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oinkopig21's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is the best book I’ve ever read
madshs's review against another edition
4.0
"To stay or to go, it amounted to the same thing."
Mest kjent for fokuset på absurdismen, men kanskje enda viktigere er hvordan Camus vurderer konsekvensene av å ikke oppføre seg etter samfunnets verdier og normer.
jimenilla's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
“One never changed his way of life; one life was as good as another, and my present one suited me quite well.”
“One never changed his way of life; one life was as good as another, and my present one suited me quite well.”
silentlysings's review against another edition
4.0
« Comme si cette grande colère m’avait purgé du mal, vidé d’espoir, devant cette nuit chargée de signes et d’étoiles, je m’ouvrais pour la première fois à la tendre indifférence du monde. De l’éprouver si pareil à moi, si fraternel enfin, j’ai senti que j’avais été heureux, et que je l’étais encore »
✨️ Life is meaningless and absurdity is everywhere✨️
Also I think viewing Meursault as neurodivergent (let's be honest, he ticks a lot of boxes) gives the novel an additional, interesting lens, not that it excuses what he did, obviously.
✨️ Life is meaningless and absurdity is everywhere✨️
Also I think viewing Meursault as neurodivergent (let's be honest, he ticks a lot of boxes) gives the novel an additional, interesting lens, not that it excuses what he did, obviously.
cslanzi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
munizog's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bookslayer99's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 3.5/5 stars. 3 stars would discredit this book.
The Stranger is a novel that challenged me with its portrayal of a protagonist, Meursault, who is detached from life in a way that feels both unsettling and intriguing. While Meursault often seems indifferent to major life events—his mother’s death, committing a murder—he inconsistently finds joy in small, almost trivial things, like the smell of Marie’s perfume on his pillow or the satisfaction of smoking a cigarette.
The novel’s brevity and Meursault’s simplified character serve the philosophical point Camus is making about absurdism, but they also create a portrayal that might seem exaggerated. Meursault feels more like a symbol of existential detachment than a fully fleshed-out character living in a historical context.
One of the aspects I appreciated most about the novel is how it challenges society’s rigid expectations of how we should express emotions like grief. Meursault doesn’t fit into the neat boxes people try to place him in, and it’s clear that the judgment he faces is more about his failure to conform to these societal norms than the crime itself. His emotional detachment, while difficult to understand at times, serves as a reminder that people cope with life and loss in deeply personal ways.
Overall, I’d rate The Stranger 3.5 stars. It’s a compelling exploration of existential themes and societal judgment, and I find Meursault’s detachment intriguing. However, the portrayal of his character and the societal reactions to him feel somewhat unrealistic. Given the extreme nature of his detachment, it seems likely that someone exhibiting such behavior would have faced more scrutiny and judgment from society even before the crime he committed. This aspect affects how deeply the story resonates.
The Stranger is a novel that challenged me with its portrayal of a protagonist, Meursault, who is detached from life in a way that feels both unsettling and intriguing. While Meursault often seems indifferent to major life events—his mother’s death, committing a murder—he inconsistently finds joy in small, almost trivial things, like the smell of Marie’s perfume on his pillow or the satisfaction of smoking a cigarette.
The novel’s brevity and Meursault’s simplified character serve the philosophical point Camus is making about absurdism, but they also create a portrayal that might seem exaggerated. Meursault feels more like a symbol of existential detachment than a fully fleshed-out character living in a historical context.
One of the aspects I appreciated most about the novel is how it challenges society’s rigid expectations of how we should express emotions like grief. Meursault doesn’t fit into the neat boxes people try to place him in, and it’s clear that the judgment he faces is more about his failure to conform to these societal norms than the crime itself. His emotional detachment, while difficult to understand at times, serves as a reminder that people cope with life and loss in deeply personal ways.
Overall, I’d rate The Stranger 3.5 stars. It’s a compelling exploration of existential themes and societal judgment, and I find Meursault’s detachment intriguing. However, the portrayal of his character and the societal reactions to him feel somewhat unrealistic. Given the extreme nature of his detachment, it seems likely that someone exhibiting such behavior would have faced more scrutiny and judgment from society even before the crime he committed. This aspect affects how deeply the story resonates.
lydiamarie19's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
elomaros's review against another edition
5.0
De los favs
Creo que tengo un fetiche con el existencialismo literario...
OBLIGADO
Te quiero camiu, pronto toda su literatura completa!
Creo que tengo un fetiche con el existencialismo literario...
OBLIGADO
Te quiero camiu, pronto toda su literatura completa!
aaanna_'s review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5