There's really nothing I can say about this book that hasn't already been said. Some people love it, others hates it, and most just think its meh. I was initially in the third group because the first part of the story is frankly, not that interesting. I think it's meant to be that way, because it takes going to prison for the protagonist to become a little more introspective. It's only in Part Two of the book that the character unravels a little more and we really get into the crux of the story. In fact, the most touching chapter is the last one, in which the character finally, well, loses it in front of a chaplain. Up until then, the writing style is very plain and to the point, like a more stringent version of Hemingway, and it's beautiful to see how as the character falls apart, so does the rigidity of the writing. The Stranger is one of those books that grows on you. And it isn't until the entire book is done that everything falls in place to allow you to appreciate it. Reading it the second time was really valuable and allowed me to appreciate the nuances of the main character and all the things both said and unsaid (the latter of which is just as important as the former). The Stranger is philosophical, but not in a cold, dry way, with flashes of dark humour and irony dispersed throughout the book. It's a highly recommended classic.