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xinquo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
5.0
Just read it for third time. The first time I love it, for call it makes for literary faith in the very first line and never giving it reasons for same.
Now, I love it for depression it gives me each time. It is a very pathological relationship. And it gets worse when you come to know the imprints of Kafka's real life that it is based on - the perceived betrayel by his sister, the feeling of being like a insect in company of his well built father etc. May be last is where he got the idea of book from - he mentioned the feeling in his Letter to his father which one can't read without a feeling of guilt. Twice within the book, Samsa's father comes near hurting him.
Many people have felt angry and disgusted at the perceived betrayel by Samsa's family. Nabhokov, who loved the book (Being into both insects and sketches, he even drew the sketch of insect Samsa turned into.) was critical of them too.
Personally, I can't think too critically of them. The parents had just retired after a hard life. The sister Grete is young, just a teenager. I wonder Kafka chose the name ironically to present a grim version of Grimm's brothers tale 'Hansal and Gretel' - where a much going sister undertakes forsakes her freedom and undertakes an equally troublesome life to save the life of her brother. Kafka normally don't do such illusions, but in other hand, he was very happy at how much his and Samsa's name resemble.
Anyhow it is these characters, a couple already tired from a hard life and a girl who is still a child who must take care of Samsa. We are always sympathetic with those suffering from a really terrible disease and, rightly so, it takes a great deal of courage, patience and self-discipline to fight terminal diseases. In case of a type of TB, you need to take hundreds of injections every year. Not everyone can have these qualities - different people have different forms of abilities but disease doesn't always hit a challenging enemy. But, we must also remember, it is same with carers as well - they too need those qualities and a lot of sacrifice, especially if the disease lasts too long. And most of us, aren't gifted with such qualities.
Nabhokhov is disgusted that the family can read newspaper while Samsa is lying in such condition in his room but, nobody can live in such shock and anguish all the time. Also, they won't have be able to help him if they did. And there is that constant anguish that one feels at being unable to help the diseased despite best intentions and efforts. Often people react by getting angry at things, even the one person one is trying to help (the way perhaps father did) or by trying to avoid the person (the mother). Grete shows it by getting angry when someone tries to help her. None of these ideal reactions but humanity is hardly rational in hard times. There is also the disconnect - Gregor and his family seems to hardly know about each-other - first bacause of nature of Gregor's job and later because the insect can't communicate with humanity. I think things would have been easier, the emotional connection would have survuved longer if only Kafka could talk. We know how hard it was for Gregor - but it must have been equally hard on the family, who took all those sacrifices and can't even expect a smile in return. There is also a learned helplessness, for example against the three lodgers which lasts as long as Gregor. (Throwing out of lodgers after his death, shows how much the helplessness was illusionary). And the carers must learn to compromise between their own needs and that of family or arrangement won't last. And mind you, while Gregor was disturbed by changes in furniture in his room, Grete had lost the room itself by the end. I wonder how many of readers judging them will like to exchange their lives with these characters.
In the end, it is about limits of family love, a sentiment we believe to have a fairy tale invincibility but which here is here destroyed by cruel realities of life. As the villian in bollywod movie Janat Jahan says, "when poverty enters from front door, love takes exit from back door." But it being such an unlikable conclusion we prefer to judge the characters than challenge our own beliefs, but I don't think Kafka would have written the book if he didn't thought it holds some general truth. And he was so understanding about his father in his letter that I doubt he will write a novel just to judge them.
There is no point in which he shows a feeling of betrayel. Although it could be an understandable reaction for a man in his position with all the hard work he has done and sacrifices he has made for his family, taking up a job at such an early age etc. His parents are thinking of Grete's marriage on in the end which is sort of last nail in coffin - the only sign of sexuality (there is no mention of a romantic life) in Gregor's short life was a poster of a model in his room - the only thing he tries to defend even by fighting against his family.
Now, I love it for depression it gives me each time. It is a very pathological relationship. And it gets worse when you come to know the imprints of Kafka's real life that it is based on - the perceived betrayel by his sister, the feeling of being like a insect in company of his well built father etc. May be last is where he got the idea of book from - he mentioned the feeling in his Letter to his father which one can't read without a feeling of guilt. Twice within the book, Samsa's father comes near hurting him.
Many people have felt angry and disgusted at the perceived betrayel by Samsa's family. Nabhokov, who loved the book (Being into both insects and sketches, he even drew the sketch of insect Samsa turned into.) was critical of them too.
Personally, I can't think too critically of them. The parents had just retired after a hard life. The sister Grete is young, just a teenager. I wonder Kafka chose the name ironically to present a grim version of Grimm's brothers tale 'Hansal and Gretel' - where a much going sister undertakes forsakes her freedom and undertakes an equally troublesome life to save the life of her brother. Kafka normally don't do such illusions, but in other hand, he was very happy at how much his and Samsa's name resemble.
