Voyage Out | 
#OnThisDay in 1915 two literary women, one real and one fictional, made their debut when Virginia Woolf's first novel, The Voyage Out, was published by Duckworth & Co. Woolf's first published work features the first mention of high society hostess Clarissa Dalloway. Mrs Dalloway would later make appearances in five of Woolf's short stories. So many parties to throw, so little time. #HistoryGetsLIT
I dived into that book with no idea of its content.
It is part of my reading all Virginia self challenge
For some time she observed a great yellow butterfly, which was opening and closing its wings very slowly on a little flat stone.
"What is it to be in love?" she demanded, after a long silence; each word as it came into being seemed to shove itself out into an unknown sea. Hypnotized by the wings of the butterfly, and awed by the discovery of a terrible possibility in life, she sat for some time longer. #Hypnotic #QuotsyJan21
pickSo glad I started my Virginia Woolf reread! I read this early novel of hers as a teenager but remembered almost nothing about it. More straightforward than a lot of her other novels but still stream of consciousness slipping in and out of peoples heads. Woolf is probably my favourite prose writer of all time and I‘m excited to reread more!
Good morning from London and my audio walk to work friends. I feel like I‘ve been around less than normal recently, I‘ve still been reading and reviewing but I‘ve definitely been scrolling and keeping up with other people less. My work has got so busy recently quite a lot of my scrolling them is used up 😞 I‘ll do my best to keep up with everyone though! Love you guys!
so-soThis stream-of-consciousness novel started out good, with the young Rachel on a boat to South America with her aunt and uncle. She meets many people (among whom Mrs. Dalloway!!) and has interesting conversations. When they arrive on a fictional South American island a new crew of people makes its entrance and with them more conversations and relations. A bit messy, this novel, Woolf‘s first one, but with the promise of what was yet to come. ⬇️
This is the story of a young woman‘s journey of self-discovery on her father‘s ship. It follows Rachel, and her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose on a sea #voyage from London to a resort on the South American. It‘s rather a disturbing book, but I‘ve ‘enjoyed‘ the journey.
#LetsTravelJuly
pickWoolf's first novel begins with The Ambroses boarding a ship owned by a brother-in-law bound for South America. There, Helen Ambrose decides to educate her sheltered, awkward, naive 20-something niece Rachel. The majority of the plot takes place on the island as Rachel and Helen socialize with other English tourists. Outings, excursions, and conversations ensue. Rachel falls in love as do others. But the ending is not exactly 'happy.'👇
Heavens to Murgatroyd indeed! I've read three books recently that have someone with that last name. An odd little coincidence, it seems
And while on the subject of names, why are characters named St. John such pompous jerks? There's one in the tagged book. (His last name is not Murgatroyd.)
(I had forgotten about Snagglepuss till I happened upon a meme with his catch phrase.)
Today, I discovered Clarissa Dalloway is a character in Woolf's first novel The Voyage Out. Is this something most people know?
The more I read Woolf, the more I realize how little I know about her.
"[...]Rachel woke to find herself in the midst of one of those interminable nights which do not end at twelve, but go on into the double figures--thirteen, fourteen, and so on until they reach the twenties, and then the thirties, and then the forties. She realised that there is nothing to prevent nights from doing this if they choose."
Ugh, don't I know it.
Now Terrence is bitching about how bad he thinks marriage is for men. To his fiancé. And calling her ugly. And shaking his fist in her face so that she flinches. I wish HE would die of typhoid fever instead.
Ugh, Rachel and Terrence have been engaged one fucking week and he's already belittling her and saying things like "I should be writing my novel and you should be answering these notes." What. About. Her. Fucking. Music? She's better off dead, honestly.
I'm still trying to figure out the symbolic significance of Rachel Vinrace's death.
This version isn't as different from the unfinished posthumously published version I read last year (Melymbrosia: A Novel), as I'd thought it would be. All I've really noticed so far is that in this one, Mr. Vinrace is more selfish and emotionally incestuous--more like Woolf's father, in short.
"[Mr. Dalloway] seemed to come from the humming, oily center of the machine, where the polished rods were sliding and the pistons thumping. He grasped things so firmly but so loosely."
Damn, EVERYONE wants to fuck Mr. Dalloway.
"But it was evident that, for some reason or other, Willoughby [Vinrace] was quite pleased to submit, although he made a show of growling."
