Classic indifference in modern society

Franz Kafka's The Trial is a classic depiction of the cold indifference of modern society. A mid level bank employee is accused of a crime, although he is never told the nature of that crime. He endures an opaque and labyrinthine system that is completely uninterpretable and unnavigable to an outsider and seems solely designed to serve and sustain the system. Along the way, he encounter others in the system and deals with lawyers who are equally intent on perpetuating the impenetrability the whole affair. While he suffers throughout from cold, unfeeling inscrutable system, his fate is sealed and in the end, he never even learns the original instigating cause of his demise.

Kafka explores the downsides to large, complex structures necessitated by large populations, in essence the evolving issues with modern life. No one individual has the big picture, no one has all the details, and no one has any responsibilities or accountability beyond carrying out their specific tasks. While everyone can empathize with K, Kafka manages to string together a story in the extreme that highlights the problems dealing with large groups of people.

The narration is adequate with reasonable character distinction and solid pacing. While not long, be prepared to be frustrated by the continual injustices experienced at every turn.

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Tragic story

It's a dystopian masterpiece. It describes a large part of judicial system of the 3rd world countries.

1 persona l'ha trovata utile

Good Narrator

High quality narrator, classic story, didn't like it so much myself. I would consider this book a bit pessimistic, and to have a gloomy outlook. Wouldn't read this on a bad day!

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Expecting a different result

Read the book 10 years ago and I still question every decision K made and the motive of every character. The anguish you feel throughout the story never leaves you until K the last sentence. Trying to understand it is no more futile than K’s own efforts.

Self-absorbed twat gets caught up in absurd trial

The main character is this book is a self-absorbed, self-righteous twat who can't be bothered to consider anything beyond own reprehensible understanding of reality. I think the reason he never discovered what he was being accused of is because he never let anyone else speak. We are given an insinuation of his crime and his reaction alone should be enough to convict him. By the end of the book I was rooting for the court system to shut him up and nearly cheered at the ending.

Given all of that, both the trial and the court system were utterly ridiculous, particularly given that they seemed to have no power to force anyone to do anything that wasn't voluntary in some way.

Kafka's finest work

I listened to this book as a free download. I didn't realize it was the best novel published by the author (inasmuch as I have had the opportunity to read). The feeling of the unseen, all-powerful societal machine feels similar to the themes in 1984, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451. The elegant treatment of nihilistic bureaucacy calls to mind Catch 22, and throughout you see the sardonic wit for which Kafka is so well-known. Highly recommend this to any who enjoy dystopian novels, particularly those who have had dealings with the legal system.

They just talk about pants

I listened to the first chapter and it’s mostly about putting on his pants. Not a good book.

Poor performance weakens the story

The narrator spoke characters’ lines without depth or feeling. The often mechanical reading offered by the narrator dulled any hopes of immersion in the content.

Despite people raving about

I tried several chapters but just couldn't get into this title, will try another Kafka audiobook, possibly this just isn't for me.

Odd ending

The story develops as an ever increasing web of control. Great, dark, all overseeing dystopian story. Then it just ends. I'm guessing that since Kofka died some hack wrote a quick end and published.