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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
It is being human that counts, isn't it? Being real?
A deeply sad and tragic book about a civilization of ghosts - people who wander from place to place pretending to connect with others when they only barely scratch the surface, following the rules of ettiquette and normalcy religously because it's the only meaning left in their lives, constantly searching for something more, for something true, but whenever they find it they regard it as a mere curosity and move on with their shallow, fake, impressions of lives.
Isn't it wonderful to be English - the whole world paved out before you for you to step on and conquer and disrespect, but when everything is available to you than nothing is special. It all just exists behind glass, an exhibition that you can see and admire and pretend to be moved by, when in reality you never came close to experiencing at all. The only time the endless montony of society is broken is when something is shattered irreperably, when a heart is broken, when a life is extinguished forever. But even then - life goes on. They briefly cry and search for meaning, before being lulled back into the rythems of their precious routines.
When colonialism has stamped out the uniqueness of the world, when religion is just another chance for surface-level appreciation and societal approval, when nobody ever says what they really feel and instead let reality bubble under the surface, keeping it firmly at bay, than what is there left to live for? I suppose there's the dinners and the dances and the salons and the holidays. The false, numbing comforts of a dream world where everyone stays inside their own little bubble, seeing but not understanding, touching but not connecting. They'll never even realize how lonely they are. Isn't it wonderful to be English.
A deeply sad and tragic book about a civilization of ghosts - people who wander from place to place pretending to connect with others when they only barely scratch the surface, following the rules of ettiquette and normalcy religously because it's the only meaning left in their lives, constantly searching for something more, for something true, but whenever they find it they regard it as a mere curosity and move on with their shallow, fake, impressions of lives.
Isn't it wonderful to be English - the whole world paved out before you for you to step on and conquer and disrespect, but when everything is available to you than nothing is special. It all just exists behind glass, an exhibition that you can see and admire and pretend to be moved by, when in reality you never came close to experiencing at all. The only time the endless montony of society is broken is when something is shattered irreperably, when a heart is broken, when a life is extinguished forever. But even then - life goes on. They briefly cry and search for meaning, before being lulled back into the rythems of their precious routines.
When colonialism has stamped out the uniqueness of the world, when religion is just another chance for surface-level appreciation and societal approval, when nobody ever says what they really feel and instead let reality bubble under the surface, keeping it firmly at bay, than what is there left to live for? I suppose there's the dinners and the dances and the salons and the holidays. The false, numbing comforts of a dream world where everyone stays inside their own little bubble, seeing but not understanding, touching but not connecting. They'll never even realize how lonely they are. Isn't it wonderful to be English.
slow-paced
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Woolf is critical of so many things in this novel -- it's very interesting to read, but her quest to create a new form of novel based on the ordinary leaves some of the passages feeling rather dense.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
what a voyage this book was! very grateful to our dean of studies for it. virginia’s first novel, a continuation of my adoration of the woman, a masterpiece. could very clearly see the progress in mrs dalloway. this one was much slower, dwelled on things she didn’t have to dwell on, and granted her characters time she didn’t have to grant them. loved it though for the depiction of her characters’ emotions and the shifts that occurred in some of their world views. very precise and very human. would absolutely recommend for someone interested to dive deeper into virginia but i would probably refrain from it if you disliked some of her more famous work (as this was imo more complicated to get through). *****