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kmhst25's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
2.25
It’s not that I can’t appreciate Virginia Woolf’s wisdom, it’s just that I can’t connect to the way she conveys it. Characters in a Woolf story are always having transcendental experiences or reliving old memories in the middle of a scene in a way that is exceeding confusing. The wind has intentions, the homes breathe, every moment is ripe with symbolism and emotion. I always think it should speak to me, but it never quite does, or at least not more than 10 or 20% of the time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
pencilspeaker's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Misogyny
Moderate: Sexism and Racism
Minor: War
clevermird's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.5
The fifteenth installment in my quest to read the 'great classics' of Western literary canon, To the Lighthouse was a rather anticipated step, as it seemed less "high school reading list" and more "high brow literary" than most of what I've covered before, at least by impression. I've enjoyed this project well enough so far, but I wondered how I'd fare with something like that.
Turns out, both quite well and somewhat badly.
To the Lighthouse takes place on an island in Great Britain where the Ramsey family and assorted guests are staying for the summer. The Ramsey children (particularly the youngest, James) are excited about a proposed boat trip to a lighthouse, but Mr. Ramsey and several of the guests declare that bad weather is on the way and the trip will have to be postponed. From there, we follow the thoughts and minor happenings of the house's various residents over the next twelve hours or so, jumping back and forth in time and place to paint a portrait of a very normal evening in a slightly dysfunctional family's life before jumping forward ten years to see how those relationships and personalities have developed.
The first thing that stands out about this story is the unique way in which it is told. The narrative floats freely from character to character, event to event, seeming almost to be writing out every individual thought that comes into the head of whoever we are following at the moment. At first, this was overwhelming, leaving me lost trying to follow what was going on. But after about twenty pages, I realized that this wasn't a book where it was important to keep track of each individual event or pay close attention to what events were occurring. This was a book to feel, to let the prose flow over you and immerse yourself in the characters' minds and once I figured it out, it wasn't difficult to keep up.
That being said, this was also the first book I've read in a long time that made me feel like I wasn't smart enough to understand it. I know there's more going on beneath the surface than I picked up, asides and moments that I didn't catch that would have built the characters and themes deeper.
Without them, however, the book was still enjoyable enough. A bit slow, but never truly boring with a lot to say about human relationships and the complexities of perception, musing on questions like "is it ever possible to truly know another person?" and the ways in which our opinions of others change with time and circumstance. Ultimately, most of these questions are left unanswered, but Too the Lighthouse isn't interested in providing answers, merely examining life as it is. Unlike in many narrative books, this one felt real to me, as though this could have happened to me, perhaps stemming from the stream-of-consciousness style that brings you so close to the minds and hearts of the characters. I experienced the story instead of merely heard about it.
Even still, while I enjoyed the book much more than I would have thought I would from the description, it did feel overly long at points and several individual scenes dragged as well, particularly towards the end, and I would have appreciated a slightly tighter focus on Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey and their relationship, as well as a bit more explanation for a specific shift in one character's attitudes in the last few scenes. Perhaps it was covered and I simply missed it, but it seems to occur for no real reason - or perhaps that is the point?
A very different reading experience than most things I've tried before, Too the Lighthouse might not be a "fun" book in the traditional sense, but it was a fascinating glimpse into writing as an art form that was well worth the time invested.
Turns out, both quite well and somewhat badly.
To the Lighthouse takes place on an island in Great Britain where the Ramsey family and assorted guests are staying for the summer. The Ramsey children (particularly the youngest, James) are excited about a proposed boat trip to a lighthouse, but Mr. Ramsey and several of the guests declare that bad weather is on the way and the trip will have to be postponed. From there, we follow the thoughts and minor happenings of the house's various residents over the next twelve hours or so, jumping back and forth in time and place to paint a portrait of a very normal evening in a slightly dysfunctional family's life before jumping forward ten years to see how those relationships and personalities have developed.
