Completely Kafka offers a fresh, witty, and engaging take on the life of Franz Kafka, the iconic writer known for his surreal, existential works. Published to mark the centenary of Kafka's death, this graphic biography dives into the complexities of Kafka's life and psyche, brought to life through Mahler's unique minimalist style.

Not only was Kafka one of the most significant writers of the 20th century, he was also passionate about drawing. Mahler captures this lesser-known aspect of Kafka’s creative expression, using a graphic novel format to reflect the author's minimalist aesthetic. By weaving together elements from Kafka's fiction, letters, and personal diaries, Mahler paints a vivid portrait of a man who struggled with self-doubt, creative blocks, and the pressures of everyday life.

The biography explores Kafka’s major life events as well as humorous and absurd details, such as his failed venture into writing travel guides. It also reflects on his relationships, his career as a bureaucrat, and his alienation from society—all themes that found their way into his famous works like The Trial and The Metamorphosis.

Elements
- Graphic Biography
- Kafka’s Inner World
- Minimalist Art Style

Perfect For Fans Of
- Graphic novels and biographies with a distinctive artistic approach
- Kafka enthusiasts looking for a fresh, humorous take on his life
- Readers interested in surrealism and absurdity, presented through both literature and art

Completely Kafka offers a delightful and insightful tribute to one of the most enigmatic and influential authors of modern literature. Nicolas Mahler’s combination of witty illustrations and poignant biographical details makes this a must-read for Kafka fans and graphic novel lovers alike. Whether you’re already familiar with Kafka’s works or new to his world, this comic biography sheds light on the man behind the metaphors, blending humor and depth in equal measure.

This book is DNF. It talks about how a wizard made a new person from clay and then 31 years later found more clay and made another little tiny person that turns out to be Kafka. It’s a combination of what the way this story is written and the illustrations just put this reader to sleep and makes them not want to turn the pages. There is nothing redeeming in the first 20% of this book to make me want to finish.

1.5*
Maybe it's me? maybe.
I liked the idea going into this, I also liked how it mentioned the reactions to Kafka's work when it was published but unfortunately, I did not enjoy it as much as I'd hoped. Here are some of the things I didn't like:
-the beginning confused me
-I expected there to be more illustrations
-the way Kafka's work was mentioned here overall
-how some of Kafka's work was spoiled
-the exchange of fonts
It just didn't work for me overall. Maybe it can be brilliant for someone else and that's great, good for them. Not for me though.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Last year I read a graphic novel of the Metamorphosis written by Kafka, so it has been good to follow that up by reading about Kafka himself. This is an illustrated memoir about him and it is a really good read, especially if you don’t wish to wade through a book.

Kafka comes across as a really peculiar but gifted man. From this book, we learn about his father, members of his family, love life and friends. He had a career as a lawyer working for an insurance company, he had various romances that didn’t seem to go anywhere, he was a prolific writer but not everything he wrote has been published or even completed. He died at the age of 40 from tuberculosis. His sisters died in the holocaust as did others of his family and friends.

The artwork, black and white inky style drawings, lend themselves to the peculiarities of the man. This is an excellent introduction to Kafka, which I enjoyed reading.

Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

As a fan of the works of Kafka I always try to read things like this, to see how others perceived him or look at him.
This comic about Kafka has a great artstyle and shortly and simply recreates his life. I was very nice reading it and I hope it brings a lot of other people joy.

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. This is an illustrated guide to the life and works of Kafka. The pictures were of stick figures and really creepy. While accurate, not a pleasant read.

I loved this short graphic novel biography of Kafka. Lots of quotes from his work and letters make it a really enjoyable quick read.

I received Completely Kafka as an ARC and this is my honest feedback. This one just personally was not for me. I think I was expecting a bit more from something described as a graphic novel biography but what it was ended up being a handful of words per page with a single small image per page. There wasn't a whole lot of character in this one for me unfortunately but the idea was good in theory.

"Completely Kafka: A Graphic Biography" is a whimsical journey into the life and mind of Franz Kafka, perfectly timed for the centenary of his passing. Through the clever lens of Nicolas Mahler's graphic novel style, Kafka's story unfolds with wit and originality, much like the author's own prose. Mahler's minimalist illustrations mirror Kafka's love for drawing, offering a unique visual narrative that captures the essence of Kafka's existential struggles and creative fervor. Drawing from Kafka's own writings, Mahler delves deep into the intricacies of the writer's life, from his battles with self-doubt to his eccentric dreams of publishing cheap travel guides. This delightful homage is not just a biography, but a playful exploration of Kafka's enigmatic world, inviting readers to experience his genius in a fresh and engaging way.

Maybe it's me. It could quite possibly be me but I just did not get along with this biography of Kafka, which is not really a graphic novels but it's mostly doodle illustrations (which are a lot of fun), but a bit lacking, even as a biography.

Maybe it's me because I read it so fragmentary and not in one go? Could that be why? Maybe it's the biography, which is not sure if it's a biography or a story about Kafka's life or whatever it is.

It's a tad bit too long, it does not say that much, it does not go into depth. It spends pages upon pages talking too much about Kafka's works but just in a synopsis kind of way or in a way that tells you his work in an easier way to understand? I had no idea why. Stick to the biography maybe? And of course the literary meanings and the critics opinions at the time of the publications, but don't go on spoiling some of his works randomly just because you feel the need to fill up more pages.

Thank you, Pushkin Press and NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 
In this work, we are introduced to the life of Franz Kafka in a fun way, full of funky illustrations. It takes a closer look at who he really was, his upbringing, loved ones, work, and ups and downs. I found it really cute and a quick read. This format is very simple and could be helpful for those who would like to get to know this timeless author better or have no knowledge about him at all.

