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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
My second venture into audiobooks has fared less well. Classic it may be, but The Trial did nothing for me. I was aware of the story in advance, knew the themes but didn't know the content. It seems that was the least important part anyway. I found the experience frustrating and ridiculous, developing immense dislike for our protagonist with his wildly fluctuant confidence/arrogance and disdain, flitting from one bizarre and pointless situation to the next. Plus, I found his aggressive sexuality to be more than a little disturbing, seemingly forcing himself on any female character whether reciprocated or not. An attempt to actually control something in his rapidly disintegrating life? Perhaps, but unpleasant none the less.
The endless circular discussions, blind-ended alleys and characters who only serve to reiterate the ridiculous, threatening and claustrophobic nature of the grander themes; they all grated. I can see why it's a classic but it's not up my alley. Kafka does not appear to be for me.
The audiobook reading by Rupert Degas was ok though his female characters all sound the same. It didn't add anything and perhaps took away a little. Hmmm.
The endless circular discussions, blind-ended alleys and characters who only serve to reiterate the ridiculous, threatening and claustrophobic nature of the grander themes; they all grated. I can see why it's a classic but it's not up my alley. Kafka does not appear to be for me.
The audiobook reading by Rupert Degas was ok though his female characters all sound the same. It didn't add anything and perhaps took away a little. Hmmm.
كتاب كان ممتاز -الا انه فيه بعض التمطيط- الى النهاية صارت كارثة ، النهاية متسرّعة جدًا الفصل الاخير كان ٨ صفحات فقط وهو شيء قليل على اسلوب المحاكمة في الفصول المستقلة عن بعض ، ما عرفت اي معلومات مهمة عن القضية كلها معلومات تافهه طوال الكتاب
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is not the exact edition that I read, but it is my best guess. The edition I read was a translator who lived and breathed Kafka, and the translation was brilliantly faithful to the original German. I hope to figure out who it was one day. This is my favorite book of all time and is what made me fall in love with literature. Since then I have read every story that Kafka ever wrote. The nightmarish atmosphere is complimented by the strange and whimsical actions of the characters, and the long winded run on sentences only add to the overall feeling of the book.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Imagine a movie made by David Lynch and Wes Anderson, converted into book form. If that sounds like your sort of thing, read this. For me, however, it was mind-numbingly awful.
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Always loved Franz Kafka and could have sworn I had already read this book until I recently watched the Orson Welles adaptation and noticed that I had The Trial confused with The Castle, another similar Kafka novel that I had clearly read before.
Either way, always good to revisit a favourite author and notice that one of his key works still lies around undiscovered. And even though I hadn't read the book - at least I don't think I had - it had little surprises as such as the whole premise and worldview had been so much ingrained into popular culture and into my own consciousness.
But, hey, there is a reason why he is one of the few author who is so distinct and unique that his last name has been turned into an adjective.
Either way, always good to revisit a favourite author and notice that one of his key works still lies around undiscovered. And even though I hadn't read the book - at least I don't think I had - it had little surprises as such as the whole premise and worldview had been so much ingrained into popular culture and into my own consciousness.
But, hey, there is a reason why he is one of the few author who is so distinct and unique that his last name has been turned into an adjective.
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.4/5 but I have to say, most of its rating comes from the last 20 pages of the book which went SO hard. Idk why Kafka decided attempted murder through boredom for the first 150 pages and then went actually now the story starts but I did love the ending a lot, especially the last paragraph and K. shouting 'like a dog!'
Josef K. I did not know you very long but I fear you had it coming. All love though
Josef K. I did not know you very long but I fear you had it coming. All love though
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No