The Voyage Out Audiobook

" Wow, did I enjoy reading this book! This is not a book I'd ever thought I'd have read, but once again it was the only English-language book available on a shelf full of French and German titles (more than one German traveler carries around the complete short stories of Kafka). Oh wait, there was also a book in English about surviving the apocalypse, but I didn't really feel like reading that while on vacation. Anyway, I expected this book to be kind of crappy since in the introduction the critic/academic or whatever went on for pages about how 'The Voyage Out' is very amateurish, how things are developed very brusquely which in later works by Woolf are developed very subtly, etc. So maybe that gave me low expectations. Or maybe I just really like Virginia Woolf. But anyway, the point is that I REALLY liked this! This was a great book to read while traveling since it is ABOUT traveling (so kudos to whoever brought it with them!). It has a cast full of funny and original characters, just the kind of people you'd expect to meet in a hotel. Much to my shock even the Dalloways show up and play a key role in the development of Rachel, the novel's heroine--however, they are decidedly very unlike the Dalloways as they appear a few books later; a lot more shallow and satirized. But it was still very fascinating to me to see that Woolf had created these characters early on only to return to them later. Anyway, I guess another reason why people consider this a 'lesser' Woolf work is that it's still very much a traditional, realist, plot-driven novel. It's interesting to read in wikipedia that in early drafts Woolf included a lot more outspoken political commentary on homosexuality, women's rights and the British Empire that she cut out on the advice that such passages would damage her still-blossoming career. I liked reading this book because it made me feel hopeful for myself, and about life in general. Woolf writes as if she's on acid in some passages: there is such scintillating, sparkling prose, like she's seeing everything in fluroscent colors, or as if she's overwhelmed by just the FEELINGS of it all, of being alive. Again and again I keep returning to the question of HOW somebody who could write like this, about the feeling of loving life, better than anybody else I have ever read--how could somebody who could write like that walk into that river? Questions without answers. "

" Although the style of writing is reminiscent of the Victorian era, the feminist voice of Virginia Wolf is loud and clear. The novel is one of her earlier works. It has a slow and steady pace with elaborate discriptions, subtle humor, and it's rich in symbolism. "

" Reminded me of Forster. Interesting to see how Woolf's writing style started and evolved! "

" One of the first books I read in my Virginia Woolf phase. "

" Largely tragic and sprawling in scope, Woolf tells the story of young Rachel who visits the South American coast on a boat voyage with her aunt Helen. Woolf's narrative is less refined in this, her first novel, but still excels at capturing the beauty and thought of instances, perceptions and moments with her flowing prose. At the best of the novel Woolf's words flow with an effortless airiness. However at the worst points the reader may find himself bogged down by excessive character names and unrefined dialogue that fails to progress the narrative. "

" Very good. I plan on reading much, much more Virginia Woolf. "

" Finally! I enjoyed Woolf's writing style but found it difficult to get into the story and was frustrated at the ending, even though I understood it from a thematic sense. "

" I loved the language and the commentary at times, but honestly the heroine was just too weak and whispy. The plot also seemed lacking to me, and it was incredibly imperialistic at times. However, Woolf's first novel is allowed to be sub par. "

" first woolf novel i ever read, and because of that it's my favorite, but really, it's an amazing coming of age story. "

" My first encounter with Virginia Woolf. It was strange, ordinary, emotional and breathtaking. She has this unique way of revealing the most intimate feelings one person can have. In "The Waves", she seems to return to this style of writing that made me fell in love with her books. :) "

" Ik ben nog bezig in de introductie en weet nu al wie wat met wie krijgt en wie er op een uitstapje doodgaat. Dat zal voor de literaire geneugten niet veel uitmaken maar ik ben er toch niet blij mee, meneer Michael Cunningham. Daar had beter gestaan: "introduction (spoiler warning)" "

" Virginia Woolf, based on this book, is a great writer but not such a great storyteller. The story lacked pace/excitement, but I still enjoyed reading the book because I like her sentence structure, word choice, etc. The book seemed exciting in the beginning but was a let down. "

" HAVE ONLY TAKEN A NAP ON DIS BOOK, BUT IT WAS A GOOD NAP, SO 5/5 STARS "

" Solid first novel, although definitely conventional. A hint at goodness to come. "

" If Woolf had written nothing else, she'd be completely forgotten today. "

" My first encounter with Virginia Woolf. What took me so long? "

" I continue to be amazed -- this is the first? How it must have stood out in its time for better or worse. "

" Please see my blog for an extended review of the book. Warning: the blog entry contains spoilers. "