Read The Metamorphosis on Instagram Stories, the Latest Edition of Insta Novels
The New York Public Library released another edition of Insta Novels: The Metamorphosis, a novella by Franz Kafka illustrated by César Pelizer (@cesarpelizer). The Metamorphosis is available to read on the Library's Instagram account (@nypl).
Insta Novels reimagine Instagram’s Stories feature as a new platform for some of the most iconic stories ever written. Insta Novels were first launched in August 2018 with a digital version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by Magoz (@magoz). In October, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story "The Yellow Wallpaper," illustrated by Buck (@buck_design), was released to read on the Library's Instagram account. On Halloween, Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" was released at midnight. The program, created by independent advertising and creative agency Mother in New York and developed in partnership with the Library, aims to make these stories more widely available, reach new audiences, and turn a space for fleeting interactions into one for immersive reading.
How to Read The Metamorphosis on Instagram
First, go to the Library's Instagram account (@nypl) and tap "Metamorphosis 1" in the highlights section, right under the bio.
Rest your thumb on lower right part of the screen to hold the page, and lift your thumb to turn the page. (The lower right thumb holder is designed to double as a flip book: if you lift your thumb and let the pages flip, you'll see an animation.)
Did you miss the previous Insta Novels of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, "The Yellow Wallpaper," or "The Raven?" You can still read the Insta Novel editions by locating them on our virtual bookshelf in the highlights section of the Library's Instagram account (@nypl).
The Metamorphosis Readalikes
If you like The Metamorphosis, you might also enjoy a new novel, Waiting for Eden by Elliot Ackerman—a surreal, shadowy novella about a recently returned Iraq war veteran. While in a coma, awaiting to learn his fate, he envisions cockroaches crawling out of the walls (among other terrifying visions).
Dig a little deeper and try some of Kafka’s lesser known works, too:
Read on SimplyE from The New York Public Library
The stories featured on Insta Novels are also available on SimplyE, The New York Public Library's free e-reader app, available on the App Store or Google Play.
Anyone can browse classic titles, including "The Raven," "The Yellow Wallpaper," Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and The Metamorphosis, in the SimplyE Collection in the app. Those eligible for library cards from The New York Public Library can also access 300,000+ e-books, from bestellers to classics, by connecting to NYPL in the app.
Other Ways to Read the Stories
There are many ways to read or listen to The Metamorphosis, "The Raven," “The Yellow Wallpaper," and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Anyone can access the full texts of the stories on the Project Gutenberg website. NYPL cardholders can check out the books and audiobooks via the NYPL catalog. Also, you can find many of the stories by searching the online catalog of NYPL's Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library.