K. is summoned as a land surveyor. His assignation leads him far from his native town and his family to an inhospitable, snow-covered locale. His desire to reach the castle and receive further instructions on his job seems a reasonable one, but from his first encounter with the residents of the village governed by the castle, he realises that things will not be as simple as he expected.
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All contact he tries to make with the castle is futile, forcing him to remain in the village and await further instructions from Klamm, a castle official who is to oversee the land surveyor.
While residing at a local inn, K. learns much about the villagers and the almost subliminal control that the castle holds over them. He falls in love with Frieda, the daughter of his landlady and, intriguingly, a former lover of Klamm. The landlady, disapproving of their relationship, banishes K. and Frieda from the inn and, having nowhere left to turn, K. accepts a post as a janitor at a local school. He begins to suspect some ulterior motive in his being sent for, increasing his desire for contact with the officials of the castle.
From here, their relationship disintegrates amid speculation of control and confidence trickery on the part of both Frieda and K., forcing our narrator to seek shelter with another local family. An urgent missive from the castle, draws him closer to the inner circles of the castle.
The review of this Book prepared by Gavin Lees
