A review by chrisljm
The Trial by Franz Kafka

challenging dark 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

2.0

The amount of times I fell asleep reading this is unprecedented, and it’s another mark against posthumous publishing from me. 

I appreciate critique on bureaucracy and the complex legal system, but I really disliked the way it was executed here. It’s incredibly dense and difficult to engage with, and I think this book could’ve benefited from ‘less is more’. It also didn’t help that I found Joseph K. to be a very irritating character and at certain points I wanted him to just get arrested already so that he would stop talking. I also really disliked how the only purpose the few female characters had were to serve and seduce the men. 

I much prefer The Stranger by Albert Camus. 

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