The Trial

I must say I was rather disappointed by my first Kafka novel. It was a very slow-burner--which I suppose was the point, in order to reflect the character's torturous position, but as a reader it was too much for me often, and at some points I struggled to pick it back up, even though once you got going with it the novel's world with its twisted logic and warped customs did envelop you (to an extent). I did like the end a lot though with its randomness (but I won't spoil that here).

I still much prefer the short stories like "A Country Doctor" and "The Hunger Artist" (still I haven't to my shame read "Metamorphosis"), but I will eventually go on to read The Castle and America (they're in the Complete Novels I got for last Christmas anyway).