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lizetteratura's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Classism
Minor: Violence and War
teabrewer's review against another edition
funny
reflective
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
3.5
I want to start this review by saying that I feel like didn't fully understand this book. There were many lines that felt like a reference that I didn't get despite the many annotations that came with my edition. Be it because I'm not British, didn't live in the 1920's, wasn't part of the Bloomsbury group, am not Vita, or just because I'm dumb. Some of these may not even have been a real reference to anything and just randomness that comes with the "stream of consciousness" method. The "stream of consciousness" sections were amazing and interesting at first but did get tiring very fast. The author's writing is very funny though, in that way where it takes you a few seconds to realise there was a joke there but when you do it lights all parts of your brain. The book is full of reflections and commentaries, some interesting some not so much, many involving Orlando's legs. So many, I stopped reading to google Vita Sackville's to know what the author was talking about. The entirety of the text felt, just like Vita's son said, like a very long love letter to her. And I mean all kinds of love, be it friendship, be it romantic, be it admiration. All together in 200 or so pages.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Misogyny, Violence, and War
alexblais8's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism
reverie_and_books's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
3.5
What is time? What is the proper form of a novel? What is gender?
Whatever our concepts are behind these words, Woolf threw them in the pan, stirred them up, and served the result as a biography that spans well over 300 years and includes a miraculous transition (without intention, it seems). What is often seen as solid suddenly appears fluid.
“He stretched himself. He rose. He stood upright in complete nakedness before us, and while the trumpets pealed Truth! Truth! Truth! we have no choice left but confess – he was a woman.”
Orlando contains multitudes, regardless of her biological or social gender, age or actually passed time, environment and location. It’s an early work of feminist fiction which breaks some rules, also regarding form or social norms. All the praise for that!
At times I found it difficult to follow or to grasp every meaning. Published in 1928 it contains some depictions thoroughly tinted with colonialism and it's effects. And I have a tiny little confession to make: I bought this vintage edition earlier this year, but couldn’t read it without sneezing. I read it as an ebook instead 🤷♀️
"At any rate, it was not until she felt the coil of skirts about her legs and the Captain offered, with the greatest politeness, to have an awning spread for her on deck, that she realized with a start the penalties and the privileges of her position.”
Overall, a dazzling novel that ignores rules and throws strict concepts overboard.
What is time? What is the proper form of a novel? What is gender?
Whatever our concepts are behind these words, Woolf threw them in the pan, stirred them up, and served the result as a biography that spans well over 300 years and includes a miraculous transition (without intention, it seems). What is often seen as solid suddenly appears fluid.
“He stretched himself. He rose. He stood upright in complete nakedness before us, and while the trumpets pealed Truth! Truth! Truth! we have no choice left but confess – he was a woman.”
Orlando contains multitudes, regardless of her biological or social gender, age or actually passed time, environment and location. It’s an early work of feminist fiction which breaks some rules, also regarding form or social norms. All the praise for that!
At times I found it difficult to follow or to grasp every meaning. Published in 1928 it contains some depictions thoroughly tinted with colonialism and it's effects. And I have a tiny little confession to make: I bought this vintage edition earlier this year, but couldn’t read it without sneezing. I read it as an ebook instead 🤷♀️
"At any rate, it was not until she felt the coil of skirts about her legs and the Captain offered, with the greatest politeness, to have an awning spread for her on deck, that she realized with a start the penalties and the privileges of her position.”
Overall, a dazzling novel that ignores rules and throws strict concepts overboard.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence
melancholymegs's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Violence and War
cassie_04's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
DEAR GOD. AN INFURIATING READ. TOOK ME 5 MONTHS TO FINISH. Great book though. Interesting takes on gender throughout. I also enjoyed the surreal passage of time and place throughout the book. Unfortunately, like much of Woolf's work it is incredibly racist. I enjoy her experimental style but this one was a little bit too loosey goosey and descriptive in places, as well as the frequent racism made this book difficult to read. Has historical and literary interest though, so in those regards, was worth a read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Alcohol and Classism
mmirjamm's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs, Violence, Cultural appropriation, and War
evieolive's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A lot of decent passages though very weak on plot, plus a fair bit of racism
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Gore, Racial slurs, and Violence
Minor: Sexism