Book Review: The Castle by Franz Kafka

Published in Germany in 1926, Franz Kafka’s “The Castle” (Das Schloss) faced challenges after the author’s death in 1924. Despite Kafka’s wish that his books not be published, his friend Max Brod disregarded this. Initially, “The Castle” struggled with poor sales, and Nazi efforts to ban works by German Jews, including Kafka, limited its availability. Schocken Verlag, a Jewish publisher, was allowed to continue publishing Jewish works under the condition that they were exclusively sold to Jews. Today, Kafka is esteemed as one of the prominent figures in 20th-century literature,…

Book Review: The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami

In this book, Haruki Murakami takes his readers to a journey where they may experience a thin line between forgotten memories and existential musings. The City and Its Uncertain Walls was first released in April 2023 but it was all set for English reading audience in November 2024. The book is built on a short story written by the author himself in 1980s.

Book Review: The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky

In this fascinating literary journey, Dostoevsky takes a deep dive into the complex world of human nature and psychology. Initially released in serialized form, “The Idiot” made its debut in The Russian Messenger during 1868–69. In my opinion, Dostoevsky’s firsthand experiences with corruption, imprisonment, and solitude permeate in nearly all his main characters. The protagonist in the “The Idiot” comes back to his “old city” but he is taken aback as he steps into the refurbished glittering scene of Russian high society. Things here are definitely not what they seem…