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ethanswim's review against another edition
challenging
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
gretatimaite's review against another edition
4.0
I love rereading books. It's like facing your younger self. And, usually, I rediscover some gems :)))
'No-one is happy relatively - for a longer or shorter time. You're happy or you're not. That's all. And death has nothing to do with it - death is an accident of happiness, in that case.'
'You make the mistake of thinking you have to choose, that you have to do what you want, that there are conditions for happiness. What matters - all that matters, really - is the will to happiness, a kind of enormous, ever-present consciousness. The rest - women, art, success - is nothing but excuses. A canvas waiting for our embroideries.'
_sal_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
We constantly see however the struggle that Mersualt has in defining what it means to have a happy death.
“As Patrice navigates through love affairs, friendships, and encounters with death, he grapples with the fundamental question of what it means to live authentically in a world devoid of inherent meaning. Camus masterfully explores the human condition, painting a vivid portrait of a man's search for purpose amidst the chaos of existence”
Therefore to me this novel fell in the lines of previous ones I had read, that being Steppenwolf, and A man’s Search for meaning. A Happy death being a predecessor to both.
Camus’ absurdist prose is beautiful, one can picture the sea and the moon shimmering on it like oil. The cracks on the pavement filled with water in Prague. Truly Camus was an amazing writer, and it goes to show that even in works he did not deem publishable in his lifetime he still exerted a philosophical level unmatched in his simplicity.
“Believe me there is no such thing as great suffering, great regret, great memory....everything is forgotten, even a great love. That's what's sad about life, and also what's wonderful about it. There is only a way of looking at things, a way that comes to you every once in a while. That's why it's good to have had love in your life after all, to have had an unhappy passion- it gives you an alibi for the vague despairs we all suffer from.”
What did it matter if he existed for two or for twenty years? Happiness was the fact that he had existed.
You see, Mersualt, all the misery and cruelty of our civilisation can be measured by this one stupid axiom: happy nations have no history.
evaeyre's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.5
a little confusing but still really good! i adored the way he described things, both imagery and other sorts of descriptions in just a beautiful way! i’d like to read it in its original french someday
nicodaus's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
sahrathebookworm's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
خوندن کتابی که اینطوری عمیق‌ترین و خصوصی‌ترین افکارت که همیشه دور از دسترس دیگران برای خودت نگه‌شون داشته بودی، برهنه می‌کنه و به عرصه‌ی تماشا می‌کشونه واقعا ترسناک و اضطراب آور ولی هم‌زمان دلگرم کننده است. مفهوم خوشبختی و اینکه یه انسان در چه صورت احساس خوشبختی می‌کنه بن‌مایه‌ی اصلی این کتابه. به نظرم با اینکه کامو در جوونی خودش این کتاب رو نوشته، اما اون زیبایی و تعمق راجع به مسائل انسانی که شامل پرسش‌های بنیادی و تلاش برای پاسخ دادن بهشونه، کاملا توی داستانش احساس می‌شه. یه قسمتی از کتاب جمله‌ای داشت که خیلی ازش خوشم اومد، اونم با این مفهوم که خوشبختی نسبی نیست، انسان یا خوشبخته یا نیست. و بحث سر این نبود که فکر کنم من آلان خوشبختم یا نه؟ در اون لحظه من " عصیان " بودم. چیزی که کامو بهم تزریق می‌کنه یک عصیان دردناک آگاهانه است که منو می‌ترسونه و به پرسشگری و مطالبه وا می‌داره. صحرای اون لحظه فریاد برآورد که خوشبختی وجود نداره یا شاید توی لغت نامه‌ی ذهنش خیلی خوب تعریف نشده این واژه. اما از اینکه می‌تونست دلایل خودش رو داشته باشه و فکر کنه و صاحب نظر باشه خیلی احساس رضایت می‌کرد. فکر کنم بار ارزش‌ترین چیزی که توی هر کامو خوانی نصیبم شده همینه: فکر می‌کنم، پس هستم.
dezzastru's review against another edition
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75