Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Stranger

Ooh, this is not my thing. Maybe my view of this is tinted since it was also a school assignment, but, while I found the concept interesting, I feel like it was lost on me about halfway through when the thing happens. I think the messaging could've been stronger if it hadn't, as it almost devalues the story (where, granted, not a lot is happening beforehand) and the main character. I just... I don't know. Meursault is a unique protagonist, and I enjoyed it for a little while, but the narration got flat after a certain amount of time. And then the story fell flat on its face. Lol

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honeyvoiced's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced

Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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house_of_hannah's review against another edition

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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

3.5

I appreciate how simply this is written. It suited the main character's train of thought, and how surface level he is. However, Meursault is quite a boring person. I read several analyses of this novella, and all of them discuss how Meursault lives an absurdist life, yet he goes along with what the people around him are doing, which feels like a mask to appear more "normal". I don't believe his friends and girlfriend would have liked him as much if he didn't follow along their every whim like he did. To me he just seemed like a detached person who is simply floating through life.

The court room scene....I could not stand how much his mother was brought up here. Putting her somewhere she can be happy is bad ? Wtf ? Apparently people aren't allowed to grieve differently either. Since he wasn't crying he was obviously planning murder instead, right !? It was such a stretch, and really reminded me how in high profile true crime cases pictures of the suspect at the funeral of the victim(s) are always analyzed to death. I know this scene was supposed to be a bit ridiculous, but man did it get me.

I feel like this absurdism that everyone is talking about truly shows up in the second half of the story during the trial. The prosecutor has a certain view of Meursault, and then forces the narrative to support it. This is something that happens in real cases all the time, and is how innocent people end up incarcerated, so it actually felt quite "true to life". However, the difference here is that Meursault is guilty regardless, and it's more his character that is being judged than anything.

I think this second half is where the story really shines. Being judged on the perception of who you are, without being able to defend yourself, is terrifying. Meursault's indifference to the world ended up being his downfall, with the one instance of him acting on his own being the trigger. I know Philosphy is the main subject brought up in discussions of this book, but I'm more interested in the Psychology.

After finishing this novella I went down the Wikipedia rabbit hole about the Algerian War, and learned more about the dark side of French history. I definitely thank this book for that, as it's not a subject I really knew anything about. Overall, I did enjoy reading this story, but I feel I'm just not intellectual enough to truly understand it.

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jayisreading's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced

3.25

Way back in high school, someone recommended that I read The Stranger for whatever reason. Well, I finally got around to it... over a decade later. As they say, better late than never, right? (Funnily enough, that person will never know that I finally did read it since we’re no longer in touch.)

This is a deceptively simple book, but the absurdist perspective makes it that there’s a lot to think about and analyze. I also imagine people have analyzed this book with colonialism in mind, considering the French presence in Algeria, and I thought it made for an interesting complication in the story. I don’t know if that was Camus’ intention or not, but it was nevertheless something that crossed my mind as I was reading.

Now, when it comes to reading this for pleasure, it’s hard to say this is a gripping novel, or maybe that’s just me. I found the second section interesting, even humorous for a bit, considering the absurdist approach to the trial. Plus, that ending was really thought-provoking, which I suppose is appropriate for Camus. Did it leave me with things to contemplate? Sure. Did I enjoy it? Not really. Would I visit this book again? Possibly, if I’m honest. I certainly will look at Camus’ other works, since absurdism is something that intrigues me.

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draven_deathcrush's review against another edition

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challenging dark fast-paced

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

2.0

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tlycomfort's review against another edition

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dark slow-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

2.0

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marissasa's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

The Stranger is absurd in every sense of Camus' philosophy, and it shows more and more as the story progresses and the main character Meursault is emotionally and mentally unaffected by the things happening around him.

He is not in grief at his mother's passing and funeral, he is unphased by the violence he witnesses around him, he has no sense of moral good and bad as he agrees to help Raymond, he physically desires Marie but is indifferent in feelings for her and the idea of marrying her, and he is unaffected and not remorseful at all after he ultimately kills a man, goes to prison, and stands trial.

This book is blunt and to the point in its message that there is no value in the pursuit of finding meaning in human existence, and that the inevitability for all is death.

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jana16's review against another edition

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dark 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

2.75

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