A review by en4
The Stranger by Albert Camus

dark reflective tense medium-paced

3.5

my review contains spoilers. 

i had went in with quite high expectations – ultimately, i had expected this to be a good read. i've heard such good things about the author as well as their works, so that really set my standards to where they were prior to reading.

the book, at first, was not the most interesting. yes, the first sentence did entice me – that was a big reason why i picked the book up in the first place, but after that, it seemed to be just about an adult male losing their mother. then things started to happen. his neighbour was abusive towards his dog and was saying & calling it all sorts of negative things and names, but when lost, he was in distress. then there was another man (neighbour as well, i believe. i don't remember) that had 'girl problems' – again, this man was another abusive (?) one. then there were other characters, of course. the second man is somewhat the reason why what happened in the book happened. though, i don't get why he [main character] pulled the trigger. what was his reasoning? aside from the reason he gave in trial (?), were there more? his action can't be justified. 

then, i don't see why the judge (?) was so adamant about tying together how he dealt with his mother's loss to his crime. again, his action can't be justified. people grieve and mourn differently, and the things he did must have been his ways. say he's really apathetic and callous, i think they should've helped him get medical attention? i mean, when you're aware someone is apathetic, don't you think them not shedding a tear at their mother's funeral was to be expected? or things turned out that way because of the year the story took place in?

then there's marie. i just feel bad for her. 

this book was definitely thought-provoking. i finished it earlier in the day, and i'm still thinking about it (i've already started a new book, but it's still popping up in my head every now and then). the last few pages were definitely the ones that raised questions in my head and made me think. though, i don't know if i agree with him on this one take of his: "a life in which i can remember this life on earth. that's all i want of it."

well, the book has got lots of good quotes you can keep with you. to be honest, i do wanna reread this book because i want to see if i'd understand aspects of it differently compared to the first time i read it and/or i missed a few things here and there. or if i misunderstood things.

i also think him & marie could've lived quite a simple and normal life, but then again, if he was apathetic and well, nihilistic, it probably wouldn't have ended or worked out nicely anyway. 

(this is my first review on here T_T & p.s: i struggle to choose whether i want to give this book a 3.5 or a 4) 
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