Tab Article

ratings: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Genre: Literary Fiction / Absurdist Fiction / Coming-of-age story

Book Review:
If you think of Kafka and immediately feel a sense of dread and bleakness, ''Amerika'' might surprise you. It's often called his ''sunniest'' book, and it really is different. It follows young Karl Rossmann as he's packed off to America and stumbles through a series of bizarre jobs and encounters. The America he finds is a weird, dreamlike place that's clearly more about Kafka's imagination than the real country. There's still that classic Kafka feeling of being lost in a system you don't understand – especially in the incredible, unfinished final chapter with its chaotic ''Nature Theatre of Oklahoma.'' But the tone is lighter, more picaresque, almost hopeful at times. It's a fascinating look at a different side of a literary genius. If you've been intimidated by Kafka before, this might be the perfect, more accessible place to start. It leaves you wishing he had finished it.