Book Title:

Mrs. Dalloway

Author:

Virginia Woolf

Reviewer:

Mindy Misener

Summary:

Mrs. Dalloway takes place during the course of one day and incorporates the viewpoints and history of not only Clarissa Dalloway (the main character) but also of her family, former acquaintances, and people she has never known. The day leads up to a party that she gives in the evening.

Peter Walsh, the man who once asked Clarissa to marry him, returns in the course of the story, and the reunion of Clarissa and Peter is a carefully crafted meeting between two people who clearly have a complex past. The narration of the story describes the thoughts of both of them and how each reacts to the actions of the other. Their conversation and individual thoughts after seeing each other reflect the changes they have encountered since parting, as well as the parts of their lives that have remained the same.

Another character that the book follows is that of Septimus Warren Smith, a man who is dealing with depression following his participation in the War (World War I). His fright and feelings of being alone sometimes parallel those of Clarissa’s.

At the party, the guests mingle and the relationships and interactions of the partygoers create a thoughtful conclusion.

Opinion:

 This is not a book to rush through. It must be enjoyed at a slow pace, for the story unfolds at a slow pace. The language is eloquent and the characters are artfully created. This is a book that I want to read again, because I’m sure that I’ll get more out of it the second time through.

Rating:

 4 stars out of 5