Reviews tagging 'Grief'

L'étranger by Albert Camus

28 reviews

ninatw's review against another edition

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dark funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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eedle_cacleberry's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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emisbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

i wasn't crazy about part 1 of this book. the writing style was very bland: "i did this. then i did that. then this happened." is how i can describe it. it was probably purposeful to reflect how monotonous life can get after a major death but it still made the first half quite unengaging.

i couldnt engage with mersault beyond the surface level traits of him being an outsider. what else was there to him? my favourite character was marie and she hardly had anything to her, she was just portrayed to be a very pleasant person and gave some life to the story

part 2 is far more compelling and entertaining. this book wasn't all that gripping until the last 2 chapters, which is a shame as it was getting good, then it was over. part 2 was where mersault finally felt compelling as a character and i began to emphathise and be affected by his emotions.

side note, i understand this book is a product of its time but the depiction of arab people as just "arabs" and nothing more felt a bit problematic? it felt as though camus used a whole group of people as blank slates to portray negative themes rather than actual individuals? 

my 3.5 star rating mostly reflects my enjoyment of part 2, writing and the side characters. would reccommend as a quick, accessible classic. this book would have been better if the writing style and suspense used in part 2 was spread evenly across the whole story.

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jennarebekah's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75


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ksmith_23's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0


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classical_learner's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Ew—humans and their nature. 
Good exploration of Nietzschean consequences for what it means to value. Interesting elements of Roman law, too (arguments from absence as well as philosophy external to the courtroom).  

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happyknitter2020's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Such a tragic little book. If only they had understand that he had autism he could have been supported. 

An isolated man's life...his mother dies, a girl wants to marry him within days, his neighbour abusing his dog, his friend beung abusive, violent and exploiting women & them the pressure of it all building in his head, his lack of understanding & the intens  sun, the heat...led him to shoot a gun & kill a man he had never met before on a beach. 

No wonder he didn't understand why...

Some of the sentences in the following chapters are stunning. The way his mind manages being in Prison, the Court proceedings & the sentence passed...utterly tragic, will stay with me for a long time.

Glad I have found Camus, will read more of his books.

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izzyreading's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Made me feel an intense sadness and hopelessness after i finished reading it.

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martin888's review against another edition

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dark inspiring reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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biljnavjestica's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I liked the story and writing style, but HATED the way he wrote about women so much it totally offed me off the book. I find the main character kind of annoying the same way I find Kerouac annoying. Seems like the kind of guy that wants everyone to KNOW how nonchalant and unbothered he is.

There’s a scene when he’s in trial and a witness woman comes in the room. The first thing he says is a description of her breasts and lips. I absolutely hated that.

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