The Metamorphosis

Paperback, 44 pages

English language

Published Sept. 12, 2009 by Classix Press.

ISBN:
9781557427663

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4 stars (4 reviews)

The Metamorphosis (German: Die Verwandlung) is a novella written by Franz Kafka which was first published in 1915. One of Kafka's best-known works, The Metamorphosis tells the story of salesman Gregor Samsa, who wakes one morning to find himself inexplicably transformed into a huge insect (German ungeheures Ungeziefer, literally "monstrous vermin") and subsequently struggles to adjust to this new condition. The novella has been widely discussed among literary critics, with differing interpretations being offered.

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Review of 'The Metamorphosis' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I will freely admit that this isn't my kind of book and that I mainly read it in order to understand what people mean when they say "Kafka-esque"

So really my enjoyment of this story was about a 3/5 but I give it extra points for its originality and clearly very good writing. The ending was a little anticlimactic though.

I also really enjoyed it as an audiobook which kept the tone light. Otherwise there was a chance I may have interpreted it more as a horror. That said, that speaks to how interesting this is to read more as literary art than merely something to be enjoyed (even if it still to an extent can certainly be just enjoyed and not analysed).

I think this is a short but rich story to be used for book clubs or other literary analysis. Or just read it as a quirky magical …

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4 stars