by Johanna Richardson

Created on: November 15, 2009

This is a vintage classic story book, and is certainly worth reading. It is difficult at times, it is not a bed-time read and you need to concentrate on certain parts, so it does not become too confusing, but it is well worth the trouble.

It is about the terrifying tale of Joseph K, who works in a bank and is well respected, but then is suddenly arrested. He has to defend his innocence against a crime that is never revealed to him and can get no answers or information about.

It gives you nightmare visions on how society could suddenly change, sop you have no control over your own life or destiny.

It shows how the too much bureaucracy allowed to mix with mad agendas could lead to totalitarian regimes, which blow totally out of control for the normal man in the street.

We start with the trial where we meet the mind of Kafka is his purest form.

This is the book that draws out each of his principal concerns in full tilt, as he unfolds the layers his story of horrified paranoia and personal confusion.

The plot creates a mood from the onset, that will create the mood of being afraid as the poor Josef K faces, which sends him downwards into a free-falling spiral, conflicting clues are given about what he accused of and we see evidence build up against him to further incriminate in a crime that he cannot comprehend or understand.

Yes, this does sound confusing, this is why you need an alert mind to untangle the clues and evidence unfolds around our character.

The author tries his best to keep us guessing, and tries to keep large chunks of the plots secrets going as long as possible.

All the way through the book are we allowed to find out and gain information before our main character has worked it out himself (this is one mystery where you are not allowed to work out the answer before the end) you have to wait until the author thinks you are ready to allowed this pleasure.

We meet moments of sheer terror and horror and you can feel the tension that our main character must be feeling.

If you enjoyed Orwell's' 1984, then you will defiantly appreciate this book, for all it implications of bureaucratic and totalitarian systems. It is a powerful book from beginning to end.

This book is one that should be put on your list of "must read", if more people read it and started to understand the message Franz Kafka was trying to impart to us all, maybe we could end up with a better world.

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