Reviews

The Castle by Franz Kafka

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nasathespaceship's review against another edition

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3.0

Exhausting in both a good and bad way

ngrdne's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

cosmin's review against another edition

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1.0

I have not managed to finish this book because I got so lost in the meaninglessness of the 'plot', much like our protagonist, K.. I failed to see the allegory to the real world, I failed to notice Kafka's message to the reader and I did not find their writing humorous or entertaining like so many reviewers have.

I ask myself for whom was this book written for? Coming from a background of reading contemporary books that don't dabble in too much fantasy or sci-fi, is Kafka's absurdist style really intended for me?
I strongly relate to K.'s frustration with the Castle, similar to how frustrated I was with the book's monotony. Just as K. misunderstands the people of the Castle, I can't grasp the onto the admiration that so many reviewers have for this novel. Being in the minority, I feel as though I am the odd one out. Yet likewise, I feel like the Kafka-fanatics are queer folk here.

The polarisation between the many who adore this novel and the few whose life won't be changed by it is something to commend Kafka for.
In this sense, I believe that no-one can fully understand K.'s sinking sentiment of alienation quite like readers such as myself can, as we float solitary in a vast sea of cult-like worshippers for a nonsensical work that gives so much meaning to those who are scrutinising every page for it.

laindarko2's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny slow-paced

4.0

sharlit's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

leonwheeler's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

This book was very dull. The main character K. Is odious in the extreme. He comes across as a narcissist who does his best to engage every woman in the village in a conversation only to then spend 5 pages telling them why they’re wrong and he’s right. His original and main mission of contacting the castle is never achieved and the reader is left to wonder why he doesn’t just leave the village after 60 pages when he learns that he was mistakenly sent for and that they don’t actually need a land surveyor after all.
If all of Kafka’s works are like this then it’s no wonder most of them didn’t get published when he was alive.