I was very scared to write this review for Franz Kafka’s The Castle. I was scared because this was one of the most complex books I have ever read. It wasn’t bad, I just felt pretty lost at some points and I feel like a lot of things went over my head. Nonetheless, after further examination I was glad I read it and is definitely one of the better novels I have read. First and what stood out to me the most was Kafkas prose. It was unlike anything I have ever read. The syntax was so strange, it was a little hard to read. His strange use of narration further adds to the surreal and grim atmosphere.
The plot itself is also pretty strange. On the surface, I feel like it’s a tale of rationality vs. irrationality or a critique at government organizations. While these maybe true, I feel like there are more simple and human themes that are just as important. It’s a story of alienation and emotion, K, the protagonist, is a true outsider in an unknown world. There are many more subtle themes but these are the more important ones and honestly the ones I could understand. In conclusion, this was a very strange book but I feel like it was written to be that way. I was intrigued enough to buy his other novel, Metamorphosis, and look forward to reading that soon. I recommend you research this book more before buying because it’s so unique.
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