‘I felt betrayed, naked’: did a prize-winning novelist steal a woman’s life story?

Published in French as Meursault, contre-enquête in 2013 and translated to English in 2015, this debut novel reimagines Albert Camus's classic The Stranger from a new perspective. Narrated by the imagined brother of the nameless Arab senselessly murdered by Meursault, Daoud's novel gives identity to the victim and presents a dual portrait of the human condition as envisioned by Camus and reenvisioned by Daoud. The narrative explores the brother's account of their mother's suffering and eventual retaliation seventy years after the 1942 murder.

Published in 1942, 'The Stranger' tells the story of Meursault, a Frenchman living in Algiers, who is characterized by his emotional detachment and apathy. The novel begins with Meursault's indifferent reaction to his mother's death and follows his journey through a series of events, including a senseless murder, which leads to his trial and sentencing. Camus uses Meursault's story to illustrate his philosophy of the absurd, highlighting the lack of inherent meaning in life and the importance of accepting and living with this reality. The novel also explores the tensions between French colonialists and native Algerians, reflecting Camus's own experiences and critiques of colonialism.