Mrs. Dalloway

Mrs. Dalloway – Virginia Woolf

Evan’s ESS = 4 out of 10

Erin’s ESS =  out of 10

Content = PG-13 (Adult Concepts, Mild Violence, Weighty Themes, Window Jumping)

Why: Imagine an epic struggle between Vampire and Hobbit for control of the Southern Hemisphere, Dragons used as a luxury form of mass air transit, and Cotton Candy promoted as the new super-food.  While none of the aforementioned situations are found within the pages of Mrs. Dalloway, serious though, wouldn’t they make a great premise for a book?  We’ll make some calls...  Unfortunately, while reading Virginia Woolf’s famed novel all we could do was imagine a more interesting plot.

Going in we knew this was going to be a struggle and after only a few pages our concerns were realized – there would be no conceivable way for us to finish Mrs. Dalloway with a smile.  The novel possesses a certain charm, but we just couldn’t get into the characters or the plot.  As interesting as pre-party planning can be (don’t ask us about The Christmas Extravaganza 2008... seriously, don’t ask us.  It’s a very sore topic), Clarissa Dalloway’s activities and reflections were in a word: quite boring.  Don’t say it.

The themes addressed in this novel are admirable and quite weighty.  However, the way in which the subject matters are presented makes us wonder if addressing FAWR (Falling Asleep While Reading) wouldn’t have been a more prudent concern.  Fortunately for Mrs. Dalloway, her party isn’t a total bust and frankly, we’d have accepted an invitation.  Maybe we’re giving away something here, but we needed a little more content for this review.  There’re only so many interesting way to say, “Thanks, but no thanks.”    

Virginia’s Woolf’s, To the Lighthouse is staring longingly from our 2011 TBR pile, but our return gaze reflects heavy eyelids and a small stream of spittle on the left side of our mouth.