A review by hilareeads
Orlando by Virginia Woolf

challenging slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I really wanted to like this. The introduction by Sandra M Gilbert had me SO EXCITED. A transgender protagonist? Magical realism? A sapphic love letter to her lover and closest friend? Sign me up! But then I read the actual book. The opening page was quite off-putting, showing that just because you're a feminist and accepting of gender fluidity and fluid sexual preferences doesn't mean you aren't racist. The book then went on to not only accept the flaws of society, but almost to perpetuate them. There of course were main plot points that were ahead of their time; obviously the acceptance of Orlando's change in gender, as well as the different people Orlando loved. But the book seemed to put forth all the harmful stereotypes of the time and say they were good and useful. And perhaps Woolf was using this as satire and rather was trying to put a mirror up to society to show that these stereotypes and "norms" are in fact quite ridiculous. But it fell flat to me. So, while I really love the story and characters in theory, the book itself did not thrill me.
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