Book Review: The Stranger by Albert Camus
Apr 28, 2026
Seoyeon Kim
If you expect novels to offer clear meaning or moral lessons, The Stranger challenges that expectation in a quiet but powerful way.
The story follows Meursault, an ordinary man living in Algeria, whose emotional detachment immediately sets him apart. When his mother dies, he shows no visible grief. He speaks honestly, but without the usual social filters — he does not pretend to love someone, nor does he express feelings he does not truly have. Later, under the overwhelming heat of the sun, he commits a sudden and seemingly meaningless act of violence. However, the novel’s focus is not the crime itself, but what happens after.
During the trial, Meursault is judged less for his actions and more for his character. Society condemns him not because he broke the law, but because he does not behave the way people expect— he does not cry, he does not lie, and he does not conform. This reveals a deeper idea developed by Albert Camus: the concept of the absurd. According to Camus, humans naturally search for meaning, but the world offers none. This conflict creates a sense of absurdity.
Meursault represents a radical response to this condition. Instead of pretending that life has meaning, he accepts its emptiness and faces reality without illusion. By the end of the novel, this acceptance becomes a form of freedom—he no longer fears judgment or even death, because he understands that life does not need to follow any greater purpose.
Written in clear and simple language, yet filled with deep philosophical ideas, The Stranger leaves a lasting impression. It does not try to comfort the reader. Instead, it asks difficult questions about truth, society, and what it means to live honestly.
If you are willing to read something that feels unsettling but intellectually powerful, this novel is essential.
