Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

El Extranjero by Albert Camus

35 reviews

lillelow's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

froon's review against another edition

3.0

the first half of this book is a slog… but the second half is spectacular! in “part one” all i could wonder about was how this book has such high praise, but once “part two” begins, camus’ wit and philosophical ponderings really shine. however, to me, that didn’t justify or lift up the previous section for me to give it a higher rating. the paratext (i.e., introduction and translator note) does a lot of the work to explain why they first half is like that, but it still didn’t resonate with me like the second half did.

overall, this was a relatively interesting book. you could even say it was, a bit, kafkaesque :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Murder

Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia

ksmith_23's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Mental illness, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

ritona's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Murder

jessica_rva's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Misogyny

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Racism, and Sexism

kajasversion's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective fast-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

4.0

I really enjoyed it, I thought it was a perfect reflection of Camus’ philosophy. It’s definitely a book that makes you think after you’ve finished and I was able to connect with the views of the main character. Over sll i liked it a lot, I found it to be very entertaining and accessible. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent

desiderium_incarnate's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

3.0

"Well, so I'm going to die." Sooner than other people will, obviously. But everybody knows life isn't worth living. Deep down I knew perfectly well that it doesn't much matter whether you die at thirty or at seventy, since in either case other men and women will naturally go on living - and for thousands of years. In fact, nothing could be clearer. 

This book is really easy to read, which was the reason it got even 3 stars from me. I don't know why it won a Nobel Prize in Literature to be perfectly honest. Because basically these are the main points of the story: 

• Meursaults mom dies
• He has/shows nearly no emotions during the whole book which makes it pretty boring character wise 
• He is convinced nothing matters (out of a very egoistical reasoning it seems) 
• Because of this he has no trouble making friends with pretty unkind, mysoginistic people and partly supports them in hurting others
• Then he gets a sunstroke and shoots someone
• He is tried and found guilty and will be beheaded

I just think that if nothing matters, or at least things only matter if you attribute them meaning, why do you choose to be a dick? Kindness and empathy are real, other people have feelings, why not choose to be kind? I expected to read a different, absurdist take on 'Life is meaningless' but once again I only found sexist, racist and violent men being nihilistic. Great! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

happyknitter2020's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship

izzyreading's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Xenophobia and Grief

biljnavjestica's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Murder, and Classism