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You people have not understood the book, it is supposed to be superfluous, annoying to read, too long, and unfinished.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and give this book a negative review. It's not that I don't like Kafka, I've read most of his fiction and I think he was a brilliant writer. But this book just disappointed me. It's a few hundred pages too long--he pretty much makes most of his main points in the first part of the book and the remaining narrative seems superfluous and, well, tedious. Although his other two novels are also "unfinished" I think he expressed himself much more clearly in them. I agree with the other reviewers that this novel was about many things, i.e. the quest for truth, the frustration of the invididual facing the state and society itself, etc., but I think it could have been done better, especially by someone like Kafka. While reading "The Castle" I couldn't get over the impression that I was reading the first draft of something the author probably would have refined and improved had he lived longer.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and give this book a negative review. It's not that I don't like Kafka, I've read most of his fiction and I think he was a brilliant writer. But this book just disappointed me. It's a few hundred pages too long--he pretty much makes most of his main points in the first part of the book and the remaining narrative seems superfluous and, well, tedious. Although his other two novels are also "unfinished" I think he expressed himself much more clearly in them. I agree with the other reviewers that this novel was about many things, i.e. the quest for truth, the frustration of the invididual facing the state and society itself, etc., but I think it could have been done better, especially by someone like Kafka. While reading "The Castle" I couldn't get over the impression that I was reading the first draft of something the author probably would have refined and improved had he lived longer.

Well, those are some bizarre reviews already submitted. This is one the the greatest novels ever written. Beautifully written, with many and varied ideas. Anyone who doesn't like it is just plain odd. I suppose the problem is trying to explain the book. It isn't about any one thing. It's about everything. The whole world in a book. (One of maybe 5 books from the 20th century like that.) If you're not sure, then start with The Metamorphosis, a perfect work of art, and it's short, too, and easy to read. Fun for the whole family.

In terms of novels, unfortunately, when we hear the name Franz Kafka, our first reflex is "the trial." This should absolutely not be the case, his masterpiece was "the castle," and many times it takes the back seat. "The castle" is a book that takes the dream-narrative form to its extreme height, and within its binding contains a unity which can not be said of many of his other works. This book is most emblematic of the man's life, fueled by Kafka's desire to merge the material world,(get married, work, be part of a community) and the spiritual, to be conscious of living.(i.e. the life of the poet/artist)Ironically, Because there is no difference between life and Art in this book, we learn the truth of Franz Kafka, and follow his trail to the castle.