Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - The Trial: A New Translation Based on the Restored Text

It wouldn’t feel fair to rate this because it’s not really a finished work. There’s several plot lines that don’t go anywhere and it feels very disjointed.
However, what is actually on page has an idea it’s going for, but it just keeps getting distracted. Overall, read it if you want to, but don’t expect this to be some masterpiece.

Spoiler review below:

I understand that this is supposed to be all about the hopelessness of being in a corrupt system where anyone can be declared guilty of a crime and punished without any sort of way to defend yourself, or even understand what is going on. And I think the character of Block and the final words of K do a good way of representing that. But DANG this book is mostly just K freaking out and everyone around him telling him to chill out and then him being super stubborn and argumentative. It also really left a bad taste in my mouth that the women are all treated terribly or as props. It’s hard to feel too sad for a guy that is so unlikeable.
I can see why somebody might connect with this book, but it just wasn’t for me. </spoiler

Content Warnings

sani0622's review against another edition

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challenging informative slow-paced

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

3.5

Content Warnings

sophiemartin's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

Content Warnings

brycestevenwilley's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

Not a huge fan. Not a lot really happens, not in the sense that it's a bueracratic nightmare and stuck in limbo, just like there are only 5 or so scenes of note. IMO you could read the first ~40 or 50 pages and then the last chapter and wouldn't have missed much.

The unfinished-ness of it also detracts; I had to read many of the deleted sections to realize what was going on, and one of the chapters that's included in the book is just unfinished and stops in the middle of a paragraph.

I remember enjoying the metamorphisis, so I don't think it was Kafka that I didn't enjoy.

Content Warnings

kryzysowa_narzeczona's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

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