Scan barcode
classical_learner's review against another edition
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).
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).
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Grief
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Murder, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Grief, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Violence
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexism, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, Confinement, and Gun violence
Minor: Xenophobia and Grief
martin888's review
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse
Minor: 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.
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.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Classism, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Misogyny, and Sexism
bessadams's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
ryuutsu's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I honestly don't know what to make of this book. As a big fan of Camus' absurdism philosophy, I was really interested in what this book might be like. My conclusion is that this might be one of the strangest things I've read, but in a way oddly human because of it. I can't decide if I loved it or hated it, therefore leaving it at 3 stars. One thing is for sure though, it stuck in my mind and made me contemplate its implications and, especially, the lack thereof. Which might be exactly the point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Violence, Physical abuse, Death, and Grief
jkononova's review against another edition
reflective
medium-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
3.5
I found this book to be relatively underwhelming, relative to my high expectations sourcing from its status as a classic. While reading this story, I spent most of my time enjoying the prose while simultaneously wondering what all of the various details and descriptions were leading up to. Though I guess the sense of underwhelm and pointlessness may well be part of the described philosophy, so fair play to the author haha.
An angle I’ve found quite interesting is looking at this story through the lens of neurodivergence specifically. Meursault's continuous failure to conform to society’s expectations is a large part of why he is sentenced to death; the prosecutor’s claim that he was responsible for his mother’s death as well as the unrelated case of parricide was a wild one, and one that would’ve been entirely avoided if he had looked a bit sadder, chosen to see a sadder movie, and cried at the right times in front of the right people. While this man is called monstrous for a lack of this innate quality, these accusations are more a result of failing to engage in various social pretenses, and he was all in all not a menace to society outside of this one incident. Having just read East of Eden, I additionally found it interesting to consider Steinbeck’s perspective on Kate in contrast to society’s treatment of this story’s protagonist.
As an aside, I want to note that Camus' absurdist view on life likely isn't as revolutionary to me as when this work were first published; I feel like I've had too much exposure to this kind of philosophy at this point in my life to be truly changed or fascinated by it in the way I had anticipated, but others might find this to be a transformative read. Despite this not being a massive standout, the last few pages (the last two, in the edition I read) are marvelous, in my opinion, and I will be coming back to reread those specifically.
An angle I’ve found quite interesting is looking at this story through the lens of neurodivergence specifically. Meursault's continuous failure to conform to society’s expectations is a large part of why he is sentenced to death; the prosecutor’s claim that he was responsible for his mother’s death as well as the unrelated case of parricide was a wild one, and one that would’ve been entirely avoided if he had looked a bit sadder, chosen to see a sadder movie, and cried at the right times in front of the right people. While this man is called monstrous for a lack of this innate quality, these accusations are more a result of failing to engage in various social pretenses, and he was all in all not a menace to society outside of this one incident. Having just read East of Eden, I additionally found it interesting to consider Steinbeck’s perspective on Kate in contrast to society’s treatment of this story’s protagonist.
As an aside, I want to note that Camus' absurdist view on life likely isn't as revolutionary to me as when this work were first published; I feel like I've had too much exposure to this kind of philosophy at this point in my life to be truly changed or fascinated by it in the way I had anticipated, but others might find this to be a transformative read. Despite this not being a massive standout, the last few pages (the last two, in the edition I read) are marvelous, in my opinion, and I will be coming back to reread those specifically.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Animal cruelty
flying_saucers's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Xenophobia
melchior's review
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, and Confinement
Moderate: Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, Blood, Grief, Sexual assault, Gun violence, and Islamophobia