To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Boston : Mariner Books, [2005], c1955.
xii, 209 p. ; 21 cm.
I decided to read To the Lighthouse during the stay at home time this spring since I haven't read Virginia Woolf in a long time and it seemed like a short read and a chance to catch up on a "classic."
This is not a novel you read for the narrative. Most of the book happens on two single days separated by an interval of ten years. Within those ten years Europe is ripped apart by WWI and one of the central characters of part one dies. However the novel is more interested in the impressions of various characters and the complex inner life of the characters. Instead of narrative being the engine of the novel, the movement of the novel is driven by impressionist and poetic writing.
There is much to admire in Woolf's writing, but I have to say it took me longer to read than I expected. It's a book one savors for its stylistic accomplishments. I think reading it during the pandemic, made it harder to truly enjoy the rich artistry of the writing. With all that said, it's not really a book I would recommend to a student, unless they are really interested in literature as an art form. In that case, I would recommend it as a significant milestone in English fiction, one that charted new territory for the genre.
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