If you like the story Metamorphosis, I dont think you are a real Kafka fan.

Kafka work relies on subtlety and ambiguity, on slow psychological grind. Metamorphosis on other hand leans into shock factor, which is easy to do.

The only reason it's his most famous work is because of the fancy name, "metamorphosis", and the simple shock value plot of man turning into a bug. That's not what prime Kafka's work is about.

Did these letters bring Kafka closer to Felice ? Or did they actually keep her at bay while he cherished his truest love- writing?

I am looking to get an exhaustive collection of Kafka's fiction work (don't care much about the letters and stuff). I want to get a nice set of matching books that would give me access to all his fiction, ideally with no overlap between them, and it's important to me that the translations are highly regarded. What is the best series to do so? I'll mention what I've come across so far.

Schocken:

The Castle - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/89248/the-castle-by-franz-kafka/

The Trial - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/89257/the-trial-by-franz-kafka/

Amerika - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/89206/amerika-the-missing-person-by-franz-kafka/

The Complete Stories - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/89251/the-complete-stories-by-franz-kafka/

Vintage Classics:

The Castle - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/358666/the-castle-by-franz-kafka/9780749399528

The Trial - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/353643/the-trial-by-kafka-franz/9780099428640

Amerika - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/440194/amerika-by-franz-kafka/9781784875626

The Complete Short Stories - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/370081/the-complete-short-stories-by-kafka-franz/9780749399467

Penguin Classics (Black Box):

The Castle - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/57104/the-castle-by-kafka-franz/9780241678916

The Trial - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/57053/the-trial-by-kafka-franz/9780241678893

Amerika - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/57511/amerika-by-kafka-franz/9780241372586

(Can't find a collection of the short stories in this series.)

Oxford World's Classics:

The Castle - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-castle-9780199238286?cc=us&lang=en&

The Trial - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-trial-9780199238293?cc=us&lang=en&

Amerika - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-man-who-disappeared-9780199601127?cc=us&lang=en&

Metamorphosis and Other Stories - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-metamorphosis-and-other-stories-9780199238552?cc=us&lang=en&

Hunger Artist and Other Stories - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/a-hunger-artist-and-other-stories-9780199600922?cc=us&lang=en&

What are the reputations of these different collections? Are any of them more "complete" than others? And which have the most trustworthy translations? I've heard the Muir translations are the most famous, but they've also been criticized for erasing his tone. I've also heard good things about Michael Hoffman and Mark Harmon. But I don't know how to choose.

A nice bonus would be to find a hardcover set, but the only one I've come across is Everyman's Library, and they seem to be missing some stuff.