The Stranger

November 15, 2016

Meursault is sentenced to death for murder because he does not show culturally prescribed emotions, particularly at his mother's funeral. A dispassionate fellow driven mostly by sensations and detached curiosity, he savors sex with the charming Marie as well as the sights, sounds, and smells of his city, Algiers. But in befriending Raymond Sintes, a bully obsessed with petty revenge, his detachment leads him to kill unintentionally Sintes's enemy in his stead. Camus's classic novel elaborates on the nature of meaning and absurdity, and how religion, social expectations, love, and sensations influence us. Himself born in Algiers, Ferrandez (The Guest) excels with the pale vistas and brilliant light of Algeria, almost a character in the story. For many pages, the narrative panels float on larger watercolor landscapes or cityscapes that seem to shimmer. The figures appear somewhat static by contrast, embodying Meursault's disconnected viewpoint. No commentary is provided, leaving readers to interpret events for themselves. VERDICT This expressive and attractive version of Camus's challenging parable makes a fine introduction to the work for older teens through adults.--MC

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 4, 2013
In Swedish author Läckberg’s engaging, if subpar, fourth crime thriller set in Fjällbacka (after 2012’s The Stonecutter), Det. Patrik Hedström investigates a local woman’s death in what appears to be a D.W.I. accident. Some things don’t add up, like the off-the-charts alcohol level for a victim, who everyone says never drank. Meanwhile, the battered corpse of one of the cast members of a reality TV show filming in Fjällbacka surfaces inside a garbage truck. Läckberg skillfully handles the ensuing probe—which will stretch over half of Sweden and into crimes dating back decades, including the abduction of a young brother and sister from Fjällbacka—as well as the domestic dramas dominating the life of writer and new mom Erica Falck, who is soon to wed Patrik. Less successful are the florid chapter-opening flashbacks and the puzzle’s farfetched solution. Hints of the next installment’s plot promise a return to form. Agent: Joakim Hansson, Nordin Literary Agency (Sweden).