How many pages is The Metamorphosis?

45 pages, which is about 14,000 words and 55 min of reading. Editions vary, so we take the figure two of our three sources agree on.

Is The Metamorphosis worth reading?

Readers on Hardcover rate it 3.86 out of 5, from 2,829 ratings. What we can tell you for certain is the cost: 45 pages and about 55 min of your time, or 35 min if you read quickly. Whether that is worth it depends on the hours you have.

How long is The Metamorphosis audiobook?

About 1½ hrs, estimated from the 14,000 words at a typical narration pace of 150 words a minute. Real editions vary by narrator, usually by well under an hour.

Find a copy Listen · ≈1½ hrs

The Metamorphosis

Name: The Metamorphosis
Author: Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka

55 minto read

At your speed≈ 55 min

Pages45

Audiobook≈ 1½ hrs

45 pages works out to roughly 14,000 words. At an average 250 words a minute that is 55 min — a single-sitting read.

Readers on Hardcover rate it 3.86 out of 5, from 2,829 ratings.

How long does it take to read The Metamorphosis?

The Metamorphosis is 45 pages, or roughly 14,000 words. How long that takes depends on how fast you read:

Estimated reading time for The Metamorphosis at three reading speeds.
Your pace	Words per minute	Time to finish
Slow	175	1½ hrs
Average	250	55 min
Fast	400	35 min

Estimated at about 300 words per page. Most adults read between 200 and 300 words a minute — use the reading-speed control to set your own pace and every time on the site adjusts.

Your reading speed… wpm

Every reading time on the site updates to your pace. Page counts are an estimate, so treat the hours as a good guide, not a stopwatch.

Common questions

How long does it take to read The Metamorphosis?: About 55 min at an average reading speed of 250 words per minute. The Metamorphosis runs 45 pages, roughly 14,000 words — so at a slower 175 wpm it is nearer 1½ hrs, and at 400 wpm closer to 35 min.
How many pages is The Metamorphosis?: 45 pages, which is about 14,000 words and 55 min of reading. Editions vary, so we take the figure two of our three sources agree on.
Is The Metamorphosis worth reading?: Readers on Hardcover rate it 3.86 out of 5, from 2,829 ratings. What we can tell you for certain is the cost: 45 pages and about 55 min of your time, or 35 min if you read quickly. Whether that is worth it depends on the hours you have.
How long is The Metamorphosis audiobook?: About 1½ hrs, estimated from the 14,000 words at a typical narration pace of 150 words a minute. Real editions vary by narrator, usually by well under an hour.

From the publisher

Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis begins with one of the most shocking openings in literature: traveling salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover he has turned into a giant insect.…

But this is not just a story of absurd metamorphosis—it is a deeply human tale of alienation, family obligation, and what happens when someone is no longer “useful” to society. As Gregor’s family struggles to cope with his bizarre condition, Kafka explores powerful themes of dependence, dignity, and the quiet cruelty of social expectations. Both absurd and painfully realistic, this modern classic strikes a unique balance of dark humor and existential insight. For fans of George Orwell, Albert Camus, and modernist fiction that blurs the line between the strange and the familiar. Whether you're reading it for the first time or rediscovering it with fresh eyes, The Metamorphosis is a novella that stays with you—long after you’ve turned the final page.

FictionLiteratureFiction, short stories (single author)