From the start, Albert Camus had me enthralled for we are immediately thrown to witness the killing of a man, Zagreus who we have yet to know who he is. From the start A Happy Death was going to be a book that delve into the philosophy of a happy death we learn about Mersualts love interest at the time, Marthe and how she had had previous lovers, one of them strangely enough an older Zagreus (who I’m assuming raped her? Because she says she was only a little girl). Immediately again we are thrust with presumptions of why Mersualt kills Zagreus is it out of jealousy? Well no because after meeting Zagreus he comes to form a friendship with him. It after Zagreus expresses his disdain at having money (which does buy time according to him) but not being able to do anything with it because of his amputated legs, does Mersualt see a chance to live a fulfilling live, a live that can potentially lead as Zagreus suggests, into a happy death.

We constantly see however the struggle that Mersualt has in defining what it means to have a happy death.
“As Patrice navigates through love affairs, friendships, and encounters with death, he grapples with the fundamental question of what it means to live authentically in a world devoid of inherent meaning. Camus masterfully explores the human condition, painting a vivid portrait of a man's search for purpose amidst the chaos of existence” 

Therefore to me this novel fell in the lines of previous ones I had read, that being Steppenwolf, and A man’s Search for meaning. A Happy death being a predecessor to both. 

   Camus’ absurdist prose is beautiful, one can picture the sea and the moon shimmering on it like oil. The cracks on the pavement filled with water in Prague. Truly Camus was an amazing writer, and it goes to show that even in works he did not deem publishable in his lifetime he still exerted a philosophical level unmatched in his simplicity. 


“Believe me there is no such thing as great suffering, great regret, great memory....everything is forgotten, even a great love. That's what's sad about life, and also what's wonderful about it. There is only a way of looking at things, a way that comes to you every once in a while. That's why it's good to have had love in your life after all, to have had an unhappy passion- it gives you an alibi for the vague despairs we all suffer from.”