I don’t normally read this kind of book. I don’t read historical fiction or anything about witches. Although I’m mainly talking about the writing in it and my rating reflects this.

I never felt anything for the main character. It’s really important that I have a connection to the main character in a book (doesn’t have to be relatability!) but I literally felt nothing for her as good & bad things happened.

I wonder if this would’ve been more engaging and paced better it it were written in present tense. It’s the girl as an older lady talking about her past and throughout she has random words of wisdom which were jarring. Also, she forgets some parts of her past which is understandable due to time passing, but this gave me the impression that there are important details missed — made me feel like I’m not getting the whole story and that we have an unreliable narrator.

The writing felt clunky for me, something about the mix of dialogue, innner-monologue, and odd pacing made it hard for me to keep engaged.

For a historical fiction book about witches it didn’t feel dark.

Anyways overall the writing was just wasn’t suitable for me.

Also, needed more bunnies.

I actually love this series so much 🩶

I liked this book better than the first

Unfortunately I only found a few favourites in this little collection of Kafka’s short stories. I found most of them to be a tad boring and underwhelming compared to the other short stories I have read from him. But nonetheless his stories are some of the most unique, twisted, and dark stories I’ve read. My Faves:

• The Bridge
• The Silence of the Sirens
• Visiting the Dead
• Poseidon
• The Burrow

I really don’t know how to feel about this book. Such an interesting and well done premise, though the main character, Tara, did feel quite empty - I wanted more from her. I really love the tone and themes. I wonder whether the rest of the series will help me determine a rating and my feelings about this. I will read book 2, then probably come back to this book to re-think it.

Wow. I am so impressed. 🌳☀️🌸⏳🍁 I haven’t read a book so addicting in a long time. All I wanted was to sit down and read. Daye is going to stay in my mind for a while. I have many thoughts about this book, which may take a few days for me to gather.

The atmosphere is so so wonderful. The seasons, the leaves, flowers.

This book is filled with such vivid descriptions of nature which was done well. Most of the thoughts/feelings/actions were expressed through similes using nature terms. I was in awe of these in the 1/3 but in the 2/3 of the book it became very repetitive and I found myself brushing over those, not taking it all in. Throughout the whole book, there were many paragraphs with 2 similies in a row, or 3 on the same page which ultimately made it overwhelming and hard to see what was trying to be said. As much as I love vivid descriptions and literary devices, it has to be done with intention, sparingly. Or else it just blends in. Also the lines blurred between what was a simile and what actually happened. I found myself re-reading some sentences.

The 3 main characters feel quite shallow. I know what Rory loves & doesn’t love, but I don’t know why. Theres not much depth despite the heavy inner monologue. But then again all Rory really knows is, Daye, his whole world.

The changing POV chapters were very intentional which I love, purposely to give enough insight.

1st read: 4⭐️ (26/08/2025 -> 04/09/2025) My first short story collection! I haven’t read anything like this before so it did take me a bit to get used to the format & structure etc. Next time I want to read a couple individual short stories per day.

Meditation: 03/09/25 - 3.5 ⭐️ Overall My favourites:

• Children on the Country Road
• Unmasking a Confidence Trickster
• Resolutions
• The Way Home
• The Men Running Past
• The Trees
• Unhappiness

In the penal colony 04/09/2025 - 3.5 ⭐️

A Country Doctor. Little tales: 04/09/2025 - 3 ⭐️ Overall My favourites:

• A country Doctor
• Before the Law
• The next Village
• A Dream
• A report to an Academy

A Fasting artist. Four Stories: 02/09/2025 - 3.5 ⭐️ Overall My favourites:

• A Little Woman
• A hunger artist

2nd read: 4⭐️ (14->17/06/2026) I defs felt as though I needed to re-read this little short story collection to feel closer to the stories, to refresh my mind on Kafkas prose, and before I read “The Burrow & other stories”. Something that I really really admire & appreciate with Franz Kafka’s stories, is the themes and meanings aren’t obvious, it requires special attention to notice.

Meditation: 14/06/26 - 4⭐️ Overall My favourites:

• Children on the Country Road
• The Sudden Walk
• Resolutions
• The Way Home
• The Passenger
• The Trees

In the penal colony 15/06/2026 - 2⭐️ This kind of reminds me of a H.G. Wells story, as it challenges “right” and “wrong” science and experiments, but this is more-so a stream of consciousness dialogue, and different story telling.

A Country Doctor. Little tales: 17/06/2026 - 3⭐️ Overall My favourites:

• The next Village
• A Dream

A Fasting artist. Four Stories: 17/06/2026 - 4⭐️ Overall My favourites:

• A hunger artist
• Josephine, the Songstress or: The Mouse People

1st read: 4.5⭐️ (26/08/2025) Wtf did I just read. I got so emotional throughout & literally had a nightmare about someone transforming into a cat creature thingy. I am not going to stop thinking about this story, I simply cannot comprehend how the author came up with this dark, unique, twisted story. Such a genius. This is the first book I have read from Franz Kafka so I am very intrigued to read his other works. Such a timeless story I definitely want to re-read to develop further understanding.

2nd read: 4.5⭐️ (16/06/2026) This is just so incredibly detailed. We are constantly reminded of the fact that, yes, he is a bug, due to the attention bought to the way he even turns his head. It’s impossible to ignore. The book forces you to put yourself into the character, imagining this unfolding before your eyes.