Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
This book follows a single day in 1923 in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, an upper class London society hostess, preparing for a party. The day interweaves her thoughts, reflections on the past, life choices and actions, with several other characters, including Septimus Smith (a war veteran, suffering from post traumatic stress) and Peter Walsh (an early admirer). The day ends with the suicide of Septimus and Clarissa’s party.
The book published in 1925, is considered a classic, an example of ‘stream of consciousness’ storytelling. It touches on suggestions of a Lesbian relationship, mental illness and lost love.
However, the majority of our group did not enjoy it. People found it repetitious, with overlong sentences, the characters hard to visualise, lacking in story and boring. Several members did not finish the book.
Those in favour rated it as a favourite read and beautifully written. The reader gets to know the characters really well and they are cleverly connected at the end.