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Rowena's Reviews > Orlando
Orlando
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I absolutely adored this book. The style is definitely different from the other Woolf books I've read so far. What stood out for me was the beautiful use of the language, maybe more than the story. The novel had an almost fairytale-like feel to it, and I was definitely enchanted from the start.
I don't think the following is a spoiler as it is included in the book's blurb : this book is about a 16 year old boy, Orlando, a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, who one day wakes up to find that he has become a woman! The investigation of gender following Orlando’s metamorphosis is especially amazing as now it is widely accepted that gender is a societal construct. I really feel Woolf was way ahead of her time.
The book was written in an experimental biographical style, and the biographer threw in a lot of humour and wit that caused me to burst out laughing more than once. It is also satirical which I loved, especially the part where Orlando shows her calf to a sailor, who almost falls to his death!Also, the challenges and insight of writing a biography are included, things I had never really considered previously.
The book was so surreal at times especially as it wasn’t restricted by either gender or time. I feel that, as straight-forward as the story is to read, there are so many issues incorporated that I think there are also as many different approaches for reading this book.
Now I'm in the mood for more Woolf and I think a re-read of Mrs. Dalloway is in order.
I don't think the following is a spoiler as it is included in the book's blurb : this book is about a 16 year old boy, Orlando, a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, who one day wakes up to find that he has become a woman! The investigation of gender following Orlando’s metamorphosis is especially amazing as now it is widely accepted that gender is a societal construct. I really feel Woolf was way ahead of her time.
The book was written in an experimental biographical style, and the biographer threw in a lot of humour and wit that caused me to burst out laughing more than once. It is also satirical which I loved, especially the part where Orlando shows her calf to a sailor, who almost falls to his death!Also, the challenges and insight of writing a biography are included, things I had never really considered previously.
The book was so surreal at times especially as it wasn’t restricted by either gender or time. I feel that, as straight-forward as the story is to read, there are so many issues incorporated that I think there are also as many different approaches for reading this book.
Now I'm in the mood for more Woolf and I think a re-read of Mrs. Dalloway is in order.
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Quotes Rowena Liked
“madam," the man cried, leaping to the ground, "you're hurt!" "I'm dead, sir!" she replied. A few minutes later, they became engaged.”
― Orlando
― Orlando
“Memory is the seamstress, and a capricious one at that. Memory runs her needle in and out, up and down, hither and thither. We know not what comes next, or what follows after. Thus, the most ordinary movement in the world, such as sitting down at a table and pulling the inkstand towards one, may agitate a thousand odd, disconnected fragments, now bright, now dim, hanging and bobbing and dipping and flaunting, like the underlinen of a family of fourteen on a line in a gale of wind.”
― Orlando
― Orlando
“The flower bloomed and faded. The sun rose and sank. The lover loved and went. And what the poets said in rhyme, the young translated into practice.”
― Orlando
― Orlando
“Green in nature is one thing, green in literature another. Nature and letters seem to have a natural antipathy; bring them together and they tear each other to pieces.”
― Orlando
― Orlando
“Ransack the language as he might, words failed him. He wanted another landscape, and another tongue.”
― Orlando
― Orlando
Reading Progress
November 29, 2012
– Shelved
November 29, 2012
– Shelved as:
classics
January 7, 2013
–
Started Reading
January 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
favorites
January 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
favourite-authors
January 10, 2013
–
Finished Reading
February 25, 2013
– Shelved as:
readalongs
Comments Showing 1-39 of 39 (39 new)
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Darren
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Jan 10, 2013 02:33PM
Looking for to the review Rowena. Never read any Woolf. Would you recommend this as a good starting point? Or would you suggest something else? I was quite intrigued by this after reading Madeline's review.
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Darren wrote: "Looking for to the review Rowena. Never read any Woolf. Would you recommend this as a good starting point? Or would you suggest something else? I was quite intrigued by this after reading Madeline'..."Soon, I promise:) It's my favourite Woolf book so far but as a starting point I'd probably go with A Room of One's Own. It definitely gave me some perspective into the lives of female writers. To a Lighthouse was also pretty good.
