47 pages • 1 hour read
The Fall
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Book Brief
147
Novel • Fiction
Amsterdam, Netherlands • 1950s
1956
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
In Albert Camus's The Fall, protagonist Jean-Baptiste Clamence, who introduces himself as a "judge-penitent," recounts his life story to an anonymous listener over a series of days in Amsterdam. Through his monologues, Clamence exposes his views on humanity, his fall from grace, and his perpetual struggle with guilt against the backdrop of a post-World War II society.
Contemplative
Mysterious
Melancholic
Unnerving
Dark
Reviews & Readership
115,982 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Albert Camus' The Fall offers a profound and introspective narrative, praised for its deep philosophical exploration and elegant prose. Critics appreciate its rich, existential themes and the complexity of its protagonist, but some find it dense and challenging to follow. Overall, the novel is celebrated for its intellectual depth and narrative craftsmanship.
Who Should Read The Fall?
A reader who would enjoy The Fall by Albert Camus appreciates philosophical literature and existential themes. Similar to readers of Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground and Kafka’s The Trial, they seek introspective and morally complex narratives that delve into human nature and guilt. This reader values profound internal monologues and psychological depth.
115,982 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Cher ami
Cher ami
An anonymous Parisian lawyer from the cultured bourgeois class who serves as the listener to Clamence's monologues, functioning as a narrative device and stand-in for the reader.
147
Novel • Fiction
Amsterdam, Netherlands • 1950s
1956
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.