The first thing that stands out about this story is the unique way in which it is told. The narrative floats freely from character to character, event to event, seeming almost to be writing out every individual thought that comes into the head of whoever we are following at the moment. At first, this was overwhelming, leaving me lost trying to follow what was going on. But after about twenty pages, I realized that this wasn't a book where it was important to keep track of each individual event or pay close attention to what events were occurring. This was a book to feel, to let the prose flow over you and immerse yourself in the characters' minds and once I figured it out, it wasn't difficult to keep up.
That being said, this was also the first book I've read in a long time that made me feel like I wasn't smart enough to understand it. I know there's more going on beneath the surface than I picked up, asides and moments that I didn't catch that would have built the characters and themes deeper.
Without them, however, the book was still enjoyable enough. A bit slow, but never truly boring with a lot to say about human relationships and the complexities of perception, musing on questions like "is it ever possible to truly know another person?" and the ways in which our opinions of others change with time and circumstance. Ultimately, most of these questions are left unanswered, but Too the Lighthouse isn't interested in providing answers, merely examining life as it is. Unlike in many narrative books, this one felt real to me, as though this could have happened to me, perhaps stemming from the stream-of-consciousness style that brings you so close to the minds and hearts of the characters. I experienced the story instead of merely heard about it.
Even still, while I enjoyed the book much more than I would have thought I would from the description, it did feel overly long at points and several individual scenes dragged as well, particularly towards the end, and I would have appreciated a slightly tighter focus on Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey and their relationship, as well as a bit more explanation for a specific shift in one character's attitudes in the last few scenes. Perhaps it was covered and I simply missed it, but it seems to occur for no real reason - or perhaps that is the point?
A very different reading experience than most things I've tried before, Too the Lighthouse might not be a "fun" book in the traditional sense, but it was a fascinating glimpse into writing as an art form that was well worth the time invested.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Sexism
Minor: Death of parent, War, and Death
thatone2112's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Grief
Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Classism, Racism, War, and Toxic relationship
hjb_128's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: War and Child death
aserra's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Prepare for a crawling, yet poetically meandering read if you're picking this book up for the first time. It is written in Woolf's classic coveted stream of consciousness style. This doesn't make it a bad book if you don't like that style, it just means it isn't a book for you, most likely.
Quite honestly, I don't think I'm intelligent enough to fully grasp the profundity and implications of everything in the novel, but that didn't detract from my contentment with the text. Others undoubtedly comprehend and therefore appreciate the book much more fully than I do, just something to consider if you are reading this one review and wondering whether to pick this up.
Woolf's eloquent prose scrutinizes human nature and connection, highlighting, despite stark differences, subtle universalities with the extremely fluid and volatile POV. It is very worth noting, however, that this is a very white, privileged scrutiny of white, privileged people. This creates one's of the novel's few downfalls: it reinforces a white gaze within English literature. To expect diversity from this novel would be to set one's self up for disappointment. In the interest of balancing a deep admiration of Woolf's poetic prose and recognition of the stifling whiteness (Woolf was very actively ingrained in the myopism of white, upper class, 20th-century English society), this book earns a hearty 3.75 from me; an enjoyably challenging, reflective read from an excellent author who didn't express much interest in and subsequently did not venture outside the white world view in a work that examined the nature of humankind (which is, of course, not majority white).
Quite honestly, I don't think I'm intelligent enough to fully grasp the profundity and implications of everything in the novel, but that didn't detract from my contentment with the text. Others undoubtedly comprehend and therefore appreciate the book much more fully than I do, just something to consider if you are reading this one review and wondering whether to pick this up.
Woolf's eloquent prose scrutinizes human nature and connection, highlighting, despite stark differences, subtle universalities with the extremely fluid and volatile POV. It is very worth noting, however, that this is a very white, privileged scrutiny of white, privileged people. This creates one's of the novel's few downfalls: it reinforces a white gaze within English literature. To expect diversity from this novel would be to set one's self up for disappointment. In the interest of balancing a deep admiration of Woolf's poetic prose and recognition of the stifling whiteness (Woolf was very actively ingrained in the myopism of white, upper class, 20th-century English society), this book earns a hearty 3.75 from me; an enjoyably challenging, reflective read from an excellent author who didn't express much interest in and subsequently did not venture outside the white world view in a work that examined the nature of humankind (which is, of course, not majority white).
