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A review by lmckensie
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
5.0
I will preface my review with a warning: this book is not for the faint of heart. Not in the sense that it's violent or utterly shocking, but it is Virgina Woolf, and therefore written in stream-of-consciousness. If you can't deal with perspectives that bounce all over the place, I would not recommend this book.
That being said, when I started the book, it was rather slow going. I couldn't immediately form an opinion, because it takes a while to adjust to the style. It's a feeling akin to trying a type of food you've never had before -- you have chew on it for a while before the taste becomes familiar and easy to swallow. When I did get into it, however, it was wonderful.
To the Lighthouse is not a book that I was unable to put down, but it was a book that I could pick up again and be suddenly caught in the words, enraptured by Woolf's beautiful prose. If you're going to use stream-of-consciousness, it has to be masterful, and her work is just that. The thoughts of each character are poignant and studied, resulting in insightful introspection into the ways in which people interact and how they develop in response to an uncompromising world. It also showcases the complexities of human emotion, which are many and multifaceted. Lily Briscoe was by far my favorite character in the novel -- the unapologetic spinster-artist, constantly searching for the perfect inspiration. I think all artists can relate to her struggle.
As a work for analysis and a work just to read, To the Lighthouse is marvelous.
That being said, when I started the book, it was rather slow going. I couldn't immediately form an opinion, because it takes a while to adjust to the style. It's a feeling akin to trying a type of food you've never had before -- you have chew on it for a while before the taste becomes familiar and easy to swallow. When I did get into it, however, it was wonderful.
To the Lighthouse is not a book that I was unable to put down, but it was a book that I could pick up again and be suddenly caught in the words, enraptured by Woolf's beautiful prose. If you're going to use stream-of-consciousness, it has to be masterful, and her work is just that. The thoughts of each character are poignant and studied, resulting in insightful introspection into the ways in which people interact and how they develop in response to an uncompromising world. It also showcases the complexities of human emotion, which are many and multifaceted. Lily Briscoe was by far my favorite character in the novel -- the unapologetic spinster-artist, constantly searching for the perfect inspiration. I think all artists can relate to her struggle.
As a work for analysis and a work just to read, To the Lighthouse is marvelous.