Reviews

The Stranger by Albert Camus

mayaonpluto's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring reflective medium-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? Yes

5.0

carlaribeiro's review against another edition

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

3.5

yusra_jb's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

michaeldonald's review against another edition

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3.5

Turns out existentialism can be cool and straightforward, not stupid and obnoxious (looking at you Samuel Beckett).

gggiulia's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

kraghen21's review against another edition

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4.0

"I dag døde mor. Eller måske var det i går, jeg ved det ikke."

Genlæsning af en klassiker der gjorde stort indtryk på mig som teenager. Det var en af de første "ægte voksenbøger" jeg læste, og en af de bøger der udviklede mit forhold til litteratur som kunstform, og som noget der kan stimulere ens intellekt.

Mersault kan ikke huske hvor gammel hans mor er da hun dør. Han sidder igennem begravelsen impassiv, følelsesløs, ligeglad. Han tager på stranden og i biografen dagen efter. Han skyder en araber uden grund på stranden, da han får solen i øjnene. Han skyder ham igen 4 gange efter han er død. Han angrer ikke, han forsvarer sig ikke. Han bliver dømt til døden. Han venter.

Jeg kunne som 16-17-årig [så vidt jeg husker] relatere til Mersault. Jeg tror jeg følte mig forstået på en måde. Her var en karakter der var stoisk, rationel og ikke lod sig påvirke af massernes meninger og holdninger. En karakter der ikke troede på mening i tilværelsen, og en karakter der var indifferent overfor normer som er nonsensiske eller ikke betyder noget.

Jeg tror jeg allerede dengang vidste at Mersault er en filosofi i karakterform, og jeg fandt genkendelse i Camus's tro på at mening ikke dikterer universet eller tilværelsen.

Aspekter af det taler stadig til mig den dag i dag, men som litterært værk er Den Fremmede ikke lige så overvældende som dengang, hverken æstetisk eller intellektuelt.

Scenen hvor Mersault skyder araberen på stranden - scenen som hele værket er centreret omkring - er stadig en fantastisk scene. Suveærnt atmosfærisk beskrevet.

Sagen er at romanen aldrig bliver lige så interessant igen efter mordet er begået. Den kan ligesom kun gå i én retning, hvor Mersault søvngænger sig vej mod sin dødsdom. Det er fuldt ud logisk at bogen tager dette spor, men virkningen aftager lidt på en genlæsning mere end 10 år senere.

Skal læses af alle med en begyndende interesse for filosofi, jeg tror det er den rammer bedst og hårdest.

cheesey's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective 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

3.5

one4ale's review against another edition

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3.0

Even though it wasn't bad I can't shake the feeling that I should feel more about this book, but it was good.

I didn't really get it at first and I was ready to write it off as nihilist nothing but the ending wrapped it up and I get it's not about how nothing matters but about how our present lives matter. I liked that, it really turned me around on how I felt about the MC and his relationships. I also get why this is one of the existentialist works (even if Camus didn't agree). The book could've used a better representation of women, though.

The narrator was really good, especially during the final chapter.

tl;dr: Good book with an interesting message.

andyreadsfc's review against another edition

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

5.0

sophialovesbugs's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

3.0

Psychopaths and sociopaths are indeed strangers to society