Meursault Investigation

by Kamel Daoud

John Cullen (Editor)

Best Translated Novel of the Decade – Lit Hub

A New York Times Notable Book of 2015 — Michiko Kakutani, The Top Books of 2015, New York Times — TIME Magazine Top Ten Books of 2015 — Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year — Financial Times Best Books of the Year

“A tour-de-force reimagining of Camus’s The Stranger, from the point of view of the mute Arab victims.” —The New Yorker
 
He was the brother of “the Arab” killed by the infamous Meursault, the antihero of Camus’s classic novel. Seventy years after that event, Harun, who has lived since childhood in the shadow of his sibling’s memory, refuses to let him remain anonymous: he gives his brother a story and a name—Musa—and describes the events that led to Musa’s casual murder on a dazzlingly sunny beach.
               
In a bar in Oran, night after night, he ruminates on his solitude, on his broken heart, on his anger with men desperate for a god, and on his disarray when faced with a country that has so disappointed him. A stranger among his own people, he wants to be granted, finally, the right to die.
               
The Stranger is of course central to Daoud’s story, in which he both endorses and criticizes one of the most famous novels in the world. A worthy complement to its great predecessor, The Meursault Investigation is not only a profound meditation on Arab identity and the disastrous effects of colonialism in Algeria, but also a stunning work of literature in its own right, told in a unique and affecting voice.

• ISBN10: 1590517520
• ISBN13: 9781590517529
• Publish Date: 1 January 2015
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 17 June 2015
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Other Press (NY)
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 79
• Language: English

Reviews

[Michael @ Knowledge Lost]

One of the key components to philosophy is the ability to argue your point, this is done in many different ways and Albert Camus’ novel The Stranger does exactly that. Kamel Daoud took the same approach for his counterargument, with his novel The Meursault Investigation. This novel seemed to have taken the world by storm, winning the Goncourt du Premier Roman, the Prix des Cinq Continents, the Prix François Mauriac and shortlisted for the Prix Goncourt. It follows Harum seventy years after his brother Musa (the Arab) was killed by Meursault. Harum is reflecting back on his life and the impact Meursault’s story has had on himself, his family and Algeria.

Kamel Daoud’s response to The Stranger is basically saying that life is not absurd, it has meaning. Taking a life has consequences and execution is not simply a life for a life. Meursault killing the Arab had a big impact, and never referring to him by name allowed Camus to focus his story but at the risk of missing the bigger picture. So seventy years later, well after Algeria has declared their independence from France, the story of Meursault is still a topic of discussion.

First of all, the death of Musa has an impact on the life of Harum and his family. The Meursault Investigation starts off exploring the life of Harum and his mother and how the death of Musa effected them. The novel spirals out, first looking at the effect it had on Harum, then his mother and family and then finally Algeria. This may come across as repetitive but I think it was important to understand the impact.

I watched a lecture by Daoud that talks about The Stranger and comparing it to Robinson Crusoe. This is an exploration into post-colonialism; Meursault meets someone who was different to him and kills him. Robinson Crusoe did the same thing to Friday, just not physically; he forced him to convert to his idea of civilisation. That meant changing the way his acted, dressed and most of all his religious beliefs. The fact that Meursault killed an Arab on the beach could be symbolic of the island. If you follow this train of thought, The Meursault Investigation turns into a very complex philosophical argument, not only against The Stranger but the opinions of Western society (especially France) towards the raise of Islam.

The Meursault Investigation is an angry novel with some very deep philosophical ideas embedded into the pages. Published originally in French (translated by John Cullen) this novel evoked similar reactions for me as Submission by Michel Houellebecq in the way it explores France’s reaction to Islam. I understand people’s criticism about repetitive in The Meursault Investigation but I feel like it was necessary as Daoud needs to keep circling back to the death of the Arab and exploring how it affected everyone. This is the butterfly effect and I enjoyed every moment of this novel.

This review originally appeared on my blog; http://www.knowledgelost.org/book-reviews/genre/literary-fiction/meursault-investigation-kamel-daoud/

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

In big named cases, such as Casey Anthony and Scott Peterson, it is usually the accused and not the victim who is remembered. This is the premise of The Meursault Investigation, to give a name to "The Arab" and who's story is finally told by his brother debunking Meursault's confession and celebrity status.

I am so glad I reread The Stranger before The Meursault Investigation as there was in depth mentions to it throughout the book and felt I had a clearer concept of the story when lets say, Harun mentions the news article Meursault read in prison. Another thing I found interesting was the continuous use of the time two o'clock (both am & pm) the time of the death of "The Arab". Musa, I should say, as he does have a name, an identity that shaped so many.

But Daoud's story is much more than a retelling of The Stranger, it is a compelling novel of a life lived in the shadow and the repercussions one action can have on so many. Despite, the concept of the novel I do not think The Meursault Investigation will live in the shadow of The Stranger, despite the fact that it breaths because of Camus, it is a novel that stands on its own two feet, unsupported, and is a fantastic read.