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9.41k reviews for:

Mrs Dalloway

Virginia Woolf

3.72 AVERAGE

lighthearted relaxing
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Holy crap this was difficult

It was Clarissa, he said.

For there she was.


I have a feeling I'll be thinking of this book long after I have forgotten the names of the characters and the details of the plot.

After that, how unbelievable death was! -that it must end; and no one in the whole world would know how she had loved it all; how, every instant...

sanviyadav's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 31%

The writing is dense and I did not care for the characters so it got quiet boring for me.
emotional reflective medium-paced
adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

A great novel. Like reading a book in surround sound.

I reread Mrs. Dalloway just now, prompted by my friend Ellen and by the Met Opera's new production of The Hours, which is based on Michael Cunningham's novel, which, in turn, is based on Mrs. Dalloway. When I first started rereading it, I wasn't able to sit down for an extended dip, and that turned out to be a mistake. I re-started and found that it took me a little while to perceive and adjust to the shifting perspectives of Mrs. Dalloway, Septimus Warren Smith and the many others whose path Mrs. Dalloway does (or doesn't) cross--watch for thematic and other connections that don't involve actual contact or close relationships. It's beautiful.
challenging reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging emotional funny mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Definitely one that needs a reread and in spite of its small page count a really, really slow read for me. Gorgeous poetic prose, some really profound thoughts about connectivity and relationships. A heartbreaking portrait of somebody with PTSD. As ever with Virginia Woolf, some slightly nauseating privilege. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character