Reviews

America by Franz Kafka

wischmopp's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

readandprocrastinate's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

bookish_skies's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

3.0

enchantedteapot's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

timmytoenail69's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

The reputation of this novel as unique in Kafka’s oeuvre as a lighthearted and positive story is indeed accurate. I have not read Kafka’s letter to his father yet, but having read the Metamorphosis and his diaries, Rossmann’s adventure seems to reflect a lot more the ideal that Kafka wished he could fulfil. In a rather Freudian sense, America represents the superego for Kafka: a hard-working man whose resilience affords him fortune in the face of somewhat bizarre and certainly uncontrollable misfortunes. It is a shame that is was left unfinished, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable book that managed to explore the same Kafkaesque themes in the total opposite way.

kingofblades113's review against another edition

challenging lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

juliavjue's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-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? Yes

2.75

maevesullivan_'s review against another edition

2.5

“kafka’s first and funniest novel”, a bold claim there to start (I did not laugh), but valid experience of the working class explored nonetheless that I will always listen too

blackoxford's review against another edition

3.0

Certainly not his best work but it has value.

panele_zi's review against another edition

3.0

Norėčiau vėl grįžti į mokyklą

Kaip būdavo įdomu per literatūros pamokas pažvelgti į tekstą giliau, nagrinėti tai, ko galbūt nepastebėjau. Sakysit, juk čia tiesiog kažkas pasakė ir visi taip pat interpretuoja. Bet manau, kad užvedimas ant kelio gali išprovokuoti daug naujų diskusijų.

Norėčiau sakyti, kad knyga labai patiko, nes supratau pagrindinį veikėją, galėjau su juo susitapatinti ar bent bandyti suprasti patiriamus jausmus. Tačiau buvo priešingai. Absoliučiai neperpratau jo mąstymo, veiksmų. Dažnai Karlas pasirodė nesusigaudantis aplinkoje, absoliuti aplinkybių auka. Kartais išlįsdavo jo dvasia, ryžtas, bet po kurio laiko, atrodo, aplinkiniai vėl jį nusmukdo, naudojasi tuo nekaltumu, pasimetimu. Atrodo, visa visata susimokiusi.

Knygoje gausu dialogų, aprašymų. Aptarinėjome su drauge, jog dažnai vyrų veiksmai, gestai pasirodydavo labai dviprasmiški. Bet nesu to meto žinovė, gal to laikmečio bendravime tai yra visai normalus elgesys. Juk ir žmonės buvo santūresni, kitaip bendraudavo tarpusavyje. Tad kitu atžvilgiu buvo įdomu stebėti ir lyginti su šių dienų visuomenės mentalitetu.

Kafka šio romano nepabaigė. Tačiau šis neužbaigtumas tik pabrėžia, jog galbūt jokio tikslo ar išvados čia ir neturi būti. Pamatėm, išgirdom, galbūt viską tik susapnavome ir gyvename toliau. Pats autorius nėra buvęs Amerikoje, tad mums ir nebūtina žinoti konteksto, galime tiesiog keliauti drauge.