Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis And Other Stories is a collection of short stories, including the titular The Metamorphosis, The Judgement, The Stoker: A Fragment, A Country Doctor, In The Penal Colony, A Hunger Artist, An Old Leaf, A Message From The Emperor, Before The Law, and Josephine The Singer, Or The Mouse People. A total of ten short stories are included in this volume, but really only one is worth the read. 

Unsurprisingly, The Metamorphosis is the best short story included in this volume. It strongly reminded me of a short story I read just earlier this year, You Will Hear The Locust Sing by Joe Hill. The story itself is basic, a generic horror/sci-fi tale where young Gregor Samsa wakes up in a giant insect-like body. The Metamorphosis, like the rest of the stories in this book, meets an unassuming climax, and abruptly ends. 

The rest of the short stories, in my opinion, are not worth individually speaking about. I found myself consistently lost, confused, and bored throughout my readings. There is nothing inherently wrong with Kafka's writing style or story-telling, it just did not resonate with me. 

I have made it a point all year; appreciate the ideas that classic literature has brought forward, but acknowledge that classic literature as a whole is overvalued as a form of entertainment. Kafka's collection of short stories is adventurous, taking on a variety of different topics and genres, but ultimately does not translate to an enjoyable reading experience.