Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - The Stranger

Wow that was a roller-coaster.

My initial thoughts are that it's morbid and depressing, but I can understand the points being made. A very quick read that packs a big punch to your sense of self and spikes your fear of death. I found the writing style and sentence structure really interesting, I've never read something quite like it. I didn't enjoy this per say, I was gripped, the themes were both upsetting and thought-provoking.

I was not a fan of the misogynistic and racist parts of this book, though I understand this was of a certain era and perhaps aided the overall absurdist message of the book. However those moments partially lessened my opinion and intrigue in this book.

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richa_singh's review against another edition

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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

3.25

Could not really understand the MC's motivations for his actions. Although I do understand that the autho seeks to include elements of absurdism and existentialism in hos text, making the main character take a man's life for no rhyme or reason seems rather bizarre. Expected something a bit different. A person does not have to be an apathetic murderer (that too for no reason) to be the exemplar of such isms. His personality was rather peculiar, and he took accountability for almost none of his actions.

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freckled_frog_boi's review against another edition

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asshole till death rip

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hannasandmann's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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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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marisa_n's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad medium-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

3.5

The Stranger is about a man who views life as inherently meaningless. He is constantly pressured by those around him to share a sense of meaning & morality. When he rejects their attempts to make life meaningful (ex: adventure, love, religion, rule of law, etc.) he threatens their view of life, and therefore society itself.

Now, was that my takeaway while I was *actively* reading this book? No. I found the book itself to be quite boring. With this broader understanding in mind, perhaps it would be enjoyable to re-read.

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he_slaughtered's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-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

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