What I remember of L'étranger (other than the story) is its short sentences and rhythm that drags you into the story right from its opening words: "Aujourd'hui, maman est morte." I found that the short sentences combined with Camus' French worked wonders to force me into the story. I just could not stop reading, and I really felt inside Meursault's head.
If you shared that feeling, then we could say the translator kept the spirit of the book :)
If you shared that feeling, then we could say the translator kept the spirit of the book :)