressing how many of the issues that Camus imagined (personal, political, medical etc.) that we have also experienced with our own epidemic today, nearly 75 years later. Or, maybe human nature just doesn't change. Can't quite work out if the overall message at the end is optimistic, realistic or nihilistic - probably all three!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, and Medical content
Minor: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide