Themis Drakontis
The Trial by Franz Kafka is a haunting existential nightmare that follows Josef K., a man suddenly arrested and drawn into a mysterious, inaccessible judicial system without ever being told his crime. As he struggles to understand and navigate this opaque world, the boundaries between justice, bureaucracy, and everyday life dissolve completely.
What makes the novel so powerful is its sense of inevitability and confusion: every attempt at clarity leads only deeper into ambiguity, and every interaction reveals another layer of an incomprehensible system. Even moments of intimacy or escape feel temporary, as the “trial” quietly spreads into every aspect of life.
Kafka creates a suffocating atmosphere where guilt seems to exist without cause and authority without explanation. The result is a deeply unsettling portrait of modern existence — one that feels both surreal and disturbingly familiar.
The Trial by Franz Kafka is a haunting existential nightmare that follows Josef K., a man suddenly arrested and drawn into a mysterious, inaccessible judicial system without ever being told his crime. As he struggles to understand and navigate this opaque world, the boundaries between justice, bureaucracy, and everyday life dissolve completely.
What makes the novel so powerful is its sense of inevitability and confusion: every attempt at clarity leads only deeper into ambiguity, and every interaction reveals another layer of an incomprehensible system. Even moments of intimacy or escape feel temporary, as the “trial” quietly spreads into every aspect of life.
Kafka creates a suffocating atmosphere where guilt seems to exist without cause and authority without explanation. The result is a deeply unsettling portrait of modern existence — one that feels both surreal and disturbingly familiar.
Kin is a rich and moving novel about family, identity, class, and the ways the world around us shapes who we become. What stayed with me most was the social environment surrounding the characters—warm and familiar, yet full of pressure, secrets, and hidden dangers. Vernice and Annie try in different ways to escape the lives they were given, one searching for stability, the other for love. Beautifully written and emotionally sharp, even if the ending felt a little abrupt.
Kin is a rich and moving novel about family, identity, class, and the ways the world around us shapes who we become. What stayed with me most was the social environment surrounding the characters—warm and familiar, yet full of pressure, secrets, and hidden dangers. Vernice and Annie try in different ways to escape the lives they were given, one searching for stability, the other for love. Beautifully written and emotionally sharp, even if the ending felt a little abrupt.
A dense but thought-provoking exploration of consciousness that combines science, philosophy, and personal insight. At times it feels overly technical and difficult to follow, but it offers rewarding ideas about the mind, the self, and the nature of experience. Its greatest strength is how it moves from complexity to a simple, almost humbling conclusion: consciousness remains a mystery, yet it is also the most immediate thing we have.
A dense but thought-provoking exploration of consciousness that combines science, philosophy, and personal insight. At times it feels overly technical and difficult to follow, but it offers rewarding ideas about the mind, the self, and the nature of experience. Its greatest strength is how it moves from complexity to a simple, almost humbling conclusion: consciousness remains a mystery, yet it is also the most immediate thing we have.
A complex and demanding novel that combines philosophy, psychology, and drama in a way few books manage. It’s not always easy to connect with, especially because of its heavy ideas and older setting, but it remains deeply engaging.
What makes it stand out is how it explores different sides of human nature through its characters—passion, doubt, and faith—without offering simple answers. The story constantly raises questions about morality, responsibility, and truth.
The courtroom sections are particularly powerful, showing how reality can be shaped by perception and persuasion rather than facts alone. At the same time, the novel dives into intense psychological territory, making some moments feel very personal and unsettling.
The final part may feel like a shift in tone, but it adds an emotional layer that balances the darker themes of the story.
Overall, it’s a challenging but rewarding read, more about ideas and inner conflict than plot.
A complex and demanding novel that combines philosophy, psychology, and drama in a way few books manage. It’s not always easy to connect with, especially because of its heavy ideas and older setting, but it remains deeply engaging.
What makes it stand out is how it explores different sides of human nature through its characters—passion, doubt, and faith—without offering simple answers. The story constantly raises questions about morality, responsibility, and truth.
The courtroom sections are particularly powerful, showing how reality can be shaped by perception and persuasion rather than facts alone. At the same time, the novel dives into intense psychological territory, making some moments feel very personal and unsettling.
The final part may feel like a shift in tone, but it adds an emotional layer that balances the darker themes of the story.
Overall, it’s a challenging but rewarding read, more about ideas and inner conflict than plot.
Famesick by Lena Dunham is a deeply personal and introspective collection that explores identity, relationships, and vulnerability through a distinctly modern, American lens. While its honest and unfiltered voice can be engaging at times, the book often feels overly specific and occasionally repetitive—especially in its focus on illness and self-analysis. Some chapters stand out for their emotional clarity, but overall it remains uneven. Not bad, but not particularly compelling either.
Famesick by Lena Dunham is a deeply personal and introspective collection that explores identity, relationships, and vulnerability through a distinctly modern, American lens. While its honest and unfiltered voice can be engaging at times, the book often feels overly specific and occasionally repetitive—especially in its focus on illness and self-analysis. Some chapters stand out for their emotional clarity, but overall it remains uneven. Not bad, but not particularly compelling either.
The Iliac Crest is a mesmerizing and unconventional novel that blurs the line between reality and imagination. Cristina Rivera Garza explores identity, gender, and language in ways that leave the narrator — and the reader — feeling disoriented and captivated. The characters guide the story, while the narrator is pulled into a world that is both unsettling and profoundly moving. A haunting literary experience that lingers long after the last page.
The Iliac Crest is a mesmerizing and unconventional novel that blurs the line between reality and imagination. Cristina Rivera Garza explores identity, gender, and language in ways that leave the narrator — and the reader — feeling disoriented and captivated. The characters guide the story, while the narrator is pulled into a world that is both unsettling and profoundly moving. A haunting literary experience that lingers long after the last page.
Dan Brown delivers another fast-paced thriller with his familiar formula: parallel storylines, hidden connections, and a blend of science and mystery. While the ideas are intriguing, the heavy use of scientific explanations sometimes slows down the narrative.
The plot builds tension effectively, but the ending feels underwhelming, leaving gaps and relying on a somewhat predictable romantic resolution. Robert Langdon remains a steady presence, though without much character development.
Overall, an engaging but uneven read — interesting, yet not among Brown’s strongest works.
Dan Brown delivers another fast-paced thriller with his familiar formula: parallel storylines, hidden connections, and a blend of science and mystery. While the ideas are intriguing, the heavy use of scientific explanations sometimes slows down the narrative.
The plot builds tension effectively, but the ending feels underwhelming, leaving gaps and relying on a somewhat predictable romantic resolution. Robert Langdon remains a steady presence, though without much character development.
Overall, an engaging but uneven read — interesting, yet not among Brown’s strongest works.
Updated a reading goal:
Read 10 books by December 30, 2026
Progress so far: 25 / 10 250%