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism, War, and Death
theremightbecupcakes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Death, Death of parent, Sexism, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Classism
afion's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
Minor: Classism and War
bill369's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I read this book for the Classics Reading Challenge.
I didn't grow to love the characters. I don't care about them.
The life of members of the Ramsay family. A life filled with tension and commonness. I find this book quite tiresome, yet I must admit it gives a decent inside into the middle-class life of the twentieth century. Also, it's admirable how the author manages to portray everyday life with such sophisticated language.
Page 55, the insufficiency of relationships.
(...), zrovna teď, přímo v okamžiku, kdy ji bolela každá připomínka nedostačujícnosti lidských vztahů – že I ten nejdokonalejší má chyby a nesnese zkoumání, kterému je z lásky k manželovi a svým instinktem pro pravdu podrobila; (...)
Page 218, where to start?
Kde začít? – to je ta otázka; v kterém místě udělat první tah? Jedna linka namalovaná na plátně ji vystavovala nespočetným rizikům, mnohým a neodvolatelným rozhodnutím. Všechno to, co se v myšlenkách zdálo jednoduché, stalo se v praxi okamžitě složitým; zrovna tak jako se vlny z útesu zdají symetricky od sebe vzdálené, a pro plavce uprostřed nich jsou rozdělené hlubokými zátočinami a pěnícími hřebeny. A přece, riskovat se musí, musí se udělat první tah.
Page 236–237, repose.
Paní Ramsayová seděla tiše. Byla ráda, myslela si Lily, že může tiše odpočívat a nemusí s nikým mluvit, odpočívat v nesmírné záhadnosti lidských vztahů. Kdo ví, co jsme, co cítíme?
Page 245–246,
Co je to tedy? Co to znamená? Dokážou věci natáhnout ruku a zmocnit se člověka? může ostří říznout? pěst popadnout? To není nikde bezpečí? Nedá se naučit nazpaměť, jak to na tom světě chodí? Žádné vodítko, žádná záštita, ale všechno je zázrak a vrhá se z vršku věže do vzduchu? Je možné, že i pro starší lidi tohle je život? – překvapující, nečekaný, neznámý?
The end was mediocre.
Refined writing and short chapters were the only things getting me through this book. I don't think this book is for me. Nevertheless, I'm glad I read it and educated myself.
I didn't grow to love the characters. I don't care about them.
The life of members of the Ramsay family. A life filled with tension and commonness. I find this book quite tiresome, yet I must admit it gives a decent inside into the middle-class life of the twentieth century. Also, it's admirable how the author manages to portray everyday life with such sophisticated language.
Page 55, the insufficiency of relationships.
Page 218, where to start?
Page 236–237, repose.
Page 245–246,
The end was mediocre.
Refined writing and short chapters were the only things getting me through this book. I don't think this book is for me. Nevertheless, I'm glad I read it and educated myself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death and Sexism
neali's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i loved this, but i think i would have enjoyed it even more if i had read it in more or less one sitting, since it took me a while to get into virginia's writing style and way of storytelling, which i would describe as kind of all over the place.
once you get used to it though, it is very gripping and easier for the reader to acknowledge the beauty that lies in the way virginia tells this story, although it can still be a lot sometimes. what the book "lacks" in plot, it gains through mindful observations of the human nature and the complexity of human relationships.
to the lighthouse for me is a tale on the inconsistency of being human and a study of human relationships, especially between men and women but also between parents and their children. this obviously makes a lot of sense considering virginia's feminist background.
i can definitely see why it is described as a masterpiece and virginia's best work and i'm looking forward to explore her writing even more!
once you get used to it though, it is very gripping and easier for the reader to acknowledge the beauty that lies in the way virginia tells this story, although it can still be a lot sometimes. what the book "lacks" in plot, it gains through mindful observations of the human nature and the complexity of human relationships.
to the lighthouse for me is a tale on the inconsistency of being human and a study of human relationships, especially between men and women but also between parents and their children. this obviously makes a lot of sense considering virginia's feminist background.
i can definitely see why it is described as a masterpiece and virginia's best work and i'm looking forward to explore her writing even more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Sexism, Death, and War
Minor: Death of parent