This group has been designated for adults age 18 or older. Please sign in and confirm your date of birth in your profile so we can verify your eligibility. You may opt to make your date of birth private.

From the Bookshelf of Reading List Completists…

Mrs. Dalloway

Virginia Woolf

Start date: November 1, 2017

Finish date: November 30, 2017

Discussion: Group Reads

Why we're reading this: Co-winner of the November/December 2017 - HUGE Second Chance Poll
[close] Co-winner of the November/December 2017 - HUGE Second Chance Poll

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 98 topics — 1,581 comments total

Group Reads

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
By Matthew , Assistant List Master · 4 posts · 18 views

last updated Sep 18, 2022 11:34AM

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
By Matthew , Assistant List Master · 7 posts · 22 views

last updated Aug 31, 2022 01:49PM

What Members Thought

Nov 05, 2017 Scarlett Readz and Runz....Through Novel Time & Distance rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5 stars

“She belonged to a different age, but being so entire, so complete, would always stand up on the horizon, stone-white, eminent, like a lighthouse marking some past stage on this adventurous, long, long voyage, this interminable --- this interminable life.”
― Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway

Spend the day with Mrs. Dalloway as she prepares to host her party one evening, post WWI in London. Dalloway, aged 52 with a terminal disease is reflecting upon her life in 3rd person, letting free her s 3.5 stars

“She belonged to a different age, but being so entire, so complete, would always stand up on the horizon, stone-white, eminent, like a lighthouse marking some past stage on this adventurous, long, long voyage, this interminable --- this interminable life.”
― Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway

Spend the day with Mrs. Dalloway as she prepares to host her party one evening, post WWI in London. Dalloway, aged 52 with a terminal disease is reflecting upon her life in 3rd person, letting free her streaming consciousness about herself, her husband, friends and strangers.

“Beauty, the world seemed to say. And as if to prove it (scientifically) wherever he looked at the houses, at the railings, at the antelopes stretching over the palings, beauty sprang instantly. To watch a leaf quivering in the rush of air was an exquisite joy. Up in the sky swallows swooping, swerving, flinging themselves in and out, round and round, yet always with perfect control as if elastics held them; and the flies rising and falling; and the sun spotting now this leaf, now that, in mockery, dazzling it with soft gold in pure good temper; and now again some chime (it might be a motor horn) tinkling divinely on the grass stalks—all of this, calm and reasonable as it was, made out of ordinary things as it was, was the truth now; beauty, that was the truth now. Beauty was everywhere.”
― Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway

Feeling of middle age, with her external beauty fading, she seems reasonable and wise to see all the beautiful things in the world and differentiating from the superficial. Some things are just not worth the fuss anymore, and mindfulness is her way of life now. She seems at peace even with the things that aren’t perfect and her thoughts are very eloquently expressed in this novel.

“Quiet descended on her, calm, content, as her needle, drawing the silk smoothly to its gentle pause, collected the green folds together and attached them, very lightly, to the belt. So on a summer’s day waves collect, overbalance, and fall; collect and fall; and the whole world seems to be saying “that is all” more and more ponderously, until even the heart in the body which lies in the sun on the beach says too, That is all. Fear no more, says the heart. Fear no more, says the heart, committing its burden to some sea, which sighs collectively for all sorrows, and renews, begins, collects, let’s fall. And the body alone listens to the passing bee; the wave breaking; the dog barking, far away barking and barking.”
― Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway

Because the entire novel reads like this, it is difficult to pick out single scenarios of what she is thinking about. I would say, if you are interested in beautiful prose and lyrical writing, give this one a try. You will find yourself at times pondering the same things or agree with the way Virginia Woolf was able to capture these internal thoughts into words.

This was my first Virginia Woolf novel and I listened to it on audio book due to no availability in book format. But I am glad I did that, because the narrator was so amazing at emphasizing certain words that made it even better than me reading it. I found it quite enjoyable and relatable being almost middle age. Not sure if a younger person would agree or appreciate it the same way. It is definitely for the soul and an aged palate. ...more

26 likes · Like · see review

Mar 01, 2024 Summer rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: avant-garde-vanguards

I was so worried then!!! Phew!!!

2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 13, 2024 Paul Cirino rated it really liked it

This was a relatively easy read. Despite the stream-of-consciousness (which i gather is what she is known for, though i didnt care for that). There wasnt really a story, it was about emotions and people. Mr. Dalloway (and many other characters) were 2-dimensional and not very interesting. The whole Septimus/Rezia line was kind of superfluous, even though they end up connected. No doubt also a connection to woolfs own struggles and eventual end. Clarissa comes off as kind of narrow and afraid, li ...more

Like · see review

Jan 05, 2017 Michael Finocchiaro marked it as to-read

3 likes · Like

Apr 18, 2017 Mary Pop-In marked it as to-read

Shelves: feminism

Dec 23, 2017 Tammy rated it it was amazing

12 likes · Like

Mar 18, 2018 Virginia Palmer marked it as to-read

Shelves: top-100-classics

Jun 14, 2018 Mouse marked it as to-read

Jul 05, 2018 Eigen_Land marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Sep 03, 2018 Zachary Miller rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018-reading

Nov 27, 2020 Fadma Echchakery rated it really liked it

Oct 26, 2019 Michelle marked it as to-read

1 like · Like

Jan 18, 2020 Frances marked it as to-read

Sep 08, 2020 Romila Jogdand rated it it was amazing

Jun 23, 2020 Ed Dunkle rated it it was amazing

Aug 04, 2020 Katelyn DePew marked it as to-read

Shelves: all-time-100-novels

Sep 13, 2020 Kowshik Debnath marked it as to-read

May 22, 2021 K added it

Shelves: favorites

Jan 21, 2022 Gobert marked it as to-read

Feb 19, 2022 Benjamin marked it as to-read

Oct 17, 2022 Emma marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Oct 30, 2022 Joy Liabres rated it liked it

Mar 10, 2023 MaryLucille marked it as to-read

Jan 14, 2024 ~☆~Autumn marked it as to-read · review of another edition

1 like · Like

Jun 23, 2024 Summer added it · review of another edition

Jul 07, 2025 Mary is currently reading it

Shelves: summer-2025

« previous 1 2 3 next »

Group Home Bookshelf Discussions

Photos Videos

Send invite Members Polls