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desiderium_incarnate's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
"Well, so I'm going to die." Sooner than other people will, obviously. But everybody knows life isn't worth living. Deep down I knew perfectly well that it doesn't much matter whether you die at thirty or at seventy, since in either case other men and women will naturally go on living - and for thousands of years. In fact, nothing could be clearer.
This book is really easy to read, which was the reason it got even 3 stars from me. I don't know why it won a Nobel Prize in Literature to be perfectly honest. Because basically these are the main points of the story:
- Meursaults mom dies
- He has/shows nearly no emotions during the whole book which makes it pretty boring character wise
- He is convinced nothing matters (out of a very egoistical reasoning it seems)
Because of this he has no trouble making friends with pretty unkind, mysoginistic people and partly supports them in hurting others Then he gets a sunstroke and shoots someone He is tried and found guilty and will be beheaded
I just think that if nothing matters, or at least things only matter if you attribute them meaning, why do you choose to be a dick? Kindness and empathy are real, other people have feelings, why not choose to be kind? I expected to read a different, absurdist take on 'Life is meaningless' but once again I only found sexist, racist and violent men being nihilistic. Great!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
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: Animal cruelty, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
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: Animal cruelty, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Xenophobia and 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, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Murder, and Classism
sagelikesscats's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
Maybe a lot of people find the protagonist insufferable, but I didn’t really mind that he was nihilistic, maybe we that he didn’t care that the things he did had a negative affect on others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Minor: Racism
adelekittey's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
tense
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Domestic abuse
agnela's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
tungstenmouse's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
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
4.0
During part 1, I wondered why people see this book as so important. Part 2 answered that question and really made me think. I was prepared to give this 3 stars or less but the second half as well as the perspectives from the translator and the scholars in notes at the end of the book really helped bring up my rating. This was definitely worth the listen for the ideas it presents.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Vomit, Police brutality, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
3ksindhwisjdhd's review against another edition
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, and Death of parent
thebookofbanana's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-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
The Outsider – Albert Camus
Meursault is a person who cannot empathise with others; he does not understand the emotions of others because he does not explicitly feel these emotions himself.
Meursault thinks pure logically, and his logic works to fulfil his needs, in addition to solving problems practically, without the interference of emotions.
It seems that Meursault’s logical way of thinking, and thus his consequential actions, has developed in accordance with the cordial rules of the surrounding society; rules of politeness that every member of society is expected to follow.
Meursault does not think he is abnormal. In his mind, he is doing and thinking as the rest of society does, and this way of thinking has sufficed for Meursault so far.
However, his lack of empathy could only ever get him so far in this society of unspoken rules and implied morals. He kills a man, and is punished for it in a way he can’t understand. He thinks he has only acted in a practical way, to eliminate a problem. He is tried and found guilty by a justice system that seeks to condemn rather than understand. His past acts (of logic) are called into question and unfairly scrutinised. His lack of faith in God is deemed a sin. They all hate Meursault, but he cannot understand why.
And then, in his perpetual condemnation, Meursault realises just how absurd all the rules and the judgement are. Then, by discarding this absurdity, he is ready to reborn with a new lease on living life without that judgement, and instead being content with simplicity. Just in time to die.
The Outsider is a thought-provoking story about the absurdity of the way we inflict importance onto everything and the fallacy of that system to seriously punish any transgressions of those rules of importance.
Meursault thinks pure logically, and his logic works to fulfil his needs, in addition to solving problems practically, without the interference of emotions.
It seems that Meursault’s logical way of thinking, and thus his consequential actions, has developed in accordance with the cordial rules of the surrounding society; rules of politeness that every member of society is expected to follow.
Meursault does not think he is abnormal. In his mind, he is doing and thinking as the rest of society does, and this way of thinking has sufficed for Meursault so far.
However, his lack of empathy could only ever get him so far in this society of unspoken rules and implied morals. He kills a man, and is punished for it in a way he can’t understand. He thinks he has only acted in a practical way, to eliminate a problem. He is tried and found guilty by a justice system that seeks to condemn rather than understand. His past acts (of logic) are called into question and unfairly scrutinised. His lack of faith in God is deemed a sin. They all hate Meursault, but he cannot understand why.
And then, in his perpetual condemnation, Meursault realises just how absurd all the rules and the judgement are. Then, by discarding this absurdity, he is ready to reborn with a new lease on living life without that judgement, and instead being content with simplicity. Just in time to die.
The Outsider is a thought-provoking story about the absurdity of the way we inflict importance onto everything and the fallacy of that system to seriously punish any transgressions of those rules of importance.
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Sexism
Supposed to be seen as bad