The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! š
brnineworms's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A lot of these stories didnāt make a whole lot of sense to me, and I donāt know if thatās due to the writing style or poor translation. Maybe itās just the summer humidity making my brain foggy. Interpreting Kafkaās writing feels like deciphering a riddle, and I mean that as both criticism and praise.
Contemplation (1913) ā 4.5ā
A beautifully written series of vignettes romanticising the mundane. Itās more like a collection of poems than a sequence of chapters; thereās no narrative structure or throughline connecting each part. It serves as an enticing introduction to Kafkaās writing, like an instrumental opening track.
The Judgement: A Story for F (1913) ā 3.5ā
This one felt incomplete, like a chapter from a longer story. I felt I was lacking context. I did a little research and it seems the German version contained some double meanings that got lost in translation, thereby obscuring the metaphor. Still, I didnāt dislike it, and I can appreciate what Kafka was going for.
The Stoker: A Fragment (1913) ā 2.5ā
Ironically, this story actually was intended to be the first chapter in a novel, but it didnāt leave me wanting more like The Judgement did. If I had to sum up The Stoker in one word it would be ādull.ā I just didnāt care.
Metamorphosis (1915) ā 4.0ā
The main event, my reason for buying this book. I liked it and I can definitely see why itās considered a classic, but I just canāt shake the feeling that Iām missing something.
Itās a thought-provoking tale, Iāll say that much! Thereās a lot to chew on. Itās a fascinating blend of realism and fantasy with a surprising amount of depth.
In the Penal Colony (1919) ā 2.5ā
Another dull story. The torture machine was convoluted and ridiculous so it didnāt have whatever horrifying and/or erotic effect Kafka was going for. I think he was trying to make a point about the criminal justice system, about how those in power are so perversely obsessed with punishment that it doesnāt matter to them whether or not their actions actually constitute any kind of ājustice.ā Iād honestly recommend watching the 1985 Doctor Who serial Vengeance on Varos instead of reading this ā it plays with a lot of the same ideas, plus more.
A Country Doctor: Short Prose for My Father (1920) ā 3.5ā
More poetic vignettes Ć la Contemplation, with higher highs and lower lows. Itās difficult to rate these collectively. My favourites were definitely Jackals and Arabs, an intriguing story commenting on colonialism and the self-appointed messianic role of Europeans, and A Report to an Academy, which was really poignant in its frank discussion of assimilation as a survival strategy. Some of the other stories were forgettable, impenetrable, sometimes feeling stubbornly pointless (though perhaps that pointlessness was the point, I donāt know). Overall, I think thereās more good than bad in this collection of short prose.
The Hunger-Artist: Four Stories (1924) ā 3.5ā
Though listed as āFour Storiesā I will review them together because they were grouped together. First Sorrow was simple but effective. My only real complaint is that maybe itās a little too short; it would have been nice to see more of the trapeze artistās craft before introducing the problem of travel and the rest of the narrative after that. A Little Woman reminded me of an ex. A Hunger-Artist was an evocative and sympathetic look at performers relying on attention almost literally as a means of sustenance. Josefine, the Singer, or The Mouse People struggled to hold my attention.
Aeroplanes in Brescia (1909) ā 3.0ā
A quaint historical snapshot. The romantic descriptions of the little planes in flight makes me think of Porco Rosso even though thatās set a couple of decades later.
Great Noise (1912) ā 3.0ā
It doesnāt have much to say and I donāt have much to say about it. Itās only half a page long, though, so itās not like it overstays its welcome.
The Coal-Scuttle Rider (1921) ā 3.5ā
A simple but effective tale of class conflict, of the haves leaving the have-nots to die preventable deaths if they cannot pay for what they need.Ā
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Death, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Ableism, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Alcohol, Body horror, War, Classism, Colonisation, Dementia, Excrement, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Racism, and Sexual content
I tagged abandonment but neglect would be more accurate, and although not explicitly presented as an eating disorder I did tag that for the description of intentional starvation
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