The Stranger

Editorial review

Meursault, a French Algerian clerk, attends his mother's funeral, begins a relationship, and on a hot afternoon shoots a man on a beach. The second half of the novel is his trial, in which he is condemned less for the murder than for failing to grieve properly.

Summary

Meursault, a French Algerian clerk, attends his mother's funeral, begins a relationship, and on a hot afternoon shoots a man on a beach. The second half of the novel is his trial, in which he is condemned less for the murder than for failing to grieve properly.

Key takeaways

• 1

  The Stranger rewards readers who want depth as well as momentum.

• 2

  The atmosphere and prose earn a second look after the final chapter.

• 3

  A strong literary fiction discovery on Xdrapi.

• 4

  Xdrapi highlights it for balanced, premium editorial curation.