very well done translation. 

i found this reread a lot more disturbing and sad than i remember feeling about the story when i read it first over 10+ years ago. 

this time around i notice a few things that frustrate me now in my reading: unexplained happenings -why is gregor magically turned and how did it even happen? was he the only one that happened to or is it something that happened to more people? 

also the ending as a lot sadder than i remember  

with him simply dying without even turning back to a human body and no explanation as to how or why, and his family seemingly so happy to be finally relieved of the burden that to them Gregor became since his metamorphosis

 

i am sure there can be read a lot of things into the story and what metaphors this metamorphosis is about but just reading is as the story it is? 

it was a good story, interesting, strange and very different. 

i so recommend it. 

also in this little edition of mini penguin clothbounds the stories “in the penal colony” and “the judgment:a story for F.” are included - neither i particularly liked nor disliked but i wouldn’t rush to reread either.


overall? i would recommend the author and especially Metamorphosis since it’s just a very different story to what most people expect and think it will be. it’s well written and easy to read. and with it being a shot story the commitment to this particular classic isn’t a huge one.