Last night I finished reading “L’étranger” by Albert Camus. Thanks to my dear friend Saqf for giving me this book too.
I haven’t read in French for a very long time. The last time I did, I started reading “The Lord of the Rings” and then stopped halfway through the first chapter because it just didn’t feel right.
In books, like movies, I think it’s best to always read or watch it in its original language; A lot of things are always lost in translation.
Anyway this was a really good read. I really like the style in which it was written and how the story was told.
It totally sucked me in from the opening sentence.
I somehow connected with the main character, Mr. Meursault, who represents the writer’s views, although he is very different from me, but I guess I just understood him, his vision and thoughts about life and the world around us.
It looks at life from an existentialist point of view, from which God doesn’t exist, there are no principles, nothing in life really matters and no matter what everyone’s going to end up dead anyway.
That means that people may only be judged or defined by their actions and choices, and human choices are the ultimate evaluator, and so behaviour doesn’t need to be regulated. Everything becomes relative.
Of course, I don’t fully agree with this opinion, but the book certainly makes you think a lot about life, principles, laws …etc.
I found it really worth the read.
And btw, an English version of the book, “The Stranger”, is available too for those who are interested in reading it but don’t know French.
My score for it: 7/10.