Virginia Woolf once asked herself: "How can one weigh and shape
dialogue till each sentence tears the shingles in the bottom of the
reader's soul?" I am not aware of her answer to this question, but
I think Woolf was quite successful, if she attempted to answer it
with her immortal classic, "Mrs. Dalloway."
At first it seems as though Mrs. Dalloway cares for nothing but her
party, but this terse book much more profound than mere ramblings
and on-goings of the upper-class English society. It is set in
1920s London, merely years after the horrible suffering of the
First World War. Everything happens in the novel in one ordinary
day - from the morning when Mrs. Dalloway goes to buy her flowers
to her evening party. We meet different characters throughout
London, we feel their feelings, try to grasp their ideas, and
wonder what was it all for? Or for that matter, what is this all
for? Why precisely are here?
But perhaps nothing stands out more than Woolf's writing; her words
dance rhythmically on every sentences and makes an unforgettable
lyrics. At first, I read eight pages, then went back again to the
first page to begin again. It was as though I wanted to consume all
these words. The reason why I withheld from giving five stars is
because it lacks dialouge; hence Woolf's otherwise beautiful prose
can be in the danger of becoming dry.
Nevertheless, very highly recommended to all the lovers of English
literature and young, aspiring writers.