Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Orlando: New special edition by Virginia Woolf

78 reviews

annaki_laila's review against another edition

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slow-paced

1.0

An incredible disappointment which has put me off the possibility of reading any more Woolf. When reading Mrs Dalloway, there were plenty of moments when the writing got away from itself and I completely lost what Woolf was actually talking about, but the plot and characters made up for that by being decently interesting. Orlando severely lacked those redeeming factors for me, and so when the writing got away, it got away. By the end of it I was heavily skim-reading and it would've been a DNF, but my frustration powered me through, I guess.
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ireadsstuff's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book caught me from the very first page, the language was beautiful and it brought me to worlds I had not visited before - but would love to see again. Woolf is controversial and has a lot of strange opinions, but the fact that somebody so long ago can adress gender in such a complicated way was a positive surprise to me.

turns out this is a lesbian love story and that filled my heart with joy
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ellaura's review against another edition

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so dense that i knew it would lose me if i put it down for like two days, and that's exactly what happened. 
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bookwormdystopian2's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated

3.0

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cassie_04's review against another edition

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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.
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rachel_here's review against another edition

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

3.75

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jackieeejw's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Kind of goes off the rails towards the end and is sometimes lacklustre in the development of the plot but god this is some of the most beautiful prose I’ve read. Virginia Woolf writes these spiralling sentences that just go on and on and on and they’re gorgeous and dizzying and fantastic. Also a trans femme classic
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camillebergeron's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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m4rtt4's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

My second time reading this book, and it was a better experience because this time I didn't try to rush through it. Woolf's writing gives you so much to think, and I don't think you're even supposed to understand every single thing — nonetheless, Orlando was a nice ride through time. Woolf's way of writing feminist commentary is witty and original, though her feminism is very white (like everything else in her time). There were also some colonial and even poc-fetishizing scenes in this book, which weren't really necessary to the plot and due to them and the rather confusing plot I can't rate this book higher (it still wasn't bad, just not the best either).
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murrderdith's review against another edition

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challenging 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? It's complicated

3.75

Listen, it's Virginia Woolf. It's good and this is groundbreaking work in its narrative use of gender fluidity. Orlando is an amazing character, even if they* are also an absolute aristocratic snob (I mean, so was Woolf.)

...it's also the book of hers I enjoyed the least. It turns out, my favorite thing about Woolf is her ability to shift perspective within the stream-of-consciousness style she pioneered. The interiority is still here but without that other element, this text felt more linear and rigid than Mrs. Dalloway or To The Lighthouse (my personal favorite.) I missed the writer's ability to embody so many people (and occasionally buildings) within a narrative. 

*The character shifts from masculine to feminine pronouns in the text, I'm using the singular they here for expediency's sake.
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