I actually felt a bit hostile going into the story after reading the introduction to this version. Is it really so horrible to be a writer? And if so, why bother at all?

I found the story itself to be an uncomfortable one without any real compassion from any of the characters. I was left feeling like the father was the true bug and wondered whether the boarders served any real purpose.

It’s really the kind of story that myst be looked at as a kind of parable in order to make any sense at all. The problem is there are so many interpretations of what the parable might be, as displayed by the numerous essays in the back of the book; so numerous in fact that the story itself (which is only short) takes up less than half of the book.

Mneh.

made my stomach turn upside down from all the vivid descriptions….

I’m not sure what to think of this yet. It’s obviously not a story to be taken at the literal level, and after I get a feel of what (I think) kafka was getting at, I suppose I’ll be able to conclude whether or not it was a worthwhile read.

Managed to accidently be reading this when I visited Prague!