I guess he and Mr. Dalloway did a lot more than just shake on that business deal, huh? ??
On the way back from school, I suddenly had such a need to hear an audiobook that I pulled to the shoulder of the highway, put on my hazard lights, and got right onto librivox to download anything by Virginia Woolf. The other drivers understood, hopefully.
pickA remarkable novel which I find less daunting to read than To The Lighthouse. Then again it‘s not an easy read, in the sense you need to take your time with it, for the story is plotless and lack of action. A profound story of a naive young woman on a journey of self discovery, touching on women‘s role in society, society‘s discrimination of women, relationship between men and women, marriage, and of what constitutes happiness. 👇
#litsyclassics
“I feel so intensely the delights of shutting oneself up in a little world of one‘s own, with pictures and music and everything beautiful.”
(Art by Frank Snapp, 1876-1927).
#currentread
pickI would love to read this with an undergrad class. I feel like some would relate to Rachel and some would dislike her and either way it would spark a good discussion. Particularly of the feminist aspects I would think--v. interesting to me how the characters discuss issues like women's vote or education but most if not all still carry a lot of misogynist viewpoints. Anyway, I'm glad I finally read Woolf's fiction and I'll def be reading more.
pickIt is primarily the story of Rachel, a sheltered 24 year old taken in hand by her aunt. Set on her father's cargo so and in an English resort in S. America, it details her journey into adulthood.
As Woolf's first novel, there are hints of the greatness to come. Although the story doesn't arc and the plot plops, there are passages of stunning beauty. I would have enjoyed it more if tax in a less disjointed fashion.
3.5 🌟 #1001books
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️ Beautiful prose as usual but the plot fell flat for me. It made some astute observations about marriage and the relationships between men and women but it also often dragged and the characters were hard to keep separate in my head. If it‘s autobiographical as the foreword claims, Virginia Woolf‘s life was very boring. Definitely an interesting look at Virginia Woolf‘s style before she had really refined it though! #vwread
I love this cuddly baby!! 💞💞
I don‘t really like waiting at the dealership for car service but at least it‘s giving me my first excuse to read in a while 😜
They didn't have outdoor seating at the library yet (😢) so I'm at a bar reading outside instead. It's gorgeous today! 🌿🌼🌞
Today I start my voyage (ha) to read all of Virginia Woolf's published works in chronological order, starting with her 1915 novel The Voyage Out. #vwread
so-soI originally started reading this last year for my #LitsyAtoZ challenge, but didn‘t finish it early enough. So now I‘m using it for my #readingwomenchallenge bonus prompt: a book by Virginia Woolf.
It was a little slow for me but enjoyable.
#classic #MountTBR
My well-worn book riding the waves of my rumbled bedsheets. The setting on a boat is getting me excited for our cruise, and the very English-ness of the English abroad is a pleasant escape from the onset of this cold or flu or whatever I picked up. 😷
pickFinished. I couldn't begin to describe it if you asked, but I enjoyed it.
The 6yo woke up at 530 with stomach troubles (he was home from school yesterday as he wasn't feeling well) and I immediately popped into Wide Awake Mum mode and couldn't go back to sleep. (Of course the Husband easily fell asleep again!)
So I am reading on the Kindle and thinking of eating pancakes 🥞 #litsypartyofone
I'm really enjoying the Serial Reader app. Instead of wasting time out and about with candy crush on my phone, I'm reading classics! #virginiawoolf #serialreader
Here's my #rainbowbookstack 🌈
#riotgrams @bookriot
#VirginiaWoolf La crociera:
"A nessuno importa niente. Un romanzo lo si legge soltanto per capire che tipo di persona è l'autore e, se lo si conosce, quali dei suoi amici vi ha messo dentro."
#silenzio #Woolf #scrittura #writers
pickLo stile di scrittura è ricercato e molto bello, solo a tratti la storia diventa un po' pedante.
Mi è sembrato che ciò che premesse di più alla Woolf, fosse rendere chiare le differenze tra i due sessi, soprattutto a livello concettuale.
C'è una profonda analisi dei personaggi, ognuno è caratterizzato alla perfezione.
Si respira un‘atmosfera cupa e gotica, è una storia da “brividi”, si percepisce profondamente il mal di vivere della scrittrice.
Listening to Juliet Stevenson read Virginia Woolf, while doing a little cross stitch. A blissful way to pass the time!
