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fishweb's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-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
4.75
god forbid a man have a hobby! (chronic idgafing)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Murder, and Racism
cristine's review against another edition
dark
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
I really hated everything about this book. If this is being considered existential then I have lost hope. This is just all around bad. The summary is this simple: a psychopath who has no ability to feel emotions of any kind including love or remorse kills someone. There is nothing existential about it. I’m really starting to hate “classics!”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Physical abuse
eedle_cacleberry's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, and Misogyny
Minor: Sexual content and Racism
emisbooks's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Murder
words_and_cups's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Murder
jennarebekah's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Violence, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Grief
hidelynch's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Murder
gracehourigan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
4.0
this is kind of like what talking to any man in his 20s is like these days
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
elvirareads's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“And I felt something stirring up the whole room; for the first time I realized that I was guilty”
**
“ But after all, is he being accused of burying his mother or of killing a man?”
**
“ But after all, is he being accused of burying his mother or of killing a man?”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
hannahyorkey's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder