A review by ladybugwrites
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

hopeful reflective tense 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? Yes

3.75

This book is one of those slow starts that makes it feel like it's going to be heavy - and it is, for sure. But some of the reason for it is the flow withing each passage within a part. It starts with a lot of hopping from one person to another that for me got kind of confusing (as well as some sentences where I'm not sure who is being talked about), but as soon as I really got into it, I loved this book. Woolf's writing style is breathtaking. It flows so easily, it gives me exactly what I want, and I am constantly questioning the themes put forth.

This may seem weird, but I don't think I'll ever read the book from start to finish again, but I know for certain that I will visit part 2: time passes, more than once in the future. It beautiful. Only 20 pages of what I'd call masterful writing. Not to say that the other parts aren't good, because they are, I just fell in love with it. It absolutely grasped the concept of passing time in the most beautiful, gorgeous way possible.

(I have not mentioned the many themes Woolf gets into in this book, but there are many and they have you thinking about them, whether you agree with her or not.) Absolutely a classic worth reading.