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The Waves

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"The Waves" by Virginia Woolf is a poetic and experimental novel that follows the lives of six friends from childhood to old age. The book explores the interiority of the characters, their perceptions of reality, themselves, and others. Woolf's writing style is described as poetry in prose, with no rules, punctuation, or paragraphs, portraying pure sensations, disarrayed and irrational thoughts, and an explosion of feelings. The characters' journeys are depicted as complex and emotional, reflecting on themes of innocence, disappointment, regret, and the transient nature of beauty and life itself.

Characters:

The characters are intricately portrayed individuals whose inner lives and shared connections drive the narrative, each grappling with personal struggles.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by poetic prose and experimental structure, focusing on the characters' interior monologues.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative centers around six characters and their reflections on life as they navigate personal growth, relationships, and the impact of their friend Percival's absence.

Setting:

The setting, predominantly along the English coast, enhances the themes of time and change, reflecting the characters' inner lives.

Pacing:

The pacing is reflective and deliberate, focusing on introspective moments rather than action, creating a dreamlike reading experience.
The sun had not yet risen. The sea was indistinguishable from the sky, except that the sea was slightly creased as if a cloth had wrinkles in it. Gradually as the sky whitened a dark line lay on the h...

Notes:

The Waves is considered one of Virginia Woolf's most experimental novels.
It is structured around six characters: Bernard, Susan, Rhoda, Neville, Jinny, and Louis.
The narrative primarily consists of soliloquies or interior monologues rather than traditional dialogue.
There is no central plot; instead, the story follows the characters from childhood to old age.
Percival, a seventh character, never speaks but is central to the characters' lives and memories.
The novel has lyrical prose, often described as poetic, reflecting deep human emotions and experiences.
Interludes describe the natural world, particularly the sea, symbolizing the passage of time and human experience.
The book explores themes of identity, friendship, love, loss, and the nature of consciousness.
Woolf’s writing style in The Waves has made it a challenging read for many, requiring patience and concentration.
The Waves emphasizes the connection between individual experiences and the shared human condition.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of suicide, mental health struggles, grief, and existential despair.

From The Publisher:

Through a series of connected monologues, The Waves tells the story of six very different friends - Bernard, Louis, Neville, Jinny, Susan and Rhoda - as they progress from childhood to middle age. Interspersed with evocative descriptions of the seaside at different times of day, the poignant personal histories coalesce into a poetic tapestry of human experience.

A commercial and critical success when it was first published in 1931, and now considered by some to be Virginia Woolf's most ambitious novel, showcasing her Modernist narrative techniques at their finest, The Waves casts a visionary and lyrical light on everyday life.

Ratings (9)

Incredible (4)
Loved It (1)
Liked It (2)
Did Not Like (2)

Reader Stats (32):

Read It (9)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (18)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (3)

2 comment(s)

Incredible
1 week

Been wanting to read The Waves by Virginia Woolf for sometime now but wanted to wait for the perfect moment as I was so sure I would love it. And of course I did! Virginia Woolf was one of the most talented writers out there and this novel flows almost like a song, it's so poetic, yet it's has depth. It's a novel you need to dedicate some time to but it's worth it in the end. I starting to run low on unread works by her and that makes me sad, but luckily I'm not completely done yet. This was a great book to finish my Goodreads challenge this year!

 
Did Not Like
6 months

I really want to love Virginia Woolf. But I don't. Her writing is exhausting and I just don't get it.

 

About the Author:

VIRGINIA WOOLF (1882-1941) was one of the major literary figures of the twentieth century. An admired literary critic, she authored many essays, letters, journals, and short stories in addition to her groundbreaking novels, including Mrs. Dalloway, To The Lighthouse, and Orlando.

 
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