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matchhead's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? Yes
3.5
orlando i related so strongly to you in college…what’s become of us old pal ?
storyfoo's review against another edition
challenging
funny
inspiring
mysterious
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? Yes
3.0
What a strange book this is. I read most of it on kindle, and the last bit on audiobook.
Plot comments
Orlando is born a man in Elizabethan England. He's a rich playboy at court who has his heart broken by a butch Russian woman. He's sensitive and writes bad poetry. He becomes a Turkish ambassador. Then, for unfathomable reasons, he magically becomes a woman. He runs away with some gypsies. Eventually ends up back in England... and can just kind of keep being a woman.
Style Comments
Wolf has a really obnoxious habit of getting right up to the edge of plotline progress and then spending an inordinate amount of time on flowery language and run-on sentences about a different topic... before finally getting to the action that moves the story forward. By the time you get to the part about "what happened next," you've already forgotten what happened before and why you care. This made it quite slow going for me because it was harder to care about the plot.
Takeaways
I don't really understand what was supposed to be happening with gender in this book, like what the point was. There were a lot of clever observations about gender and about society though (even if they were buried in obnoxiously roundabout storytelling). I enjoyed her descriptions of wanting so badly to be included in prestigious social spaces, only to find that absolutely nothing of interest is actually said. There's an amusing anecdote about one of these gatherings being attended by someone who actually has something clever to say and the party being utterly ruined, unable to withstand anything of actual substance. There was also some funny biting commentary about how insufferable writers and poets are. I suppose the commentary extends to the rich as well.
Plot comments
Style Comments
Wolf has a really obnoxious habit of getting right up to the edge of plotline progress and then spending an inordinate amount of time on flowery language and run-on sentences about a different topic... before finally getting to the action that moves the story forward. By the time you get to the part about "what happened next," you've already forgotten what happened before and why you care. This made it quite slow going for me because it was harder to care about the plot.
Takeaways
I don't really understand what was supposed to be happening with gender in this book, like what the point was. There were a lot of clever observations about gender and about society though (even if they were buried in obnoxiously roundabout storytelling). I enjoyed her descriptions of wanting so badly to be included in prestigious social spaces, only to find that absolutely nothing of interest is actually said. There's an amusing anecdote about one of these gatherings being attended by someone who actually has something clever to say and the party being utterly ruined, unable to withstand anything of actual substance. There was also some funny biting commentary about how insufferable writers and poets are. I suppose the commentary extends to the rich as well.
isela_b's review against another edition
challenging
funny
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
wheezy_reads11's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
hallie222's review against another edition
3.0
“Nothing thicker than a knife's blade separates happiness from melancholy”
juliakato10's review against another edition
4.0
Achei uma leitura difícil, até que me dei conta de que o livro não é apenas sobre Vita, mas também foi escrito somente para ela e nós leitores tivemos o privilégio de conhecer essa história. A partir daí a leitura seguiu com fluidez.
A passagem do tempo que é minuciosamente descrita pela biógrafa, a princípio, parece exaustiva e maçante, se torna leve e fluida quando se percebe que o livro, em si, é uma grande carta de amor, descrevendo a vida Vita aos olhos de Virginia.
As passagens do livro são impressionantes e trazem boas reflexões, o que apenas reafirmam que Virginia foi uma mulher muito à frente de seu tempo. Recomendo a todos.
A passagem do tempo que é minuciosamente descrita pela biógrafa, a princípio, parece exaustiva e maçante, se torna leve e fluida quando se percebe que o livro, em si, é uma grande carta de amor, descrevendo a vida Vita aos olhos de Virginia.
As passagens do livro são impressionantes e trazem boas reflexões, o que apenas reafirmam que Virginia foi uma mulher muito à frente de seu tempo. Recomendo a todos.
jaybie08's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.25
evilchocho's review against another edition
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? Yes
3.5
bearystarry's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Fatphobia