A review by sirhe
The Unhappiness of Being a Single Man: Essential Stories by Franz Kafka

adventurous dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This collection of short stories does a good job of showing the versatility Kafka's writing. This includes some humorous pieces of flash fiction, to short stories about Father-Son relationships, and longer stories about obsessive individuals who have mental breakdowns. Some of the stories include angsty narrators, which are popular motifs in Kafka's works. Other's focus on the personification of objects, nature, and animals, which are unheard of, yet still Kafkaesque. 

In this collection, I enjoyed eight of the twenty-two stories. I recommend you take a look at "The Verdict", "The Hunger Artist", "In the Penal Colony", and "A Report for an Academy". These are the best stories in the collection. Of the flash fiction, make sure to check out "A Short Fable", "Poseidon", "The Trees", and "Give up!".

3⭐