My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Received: Borrowed
Publication Date: 1942
Publisher: Vintage International
Point of View: 1st Person & Masculine
Recommended Age: 16+
Genres & Themes: Adulr, Classic, Life, Psychological
BLURB:
Through the story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on an Algerian beach, Camus explored what he termed “the nakedness of man faced with the absurd.”
REVIEW:
I am here, writing a review, but I am not really here, with you. My mind is elsewhere. I have not left the book yet. I am full of thoughts, and those thoughts are full of thoughts. I feel a pressure on my heart – what is happening? Why can I not breathe normally?
Part of me is angry. But that part is smothered. By society. By you. By me. Am I allowed to feel this way? Am I allowed to feel angry? I want to, but it would not be logical, would it? So I do not. After all, he – the character – committed murder. He deserves everything that is happening to him. He should feel ashamed. He should beg for forgiveness. He should look us in the eye and tell us, tell us, tell us.
Tell us what? Tell us something we want to hear, because we want to hear him say it? Because that is what feels normal to us? Is he not free? Are his emotions not his? Do we need to implant emotions into him? Are we aloud to do that? Is he not human?
What does it mean to be human? Is there a definition? According to some human beings in this book, the character is not one of them. Where does he belong? Because he is different, should he be treated differently? Should we not accept his difference?
Is he a sociopath? Would you think that? He has emotions. He thinks. He understands others. But he is detached. He is a stranger to himself, as well as to the world around him. He has another way of thinking, different from yours and different from mine. But what do I know? Maybe he is like you.
This book raises so many questions. It is hard to think. It is hard to breathe.
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Hit or Miss Books 
Beautiful review of one of my favorite authors! I’d say books but I swoon over anything Camus 😉
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I started reading this book last year and got about 50 pages in before I gave up. The writing was so slow and everything was moving at snail pace…I couldn’t bring myself to keep reading.
Your review however does makes me consider if I should give it another chance – perhaps I DNF-ed it too early!
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It’s also possile that it’s not your style or genre. It reminded me of The Catcher in the Rye 🙂
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Very possible- given that I really disliked The Catcher in the Rye haha!
There are just so many good review out there about it that I feel like I will give it another chance eventually though.
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I love love books like this that make you think and question everything and completely mess with you!
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Wow! Adding this book to my TBR pile.
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Intriguing review! I have to look into this further!
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Nice review! Definitely made me want to check it out. Thanks.
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It’s on my TBR list. Can’t wait to pick it up!
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wow we feel your mind in the book there and that’s what we should feel when we finish a booki, it’s awesome! You made me curious
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Great review. I had to read this book for a college class, and I loved it.
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I’ve been wanting to read this one for a while. It sounds right up my alley. I love books that raise a lot of questions. Great review!
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Your review just makes me want to read the book more!
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I haven’t read this one either but your review has piqued my interested. Putting it on my list.
http://runwright.net
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Brilliant review, really got me thinking. Should get this outta my TBR and finally read it!
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I’m a huge fan of Camus, but I haven’t read this one. Thanks for the review because now I’m motivated to go pick it up!
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