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abken's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Very dark tale of alienating. Characters, events, intentions are not justified, but I think it is more metaphorical/allegorical, so it was not the point to have complex characters that make sense as in a regular magical realism/fantasy work. This was very page-effective and didn't need more complexity or it would have turned into a more literal tale of the literal experience of person turning into a bug and the family's coping instead of a metaphor to alienation and how socially alienated or depressed people in general feel like - it was not his family who alienated from him, but in my opinion it was about how he felt and how he thought that his death would make them happy again .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Confinement
Moderate: Body shaming, Body horror, and Mental illness
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
carseatwarmers's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Body horror
Moderate: Confinement and Injury/Injury detail
gabriella_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This ripping my heart out and stomped on it. It broke me. I know the obvious themes in this reflect on ableism but it also makes me think of caretaking more broadly (including eldercare and dementia) and it was just so tragic. I love the protagonist, he was so lovable and I almost cried multiple times reading this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Death, Grief, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, and Classism
biobeetle's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, and Abandonment
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Mental illness
wuthrinheights's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I first read this story for my class and I read it again almost immediately. Today I reread it after years of not coming in contact with it, and I think it was better when I first read it.
The Metamorphosis was a strange, sad and almost funny (in a way that you pity him so much, you almost want to laugh at its absurdity) story.
I couldn't help but feel that it was more than just a nonsensical fictional story, that it was symbolic of his own life. It felt a bit too personal, as if Kafka himself woke up one day feeling like a monster who disappointed his family, in which their confusion, fear, and worries quickly turned to resentment. My heart goes out to Kafka, I hope he's resting peacefully.
The Metamorphosis was a strange, sad and almost funny (in a way that you pity him so much, you almost want to laugh at its absurdity) story.
I couldn't help but feel that it was more than just a nonsensical fictional story, that it was symbolic of his own life. It felt a bit too personal, as if Kafka himself woke up one day feeling like a monster who disappointed his family, in which their confusion, fear, and worries quickly turned to resentment. My heart goes out to Kafka, I hope he's resting peacefully.
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
clovetra's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
oh wow how i loved this.
let me first off say this was given to me through a giveaway here on StoryGraph, and i am so thankful for audrey for giving me this!
this was my first audiobook, and boy was it a treat
i loved not only the story, but the narration techniques, the music, and how i could truly *feel* gregor's despair. also ngl audrey's little recaps are a blessing.
the story itself was so beautiful. i loved how simple it was to grasp the underlying metaphor, yet i could still easily fall in love. kafka's writing has a sort of lyrical sense to it, and im addicted.
also i loved how pathetic gregor was.
i just loved everything about this. i cant put into words why greatly, i just really had a good time reading this.
also this made me cry and literally only 2 other books have done that to me
let me first off say this was given to me through a giveaway here on StoryGraph, and i am so thankful for audrey for giving me this!
this was my first audiobook, and boy was it a treat
i loved not only the story, but the narration techniques, the music, and how i could truly *feel* gregor's despair. also ngl audrey's little recaps are a blessing.
the story itself was so beautiful. i loved how simple it was to grasp the underlying metaphor, yet i could still easily fall in love. kafka's writing has a sort of lyrical sense to it, and im addicted.
also i loved how pathetic gregor was.
i just loved everything about this. i cant put into words why greatly, i just really had a good time reading this.
also this made me cry and literally only 2 other books have done that to me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Body horror, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Violence, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death
joensign's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, Death, and Abandonment
aliceintheuk4's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The simplistic style of writing paired with the bizarre subject matter is what makes this book truly brilliant.
I find the story of Gregor turning into a cockroach can be used as a metaphor for so many things; dehumanisation of the working man, neoliberalism, mental illness and disability amongst others. I do think despite the fact that none of us are going to be turning into bugs anytime soon, most people will be able to relate to Gregor.
I find the story of Gregor turning into a cockroach can be used as a metaphor for so many things; dehumanisation of the working man, neoliberalism, mental illness and disability amongst others. I do think despite the fact that none of us are going to be turning into bugs anytime soon, most people will be able to relate to Gregor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
e_r_q's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect."
A nightmarishly absurd and symbolically rich exploration of transformation and dehumanisation, presented with ludicrous mundanity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Confinement
Moderate: Death
mathildemroy's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Confinement