Anyhow it is these characters, a couple already tired from a hard life and a girl who is still a child who must take care of Samsa. We are always sympathetic with those suffering from a really terrible disease and, rightly so, it takes a great deal of courage, patience and self-discipline to fight terminal diseases. In case of a type of TB, you need to take hundreds of injections every year. Not everyone can have these qualities - different people have different forms of abilities but disease doesn't always hit a challenging enemy. But, we must also remember, it is same with carers as well - they too need those qualities and a lot of sacrifice, especially if the disease lasts too long. And most of us, aren't gifted with such qualities.
Nabhokhov is disgusted that the family can read newspaper while Samsa is lying in such condition in his room but, nobody can live in such shock and anguish all the time. Also, they won't have be able to help him if they did. And there is that constant anguish that one feels at being unable to help the diseased despite best intentions and efforts. Often people react by getting angry at things, even the one person one is trying to help (the way perhaps father did) or by trying to avoid the person (the mother). Grete shows it by getting angry when someone tries to help her. None of these ideal reactions but humanity is hardly rational in hard times. There is also the disconnect - Gregor and his family seems to hardly know about each-other - first bacause of nature of Gregor's job and later because the insect can't communicate with humanity. I think things would have been easier, the emotional connection would have survuved longer if only Kafka could talk. We know how hard it was for Gregor - but it must have been equally hard on the family, who took all those sacrifices and can't even expect a smile in return. There is also a learned helplessness, for example against the three lodgers which lasts as long as Gregor. (Throwing out of lodgers after his death, shows how much the helplessness was illusionary). And the carers must learn to compromise between their own needs and that of family or arrangement won't last. And mind you, while Gregor was disturbed by changes in furniture in his room, Grete had lost the room itself by the end. I wonder how many of readers judging them will like to exchange their lives with these characters.
In the end, it is about limits of family love, a sentiment we believe to have a fairy tale invincibility but which here is here destroyed by cruel realities of life. As the villian in bollywod movie Janat Jahan says, "when poverty enters from front door, love takes exit from back door." But it being such an unlikable conclusion we prefer to judge the characters than challenge our own beliefs, but I don't think Kafka would have written the book if he didn't thought it holds some general truth. And he was so understanding about his father in his letter that I doubt he will write a novel just to judge them.
There is no point in which he shows a feeling of betrayel. Although it could be an understandable reaction for a man in his position with all the hard work he has done and sacrifices he has made for his family, taking up a job at such an early age etc. His parents are thinking of Grete's marriage on in the end which is sort of last nail in coffin - the only sign of sexuality (there is no mention of a romantic life) in Gregor's short life was a poster of a model in his room - the only thing he tries to defend even by fighting against his family.
ramskick's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
What an absolute blast this is. I know that’s a weird thing to say about a book that focuses on topics such as loss of humanity, alienation, poverty and parental abandonment but consuming The Metamorphosis is some of the most fun I’ve had reading in a long time. It helped that I listened to it on audiobook with a pretty good reader and a really strong translation but I really think this is just an excellent book. I’m normally not someone who notices when something is well-paced but The Metamorphosis is so strong in that category that I immediately noticed it. Nothing lingers for a sentence longer than it should. It’s very short and yet each section feels complete and by the end of the book a satisfying narrative has been told. Each character is introduced at the right time. Each vignette works on its own as well as within the complex of the overall book. Each concept is focused on for the right amount of time. It just works on every level and makes this a rare book that is both very interesting to analyze on a deep literary level while also being really fun to read from a casual perspective. So often I complain that some books are really deep but not fun to read or the other way around but this one is both. It’s just wonderful.
itslorei's review against another edition
4.0
I will be rating this by my ratings for Metamorphosis. I've read the selected here, but again, it will only be a rating for Metamorphosis.
Metamorphosis is somehow a weird and tragic story. I really deeply feel sorry for Gregor and his family.
I would say the point towards the ending is kind of a plot twist since I'm not really expecting it to turn out towards the line. More of an open ending.
Overall, this was a good read. I really did find some Fyodor themes aspect here.
.
Metamorphosis is somehow a weird and tragic story. I really deeply feel sorry for Gregor and his family.
I would say the point towards the ending is kind of a plot twist since I'm not really expecting it to turn out towards the line. More of an open ending.
Overall, this was a good read. I really did find some Fyodor themes aspect here.
.
booksofgayle's review against another edition
3.75
idgaf about interpretation. justice for Gregor Samsa
- the original "would you still love me if I was a worm"
- my guy turning into a literal insect and his biggest concern still being that he slept past his alarm is so real
- "He himself wasn't feeling particularly fresh and active." my brother in christ u are a bug
- me: i need a short read where i won't get so invested in the characters
me 30 minutes later: if another motherfucker chucks an apple at gregor i fear for what i will do👹🗡️
I’m in great difficulties, but I’ll get out of them again.
erinastin's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this! It’s absurd and hilarious while also being dark and affecting. Kafka describes alienation in such a unique way.
leahnott's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5