Well I'm looking forward to reading a few female authors this year namely: Gallant ,O'Connor, Spark, Woolf, Lessing and Hempel. Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul has moved down the list; on grounds of his narcissistic and disparaging views.
I had no idea that was what Naipaul's full name was :D Yeah, he sounds like an awful person. O'Connor is also on my list. You should add some Margaret Atwood and Anais Nin as well:)
Thank you. I shall bear this in mind :-)
Rowena wrote: "I had no idea that was what Naipaul's full name was :D Yeah, he sounds like an awful person. O'Connor is also on my list. You should add some Margaret Atwood and Anais Nin as well:)"I don't think he's awful, but I do think he's pissed off at being a prophet without honour in his own country. He is so unpopular in the Caribbean, especially in Trinidad, but generally, because he deserted the islands and wrote their limitations. I am a great admirer of his early Trinidadian fiction and his more political oeuvre later on.
Petra X wrote: "Rowena wrote: "I had no idea that was what Naipaul's full name was :D Yeah, he sounds like an awful person. O'Connor is also on my list. You should add some Margaret Atwood and Anais Nin as well:)"..."I was speaking mainly about his view on female writers, he didn't seem to think any were good enough. Then again, like someone else said to me, that's probably not a good enough reason to ignore his literature. That is such a pity that he isn't admired in his own homeland. I am planning to read his biography just to learn a bit more about him.
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Petra is wondering when this dawn will beome day
(last edited Jan 10, 2013 10:07PM)
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I must admit I've never really thought of him from that point of view and had forgotten the Jane Austen controversy. It could be a cultural thing that he's never outgrown. Living here it seems to me that Trinidadian and Guyanese East Indians don't have high expectations of their women or consider their potential outside of wives, mothers, cooks and maids.is both horrifying and slightly disgusting that he quite obviously would say anything for effect.
Yikes! I just read the article. I hear what you're saying Petra, it makes sense why he would think that way if that's the case.
When I find out that an author's personal beliefs conflict in a big way with my own I neither want to read or sell their books. But I'm not very consistent with what I do. I really enjoy Naipaul's books (and they sell, a bit), but I wouldn't sell Agatha Christie who was racist and anti-semitic. So was Roald Dahl and I do sell his :-(
Caroline wrote: "Gosh, it sounds extraordinary!"That is a wonderfully apt adjective for it:)
Great review Rowena; you've definately sold it to me!
Petra X wrote: "When I find out that an author's personal beliefs conflict in a big way with my own I neither want to read or sell their books. But I'm not very consistent with what I do. I really enjoy Naipaul's ..."I know what you mean the lack of consistency. I think that perhaps I do cut the older writers (Victorian etc) some slack in a way (not that I'm condoning it by any means). I was shocked by the racism I encountered in Arthur Conan Doyle and Tintin. Also, as much as I do enjoy Christie books, I was disgusted by the original titles of "And Then There Were None".
I didn't know Roald Dahl was anti-semitic:(
Darren wrote: "Great review Rowena; you've definately sold it to me!"Thank you! Ooh, I'm so glad:)
message 16:
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Petra is wondering when this dawn will beome day
(last edited Jan 11, 2013 01:06PM)
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Rowena wrote: "I didn't know Roald Dahl was anti-semitic:( ..."The only country club in our area of Wales that would accept Jewish members was miles away but since it was the only one, all the Jews within about a fifty mile radius who liked country clubs belonged. It was a very posh place and a rare treat for a Sunday lunch. Roald Dahl made a loud fuss about the number of Jews surrounding him in the restaurant one lunchtime. He apparently used very unacceptable language and demanded that the club get rid of them if they wanted to have decent people (like him) as members. Anyway, he got thrown out :-) The country club didn't care who was a member if they could afford it and behaved themselves!
