After an embarrassing sexual misadventure with a servant girl, sixteen-year-old Karl Rossman is banished to America by his parents. Though dredged with humour and optimism, Kafka's first novel bears his distinctive hallmarks, as young Karl becomes mired in an ever more unreal and oppressive system.

After an embarrassing sexual misadventure with a servant girl, sixteen-year-old Karl Rossman is banished to America by his parents. Though dredged with humour and optimism, Kafka's first novel bears his distinctive hallmarks, as young Karl becomes mired in an ever more unreal and oppressive system.