Reviews - The Metamorphosis, In the Penal Colony, and Other Stories

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20.5k reviews for:

The Metamorphosis, In the Penal Colony, and Other Stories

Franz Kafka

3.69 AVERAGE

i_read_much_of_the_night's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

n8wist's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective slow-paced

Finished at the reading garden at the library.
Paperback copy with foreword by Cronenburg.
Listened to Bill Evan’s while reading
No bookmark used.

pauralalmer's review against another edition

4.0

one of those reads where i just sighed and went "yeah". absurd and depressing—yeah, he's a big bug, but the total othering and abandonment of dreams that goes throughout just makes you feel baaaad.

mazohu's review against another edition

4.0

dark hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lifepath7's review against another edition

3.0

emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I’ve been meaning to read this for years, since it’s labeled a timeless classic by many. Plus, I love the concept behind the story; the whole bug metamorphosis. It was okay. Audiobook is pleasant to listen to but a lot of «he did this she said that». + Subtle sexism here and there.

I don’t understand the purpose of describing the sisters body as curvy and beautiful by the end of the story. «…(she) stretched her young body» EW. I don’t know if those were age markers that indicated she was a child when the story started, but even more so disgusting. There’s a line earlier on that calls the mother and sister slender, so when he later says she became a woman it could be meant literally, as in «grown». To me it just sounds like bro Kafka got horny at some point and had to write down «voluptuous» while pulling his Richard. Like ok bro... Suggestive words and pointless information = horny? Likely.

Content Warnings