Scan barcode
eunicegoesplaces's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
Too experimental for my taste with not very interesting characters and an uneven pace. Story dragged on.
sabrinames's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
chicleeblair's review against another edition
4.0
I love Woolf. To the Lighthouse is probably one of my favorite books ever. The Voyage out is not quite what I was expecting. It’s written in a narrative-style reminiscent of the typical novel of the period, and not quite what I had grown to expect from Woolf. The prose was fantastic, and she manages to capture little ideas and emotions that are generally not dealt with in books. For instance, at one point the main character feels irritated with the actions of all of those around her, merely because she is lost in thought and does not want to be interrupted. Who hasn’t felt that?
I think my problem with the book may be the fact that the back cover synopsis of the Barnes and Noble Classics edition did not feel at all like the book. In a nutshell it said “Helen notices Rachel is growing up when her engagement to Terrence Hewet starts to go badly”. Well, when you take into account Hewet doesn’t even show up ’til midway through the book and they’re not engaged until mid-way through and Helen is less mature than her niece and…well, not so much Barnes and Noble synopsis-folks.
The nature of the feminine struggle, more explicitly dealt with in A Room of One’s own, is prominent in this book. Woolf deftly portrays views on either side of the debate, and whilst to the modern reader the fact that the lives of men and women are disparate is slightly absurd, this novel makes one realize how real the struggle really was.
Plus, there’s a passage with one woman bragging about her knitting.
Did I mention I love Woolf?
I think my problem with the book may be the fact that the back cover synopsis of the Barnes and Noble Classics edition did not feel at all like the book. In a nutshell it said “Helen notices Rachel is growing up when her engagement to Terrence Hewet starts to go badly”. Well, when you take into account Hewet doesn’t even show up ’til midway through the book and they’re not engaged until mid-way through and Helen is less mature than her niece and…well, not so much Barnes and Noble synopsis-folks.
The nature of the feminine struggle, more explicitly dealt with in A Room of One’s own, is prominent in this book. Woolf deftly portrays views on either side of the debate, and whilst to the modern reader the fact that the lives of men and women are disparate is slightly absurd, this novel makes one realize how real the struggle really was.
Plus, there’s a passage with one woman bragging about her knitting.
Did I mention I love Woolf?
lauralina2345's review against another edition
4.0
Woolf comes up with these lines and passages that describe certain experiences in a way that you will never just pass over it again.
listensandy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
smuds2's review against another edition
3.0
Probably my least favorite VW book to date. There were a couple of things that seemed like they'd be interesting to dive into on a second read -- the value of marriage, the value of the individual, displacement of social structures, etc.
The passages written in delirium were TOP notch. Really liked them. They reminded me of what we would see later in VW's career. I felt like the rest of the writing was... good. But not great. Not what I expected in terms of quality. I feel like it's a testament to VW to say that most of the book is just okay and perfectly passable, for a first book.
There is obviously the issue of how both VW and the characters treat the native population of the community. As far as I can tell - there is just no way to spin it to have VW be like, an indigenous rights queen. She was just bad. Same with how she treated Indian people in this novel.
The initial voyage was very destabilizing, and I'm not sure that was the point. Is this supposed to be like, some tragic reversal of a male coming of age novel? And the voyage is kind of the equivalent of a man losing his initial sense of place or something? Thinking to how cormac mccarthys protagonist just kind of travelled to mexico - losing his sense of place (with agency), at the start of his adventure. Here -- Rachael was kind of dragged along as a child, despite being an adult -- maybe that was the parallel? That might be consistent with the ending -- a coming of age for a man can be heroic. For a woman, it can only end in misery.
It was a very character driven story, which is not exactly a good thing because IMO the characters aren't that strong. Helen is a bit likable -- Helen of Troy? husband translating Pindar? Anyways. Hewet is annoying, Hirst is annoying, Rachael is a blob. Evelyn is interesting, if not likable.
The passages written in delirium were TOP notch. Really liked them. They reminded me of what we would see later in VW's career. I felt like the rest of the writing was... good. But not great. Not what I expected in terms of quality. I feel like it's a testament to VW to say that most of the book is just okay and perfectly passable, for a first book.
There is obviously the issue of how both VW and the characters treat the native population of the community. As far as I can tell - there is just no way to spin it to have VW be like, an indigenous rights queen. She was just bad. Same with how she treated Indian people in this novel.
The initial voyage was very destabilizing, and I'm not sure that was the point. Is this supposed to be like, some tragic reversal of a male coming of age novel? And the voyage is kind of the equivalent of a man losing his initial sense of place or something? Thinking to how cormac mccarthys protagonist just kind of travelled to mexico - losing his sense of place (with agency), at the start of his adventure. Here -- Rachael was kind of dragged along as a child, despite being an adult -- maybe that was the parallel? That might be consistent with the ending -- a coming of age for a man can be heroic. For a woman, it can only end in misery.
It was a very character driven story, which is not exactly a good thing because IMO the characters aren't that strong. Helen is a bit likable -- Helen of Troy? husband translating Pindar? Anyways. Hewet is annoying, Hirst is annoying, Rachael is a blob. Evelyn is interesting, if not likable.
towercity's review against another edition
4.0
Look at me trying to write a review of this book that doesn't turn into an effusive rant about how wonderful of a writer Woolf is, even when she's not writing in her more avant-garde mode. How noble. I'm only going to fail. There's no away around it. Though it can hardly compare to Woolf's later novels such as Orlando and The Waves, The Voyage Out takes the boring realist mode and plays with it just enough to do something miles more interesting.
mindthebook's review against another edition
3.0
Via Spectatia vet jag sedan länge att raderna "I go up Richmond Hill, along the terrace, into the park" förekommer i den här romanen; Virginia Woolfs första, från 1915.
I år tänker jag läsa hela hennes författarskap i kronologisk ordning - och kanske blir jag aldrig mer mig lik, med P.O. Enquists ord.
Initialt kände jag av det vanliga VW-motståndet. För mig är det frightfully tiresome med dessa skvallriga, verklighetsfrånvända Londonbor, ur ett självutnämnt högre skikt, och hur de ger sig av på kryssning med porslinspudlar, schackspel och middagsombyten i koffertarna.
MEN, redan här i debutromanen skönjer man det psykologiska djup jag vet att Virginia Woolf är känd för, liksom tidiga spår av 'a room of one's own'-manifestet. Ser nu fram emot kommande, mer experimentella verk.
I år tänker jag läsa hela hennes författarskap i kronologisk ordning - och kanske blir jag aldrig mer mig lik, med P.O. Enquists ord.
Initialt kände jag av det vanliga VW-motståndet. För mig är det frightfully tiresome med dessa skvallriga, verklighetsfrånvända Londonbor, ur ett självutnämnt högre skikt, och hur de ger sig av på kryssning med porslinspudlar, schackspel och middagsombyten i koffertarna.
MEN, redan här i debutromanen skönjer man det psykologiska djup jag vet att Virginia Woolf är känd för, liksom tidiga spår av 'a room of one's own'-manifestet. Ser nu fram emot kommande, mer experimentella verk.
savana_l_ford's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
logank04's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5