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anam_victoria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Death
toffishay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Classism, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Cursing, Grief, Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, Murder, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
grereads's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Colonisation, War, and Forced institutionalization
diana_raquel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I always had a very interesting relationship with Virginia Woolf. I usually don't gravitate toward modern authors (I'm a classicist at heart). And I don't particularly agree with some things that Woolf said about English classic authors. But, I do believe in the separation between art and artist (with some nuance), and this book constantly appears in those lists of books that you should read, at least, once in your life. So when I had the opportunity to buy this book, I decided to give it a try.
I have to say that this was a challenge. The first two times I tried to read this book I had to DNF it because I couldn't understand what was happening. To me, it was a boring book when nothing happened. And for a couple of years, I had given up on Woolf. But then, I decided to give this book another chance. The third time's the charm, right? And if I can read books with 800 pages, I could read a book with less than 200 pages! But this time I decided to read the book with the help of an audiobook.
This isn't an easy book. There's not much in terms of a plot and the narrative focuses on the characters and their internal conflicts. The story doesn't have a payoff and the ending leaves you with more questions than answers. There's a constant back and forward between the present and the past, that might take some time to get used to. And to make matters worse, although the writing style is beautiful, almost poetic, it can be very hard to follow.
So, why do I like this book? The answer is simple: the characters. I loved the characters and their internal demons and conflicts. And although there's not much of a plot, halfway I realize that Mrs. Dalloway is a tragic love story. Every character has suffered or is suffering from a tragic love. And that suffering shapes the way characters think and act. There are a lot of parallels between characters that never met and, even so, those characters have an impact on each other. At heart, Mrs. Dalloway isn't a story about how society shapes the individual, but how the individual falls victim to society.
In addition to the existential issues, this story also deals with mental health, bisexuality, and feminism (that's why this book was so controversial when it was first published). And using these themes, Woof manages to shape the character's interior conflicts and built the society (that is at war with itself) around them.
So you can say that I reconciled with Woolf. And I do recommend this book. It's a beautifully written, thought-provoking book, that can be a bit hard to follow but don't give up. If you can't read it by yourself, try with an audiobook. You won't regret it.
Graphic: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Death, War, and Suicide
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Racism, and Grief
Minor: Homophobia and Misogyny
eviecheesepuff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
However, once I got the hang of it, I really enjoyed how well executed the story actually is. Very self reflective and unexpectedly progressive for the time, this book addresses queerness, sexuality and criticizes the way mental illness (specially depression) was mistreated at the time.
I was a bit confused at the abrupt ending but then I found out that this book is actually created from two short stories and one was never fully finished.
I am kind of flabbergasted tbh. As someone who has dealt with depression, Mrs. W did an amazing job🤌 capturing the claustrophobic feeling of sadness. She knew what she was talking about. A 5 star read for me no doubt.
Lessons learned,
- “It is a thousand pities never to say what one feels.” This.
- Whilst reading about miserable posh people, I felt grateful of my life and the little moments of happiness that are often overlooked.
- Treat your friends with honesty and kindness PLEASE! Don't judge people too harshly, you will also make mistakes bitch, be kind 🙄
notes
- While researching for this book I learned that Virginia Woolf killed herself and I must say that as sad as that is (after reading this book and getting a pretty good picture of what was in her mind) her suicide note has to be the most beautiful piece of farewell prose I have ever read 🥺 RIP Mrs.W, thanks for your wisdom and sorry for your suffering.
- *120 pages in* This is so sad, I don’t know if I can finish it.
- *as soon as Lucrezia appears* I think I would be good friends with Rezia.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Suicide
edwardian_girl_next_door's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm
Moderate: Classism and Colonisation
Minor: War and Racism
anjali_13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide and Death
itsheyfay's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Classism, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Racism, Ableism, and War
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Biphobia
grboph's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Classism, Colonisation, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Forced institutionalization, and War
Minor: Misogyny and Suicidal thoughts
One of the main plot points in this book is how one character (a World War I veteran) undergoes a failed psychiatric treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and hallucinations and then commits suicide when people come to take him to a psychiatric hospital. There is also some general misogyny and racism (which were widespread in society during the time in which this book is set) and several mentions of British imperialism and the colonization of India.samuelachillese's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide and Death