He didn't like blacks either and didn't rate women very highly (like Naipaul). Since my family are Jewish, Methodist, 7th Day Adventist, Hindu, Black and White and Indian, we were probably on most of his shit lists :-)
This is a very enlightening article:
@ Petra - Shocked!!!!! Oh wow. I'm going to take him off my favourite author list:( My family is a mix of ethnicities and religious beliefs too, and even if it wasn't I'd still be as disgusted as I currently am. Thanks for sharing the article.:)
Yeah, all those lovely, quirky children's books wouldn't lead you to believe that Roald Dahl was such a shit would they?
I think he also beat up his wife, if I recall correctly.
Petra X wrote: "Yeah, all those lovely, quirky children's books wouldn't lead you to believe that Roald Dahl was such a shit would they?"Tell me about it, yeesh!
Kwoomac wrote: "I think he also beat up his wife, if I recall correctly."Yes! I was completely shocked to hear that. He was loved by so many and his books made my childhood more memorable. Pity...
What a fascinating conversation - and article on Dahl. To be honest I've never liked any of his books, and the article didn't surprise me :-(
You're not surprised that he was such a terrible person, Caroline? I still am quite shocked actually. I love goodreads for situations like this: sharing what we know about books, writers etc:)
I don't know - I often felt his books were a little bit harsh....
Caroline wrote: "I don't know - I often felt his books were a little bit harsh...."I only felt that way with George's Marvelous Medicine and The Magic Finger. Then again, I was pretty young when I read his books so maybe I didn't realize a lot of things.
I feel REALLY embarrassed now, but I need to come clean. I suddenly remembered that the book that 'flavoured' Roald Dahl for me was The Collected Short Stories - which by its very nature was not sweet or charming - nor meant to be. I think I read it many years ago, and found it unattractive. (I can't remember the book now, it was that long ago, but I seem to remember an unpleasant aftertaste.)
What started off, as a somewhat off the cuff and flippant remark, may well have opened up a real can of worms here. Oh well; must be my mischievous side coming out...
@Darren -it's obvious you planned for this to happen ;)Kidding, it's been really informative!
I'm glad you loved Orlando as much as I did! The language, style and subject seem pretty unique in literature to me. Do you know of anything similar?I've also enjoyed (sort of!) reading this enlightening discussion - I'd heard unsavoury rumours about Naipaul and Dahl, now I know more of the ugliness = ( I have long thought Dahl's books were annoyingly ableist and reinforce nasty tropes like good=beautiful etc. I've really enjoyed everything I've read by Naipaul, but his attitudes are gross = (
Thanks Zanna! I wasn't sure I'd like it but I ended up loving it! I haven't come across anything similar to Orlando yet but if I do I'll let you know:)
Yeah, Naipaul and Dahl don't seem to be/have been nice human beings. Dahl in particular broke my heart. I still adore his books, pity he was such a horrible individual.
like Shakespeare, Dahl was essentially anti-authority as a writer - always am appealing quality in literature! I had great affection for his books as a child
Time to tackle another Woolf is approaching. May be this one, Rowena... Nice review!
Kalliope wrote: "Time to tackle another Woolf is approaching. May be this one, Rowena... Nice review!"Thanks, Kall! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:)
I really enjoy Virginia Woolf, but enjoyed this book the least out if everything I've read from her thus far..I enjoyed reading about the book and her relationship with Vita..etc than I did reading the actual book. It was imaginative and creative but I share the same view as her ..it's probably the greatest love letter ever but taken outside of it's historical context ..it's just alright
Hi Taf, A lot of people feel the same way you do about this book, it seems. I loved the fairytale feel myself. Which Woolf book is your fave?
Ian finding myself laughing aloud as I listen this book (getting looks while walking)--this is a smart and very funny book.
Lata wrote: "Ian finding myself laughing aloud as I listen this book (getting looks while walking)--this is a smart and very funny book."Haha, it's really a funny book! I hope you enjoy the rest of it:)
What a fantastic review. Must add to my ever growing Woolf list. I think I will create a new category too: Rowena Recommends
Kenny wrote: "What a fantastic review. Must add to my ever growing Woolf list. I think I will create a new category too: Rowena Recommends"Haha, that made me chuckle! Thank you, Kenny:))
