A review by izzymmcfarland
Orlando by Virginia Woolf

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

3.75

At first I struggled with reading 'Orlando'. I probably should have taken the Internet's advice for once and started with 'A Room of One's Own' just to get a grip on Woolf's writing style. Instead, I stuck with this one and trudged through the first 120 pages for a week. Then I slowly began to better understand Woolf's writing style and I finished the rest of the book in about two days. I found myself really enjoying the humor in this book. But what struck me the most was the commentary on gender. For me it turned this book from nearly a century old classic to personally relevant. 'Orlando' can be a hard read, but worth it if you have any interest . It's also worth noting this book has quite a few racist remarks towards Black people and Roma people, frequently using slurs to refer to both. Which can make reading this rather uncomfortable at times.  
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