I forced myself to read The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka in one sitting on a school night and finished it at 1am. This will, therefore, consequently have great influence on my review.

To begin, the main character, Gregor Samsa, wakes up as an insect. His first instinct is thinking how he is going to go to work. Later on in the story, this proves to be the least of his worries since as the days go by, he still is unable to return into his human form. I would say the story does not necessarily become more compelling as it goes on due to the fact that it is not very plot-oriented, but rather character-focused. It is a classic that one never forgets after reading considering it is really original and widely referenced. The Metamorphosis clearly shows why the term “kafkaesque” emerged.

This is a story I believe everyone should read at least once since it is a classic, it is short (70 pages or so) and it is very influential on other works of art. Although I speak well of it, I am not sure I would exactly recommend it, but maybe that was the effect of reading it in a rush in one sitting. That is where my bias begins to be questioned. Overall, in my opinion, the story deserves its status as a classic, but it is not one of my favorites.