The Castle: A New Translation Based on the Restored Text

The book arrived completely fine, the only comment I have is that the cover and pages are very thin. But it's a very cheap softcover so I can't really be mad. Love the cover design on these.

Awesome!!!

First off this is an excellent book, as you might expect given that it was written by, arguably, one of the most influential writers of the last 150 years. I would recommend this novel to anyone with an interest in contemporary philosophical and existential literature. However, I would also suggest that anyone wanting to read this should read 'The Trial' (also by Kafka) first, simply because it's a slightly gentler starting point with regards to style and narrative and is an easier way to become acquainted with Kafka's works, before tackling 'The Castle' which is a trickier and more unfinished novel, but ultimately just as challenging and interesting a story. (PS: Check out his short stories as well, most are similar works of genius from one of the most unique and tragic authors who ever put pen to paper.)

Review of "The Castle" by Franz Kafka This book made me into a Kafka admirer. He brings life to characters in otherwise drab situations and makes them seem very real. The reader feels the frustration, absurdity, the pettiness and the powerlessness in a personal way. You feel the haughtiness and aloofness of the Castle staff as if they were a part of your own community. You feel the pettiness and delusional gossip of the townspeople as if you were seeing it first hand. The story is riveting and the pace seems fast even when there is little action. The story starts with the protagonist (identified only by his initial, K.) walking to what sounds like a routine surveying job. Soon he is frustrated by a very confusing series of obstacles. As the story develops the obstacles become more chaotic. K.'s original purpose in going to the castle is never fully elaborated and his motives seem lost or stolen. The forces acting upon K. are shrouded. It seems as if some invisible force has plotted to test K. to the limit of human endurance of tolerance of ambiguity. Kafka combines the themes of: social class commentary, alienation from a heartless social system, absence of any protective power, salvation, redemption, fear of strangers, fear of change, search for the meaning of life, inscrutability of authorities, indifference of forces ruling human fate, persistence in the face lost purpose, abuse of power and acceptance of pointlessness goals. As the plot progresses it takes on a surreal nightmare quality. Is the protagonist having a nightmare, going insane or confronting the reality of his situation? There is no end to the frustration. We are never told if K. is having a nightmare or going insane. We never discover why K. is so determined to enter the castle that he would tolerate and even join in to the absurdity. His original purpose of doing a surveying job could never justify his struggle to gain admittance. We are left seeing K. as a perpetual outsider. Perhaps Kafka is telling us that there is no end or limit to frustration, alienation and absurdity. Those seeking an answer to the ageless enigma of existence will never find a simple resolution. This is a disturbing work that challenges conventional notions of plot and character development while testing the readers conception of his/her purpose in life. The Castle will confront the reader in unexpected ways and raise emotional personal issues that would otherwise be repressed. See: The Metamorphosis The Trial Amerika Collections: The Diaries of Franz Kafka (Schocken Classics Series) Collected Stories (Everyman's Library) The Zürau Aphorisms of Franz Kafka Blue Octavo Notebooks Kafka's Selected Stories (Norton Critical Edition) Give It Up: And Other Short Stories Great German Short Stories (Dover Thrift Editions) I highly recommend this book.

この作品が醸し出すものは、現在サイコサスペンスとかサイコホラーと呼ばれるジャンルの先駆けになるのではという印象を持ちました。有名な作品なので内容はよく知られていると思います。ユダヤ人であるカフカが生きた時代を比喩したものであるということは判るのですが、全体を見回してみると謎だらけの作品です。奇怪で滑稽、そして不可解。 謎だけにその分面白いです。