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alexblais8's review
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Violence, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Sexual harassment, Death, and Classism
reverie_and_books's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
3.5
What is time? What is the proper form of a novel? What is gender?
Whatever our concepts are behind these words, Woolf threw them in the pan, stirred them up, and served the result as a biography that spans well over 300 years and includes a miraculous transition (without intention, it seems). What is often seen as solid suddenly appears fluid.
“He stretched himself. He rose. He stood upright in complete nakedness before us, and while the trumpets pealed Truth! Truth! Truth! we have no choice left but confess – he was a woman.”
Orlando contains multitudes, regardless of her biological or social gender, age or actually passed time, environment and location. It’s an early work of feminist fiction which breaks some rules, also regarding form or social norms. All the praise for that!
At times I found it difficult to follow or to grasp every meaning. Published in 1928 it contains some depictions thoroughly tinted with colonialism and it's effects. And I have a tiny little confession to make: I bought this vintage edition earlier this year, but couldn’t read it without sneezing. I read it as an ebook instead 🤷♀️
"At any rate, it was not until she felt the coil of skirts about her legs and the Captain offered, with the greatest politeness, to have an awning spread for her on deck, that she realized with a start the penalties and the privileges of her position.”
Overall, a dazzling novel that ignores rules and throws strict concepts overboard.
What is time? What is the proper form of a novel? What is gender?
Whatever our concepts are behind these words, Woolf threw them in the pan, stirred them up, and served the result as a biography that spans well over 300 years and includes a miraculous transition (without intention, it seems). What is often seen as solid suddenly appears fluid.
“He stretched himself. He rose. He stood upright in complete nakedness before us, and while the trumpets pealed Truth! Truth! Truth! we have no choice left but confess – he was a woman.”
Orlando contains multitudes, regardless of her biological or social gender, age or actually passed time, environment and location. It’s an early work of feminist fiction which breaks some rules, also regarding form or social norms. All the praise for that!
At times I found it difficult to follow or to grasp every meaning. Published in 1928 it contains some depictions thoroughly tinted with colonialism and it's effects. And I have a tiny little confession to make: I bought this vintage edition earlier this year, but couldn’t read it without sneezing. I read it as an ebook instead 🤷♀️
"At any rate, it was not until she felt the coil of skirts about her legs and the Captain offered, with the greatest politeness, to have an awning spread for her on deck, that she realized with a start the penalties and the privileges of her position.”
Overall, a dazzling novel that ignores rules and throws strict concepts overboard.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence
tamara_joy's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
lessoles's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
As an overall fan of Virginia Woolf’s writing, i came away from this book disappointed. While I enjoyed her writing, i found it hard to engage with it the way a more contemporaneous reader probably would. some of the broader themes around gender identity and gender roles were accessible, but the nitty gritty of english and turkish society were less so, which took away from my enjoyment. ultimately, i came away from this book respecting the superb and courageous choice to write a story like this, but am likely to be very selective about how i recommend this book to
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
melancholymegs's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Violence and War
aisabel's review against another edition
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Misogyny
bronzeageholly's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, Suicide, and Sexism
annaki_laila's review against another edition
slow-paced
1.0
An incredible disappointment which has put me off the possibility of reading any more Woolf. When reading Mrs Dalloway, there were plenty of moments when the writing got away from itself and I completely lost what Woolf was actually talking about, but the plot and characters made up for that by being decently interesting. Orlando severely lacked those redeeming factors for me, and so when the writing got away, it got away. By the end of it I was heavily skim-reading and it would've been a DNF, but my frustration powered me through, I guess.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Colonisation