The Meursault Investigation

"My brother's name was Musa. He had a name. But he'll remain the "the Arab" forever.

Kamel Daoud

The Meursault Investigation

This book was amazing. A response to Albert Camus's The Stranger, it is both a critique and endorsement of the original story. It is the story of the brother of "the Arab," who was shot on the beach by the anti-hero of the stranger. Seventy years after the crime, Harun is attempting to live with the murder of his brother and come to terms with how the seemingly senseless violence has shaped his life. 

All at once this book is a coming of age story, a love story, and a political commentary that examines post-colonial Algeria, Islam, and the western indifference to Arab lives. So much of Haruns rage centers around the fact that his brother, the victim, was not even named in the book written by the murderer. His brother, Musa, was just a speed bump in the murderers life, while his death profoundly shaped the lives of Harun and their mother.Because of these frustrations Harun turns away from God, and in doing so becomes a stranger to among his own people, outcast and recluse. 

I thought that the commentary on race and colonialism was extremely interesting. While Musa is referred to as the "the Arab," they did not consider themselves Arabic. That is a generalization that is commonly made in the western world, the most Muslims are Arabic, when, in fact, that is far from the case. I think that it is an important distinction to make, as it is a huge and arbitrary generalization that impedes conversation with Muslim people who are from other parts of the world, because of all of the preconceived notions that come with the label.

I loved this book. Harun is an incredibly compelling character, complex in his emotions and responses. I loved that this book questioned the limits of how far out our actions resonate, and looked at the lives of those affected by violence. The language was also beautiful. Written originally in French (like The Stranger) and then translated to English, it has beautiful pace and incredible voice. A must read for this summer!

"The murderer's words and expressions are my unclaimed goods. Besides, the country's littered with words that don't belong to anyone anymore."