Reviews with content warning for Animal cruelty - The Stranger

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The Stranger by Albert Camus

178 reviews

buttercup_8's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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irismaybooks's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Despite being a man who is indifferent to everything that surrounds him, I found Mersault to be very alive. Even in his mundanity, his views are very out of the ordinary- detached, even. He is unapologetically himself, and does not try to conform to what society wants from him, nor does he find any appeal in the idea.

While it is easy to take away from this book that life is meaningless and that nothing you do holds any importance, I do not believe this is what Camus is promoting. Over and over again i would ask myself, "what is the point?" and I think that is, ultimately, the point. To ask these questions is part of life. Our stories and experiences are not something to be handed to us, but something we must make for ourselves. Even the smallest of moments are important, the good and the bad alike. Despite there being this sense of looming dread throughout the book, that one day everything will end and nothing matters after all, there were glimpses in between that make you realise that every action is important- everyone has an impact in the world somehow.

I even had the impression that this dead woman, stretched out in front of them, meant nothing to them. But now . . . I think I was wrong about that. (pg. 10)

They were shouting and singing at the top of their lungs – their club would go on forever. (pg. 21)

But that face glowed with the colour of the sun and the flame of desire: it was Marie's face. (pg. 107)

I also think it is important to note that this translation was beautiful. Smith said in her note at the beginning that she had used Camus' recording of himself reading it as inspiration for how to translate Mersault's character into English, and I think she has done a fantastic job in doing so.

Overall I found this book to be very beautiful, even despite its dull nature, and oddly reflective for myself. For lack of a better description, I think this story is like marmite. Either you will love it or hate it, and either way, you will take something away from what you have read.

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jryanj52's review against another edition

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I couldn’t say it’s not a good book. But I found reading a synopsis of the plot less upsetting. Salamano with his mangy dog. Beating it and then having the audacity to be sad that it ran away upset me.

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bndean's review against another edition

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dark reflective relaxing 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? Yes

4.5

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luxxltyd's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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john_quixote's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated

2.75

After reading and loving The Myth of Sysiphus I wanted to see what else Camus wrote. This was disappointing to me. Maybe the translation I read wasn't true to the original or something. I needed it to be more up front with what is was trying to say. Nihilism sucks, and yet the universe continues to be indifferent. Yeah sure, but give me more than that to work with.

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seashanthis's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

it falls short as a story but the writing's good. the message is prioritized above the story, and the theme does a great job at showing the absurdity of all facets of life and societal structures, and that nothing in life matters, and that's ultimately something we can derive happiness or satisfaction from.

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