What a raw and open book about depression and mental illness. Though he was a person with real problems his life is told through doodles and writing. It is very deep. I knew nothing about Franz Kafka before reading this book but will definately be reading more about him.

I knew little of Kafka before reading this new book. I really enjoyed it! Learning of Kafka opened a world of mental illness, anxiety and illness that he suffered. He seems to be a literary legend before his time.

Kafka and his The Trial was the most famous piece of work back in a school days in Poland. Yet, I still don't know what the books was really about. After this cute, full of sarcasm and witty humor summary of Kafka's life, I understand my confusion bit better. He was an eccentric in his own hypochondriac depression with hate towards life in general. Or at least this is how he's presented in this short book.
It was interesting reading about him, but really it came down to three things: his relationship with his father, the summary of his books, and his romantic life. Like there is nothing more to the person really.

I am aware of Kafka. Who he was and what he wrote. I never managed to finish any of his works but out of curiosity I picked up this graphic novel hoping to understand what I couldn't as a child.
No such luck.
I still do not get Kafka. He seems to have been the most depressed, miserable, negative person in Prague.
He had serious daddy issues, problems with self identity, problems with women, and not that impressive a writer.
Most of his novels are unfinished or have no real point or plot. Why this man is famous is still beyond me.

I also found the art work in this graphic novel to be almost a step above childish doodles. Harsh, I know but calling them drawings at all was kinda harsh on their part.

Not for me

Thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Pushkin Press for an advance copy of this new graphic novel biography featuring the words of one of literature's great writers illustrated in sometimes disturbing ways.

Writers can be an awkward. I don't think that this would be a surprise to anyone. What makes sense on the page is sometimes hard to deal with in the real world. A bon mot that makes a reader giggle might stop a dinner conversation cold, when told to new acquaintances. Writers also spend so much time with themselves thinking of the perfect character, they might find dealing with humans that need air, not ink to live, never measure up to what they can create. And of course many writers deal with the fact that parents always wonder when they are going to get a real job, and constantly "bug" them about it. Franz Kafka had many of these problems, and chose to write down many of his thoughts, feelings, views on events as well as create some of the most unsettling and downright odd works of fiction. Completely Kafka:A Comic Biography written and by Nicolas Mahler, translated by Alexander Booth is an illustrated guide to the works, the history doubts and fears about the man, told in his own words.

Mahler draws from fiction, diaries letters, and notes from Kafka, his family, his love interests, and of course his friend and literary executor Max Brod. The book begins with a rabbi creating a golem, which becomes Franz's father. We follow young Franz growing up, taking a job, being awkward around people, and his thoughts about himself. Women were a mystery to Franz, who idolized one, but complained to her about her teeth, a comment that ended the relationship. The book looks at the works from of course Metamorphosis and In the Penal Colony, and the works that went unfinished, like Amerika. There is a little bit about his relationship with Max Brod, a writer himself, and his breaking his promise to Kafka about destroying certain works after Kafka died. This is still one of the great literary dilemmas, that happens even today. When does the rights of the writer end and the reader or fan begin. If work is unfinished, should it be released. Finished by other hands. The graphic novel follows Kafka's life up to the end, with added comments from others and the author artist.

An interesting idea, using mostly the words of the writer to tell about one's life, and it works well. Mahler mixes the life of the author, as well as his tales,well, giving a very good look at well complicated and difficult man in many ways. The artwork is very good. Art that looks simple, told only in blue, but as one reads the art really reflects not only the words, but the thoughts and ideas the words are trying to share. I would like to see this done with other writers as I really enjoyed the whole project.

Recommended for people who like nonfiction graphic novels, fans of Kafka, or really enjoy the interplay of words and images to tell a story about a man of gifts, sharing what he sees in his head. This can be said about both Kafka and Mahler.

A strange and enjoyable little meander through Kafka's life. Somehow it manages to be both emotionless in its factual retelling, yet empathetic in the extreme with the circumstances of Kafka and his thoughts. I think this due to the combination of text and illustrations (which are so quick and simple that they feel more like a moment of emotion than a representation of any event, person, or location). I am a Kafka fan and have read several books about him, including a fully illustrated graphic novel biography. I still found much to appreciate in this new book. A nice addition to a Kafka collection. Also a non-threatening way to dip your toe into Kafka's life story without sitting down to read a massive tome.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC.

I can't download to my PC so I won't be reviewing this book. It isn't a great review strategy to only make books available through phone apps.

[Thanks to NetGalley & the author for providing me with this ARC]

I am in love. As a fan of Kafka, I’m always up for a book that presents his struggles and achievements and talent to the people in a way that’s less intimidating than what people often expect when talking about his works. It’s a beautifully illustrated book which shines a light on his difficult life and how his upbringing shaped him into the man and writer that he became.
I’m very excited to share this with my friends and hopefully acquire some new Kafka readers.

Disclaimer: The ARC was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The ARC category in no way impacts the rating of the book. All of my reviews contain my honest opinions.

Short, sweet, somewhat bare-bones, this book gives a simple overview of Kafka's life from birth to death.

While I probably wouldn't recommend this to people who consider themselves fans of Kafka, as this books size only allows for surface level information, I found it informative. The art is quirky and cute, though I found it didn't offer much to the biography. Considering the biography is quite simple, the simplistic drawings serve little purpose. They do not help to convey emotion or carry a larger narrative. At most they add some slight visual interest.

Considering how brief this biography is, if you are mildly interested in Kafka this might be of interest.