by David Wyllie
First published 2022
Gregor Samsa opens his eyes one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. The traveling salesman lies in his bed, studying his new segmented body and multiple legs. His first thoughts turn to practical matters: he will miss his train and lose his job. His family pounds on his locked bedroom door, demanding he come out for work. When Gregor finally emerges, his parents and sister recoil in horror. His transformation traps him in his room while his family struggles to accept what he has become. His sister Grete initially cares for him, bringing food and cleaning his space. But as weeks pass, the burden weighs on the family. His father grows angry and violent. His mother faints at the sight of him. Even Grete begins to resent the creature her brother has become. Gregor watches his family's love turn to disgust and exhaustion. He faces not only the reality of his monstrous new form but the slow dissolution of every human connection that once gave his life meaning.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, 20th-century, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: body-horror, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Germany
Period: 20th-century
62 pages · Paperback · Independently published
Content warnings: body-horror, mental-illness