Tab Article

Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Genre: Literary Fiction, Modernist Classic, Coming-of-Age Story

Book Review:
If you think you know Kafka—the dark, claustrophobic, guilt-ridden landscapes of ''The Trial'' and ''The Castle''—then ''Amerika'' will come as a surprising and delightful revelation. Kafka's first novel is a strange and wonderful anomaly in his body of work: a picaresque, almost optimistic tale of a young immigrant in a vast, surreal version of America. The story follows Karl Rossmann, a boy of sixteen who is packed off to America by his parents after a scandal. The America he enters is not the real one, but a dreamlike, exaggerated landscape of endless streets, colossal hotels, and bewildering social hierarchies. Karl is a classic innocent abroad, and his journey is a series of encounters with both kindness and grotesque exploitation. He finds a wealthy uncle, only to be cast out again. He gets a job as a lift boy, only to be drawn into a bizarre web of deception. What makes ''Amerika'' so compelling is its tone. While it certainly contains moments of the absurdity and alienation we associate with Kafka, it is also infused with a sense of wonder and even a kind of naive hope. The unfinished novel ends with a chapter set in the ''Nature Theatre of Oklahoma,'' a massive, seemingly all-inclusive organization that promises a place for everyone. It's a strangely utopian and moving image, leaving Karl, and the reader, with a sense of possibility. This is not the best starting point for a Kafka newcomer (that would be ''The Metamorphosis''), but for anyone who loves his work, ''Amerika'' is an absolutely fascinating and essential read. It shows a different side of a master, and Michael Hofmann's lyrical translation beautifully captures the novel's unique spirit.