Recently I received a free book in the mail from Penguin Publisher's "Jacob's Room" by Virginia Woolf. The only catch is that I need to write a review on my personal web page. You also do not get to choose what book they send you. (A friend received a non-fiction book about 18th century history.) So if you've gotten this far brace yourself for the re-released brief review about Virginia Woolf's book "Jacob's Room". Virgina Woolf until recently has been a void in my classic literature readings. The movie "The Hours" released a few years back intrigued me and the encouragement of Virginia Woolf-heads led me first to "The Lighthouse".
I found the story interesting but could not wrap my head around her style of writing. When Penguin sent me "Jacob's Room" I was both excited and timid about the book choice. But being a good sport I wanted to give Virginia (and Penguin) a second chance."Jacob's Room" is centered around the main character Jacob Flanders. He is the apple of his mother's eye and the quinessential English Upper Middle Class Victorian. Ms. Woolf in each chapter uses a different narrator (through her detailed description of space, smells, and time) to describe what they see and feel about Jacob. I found this choice difficult to follow.
Jacob, his mother, and housemaid were compelling narrators but beyond them the other narrators were characters I generally found myself daydreaming through their perspectives and descriptions. The continuity in the story was lost and I found myself drifting through a sea of stream of conciousness. So despite my best effort to give Ms. Woolf a second chance I still have not been converted to being a Woolf-head. Maybe three time's the charm? I will let you know after I have read Mrs. Dalloway.
I found the story interesting but could not wrap my head around her style of writing. When Penguin sent me "Jacob's Room" I was both excited and timid about the book choice. But being a good sport I wanted to give Virginia (and Penguin) a second chance."Jacob's Room" is centered around the main character Jacob Flanders. He is the apple of his mother's eye and the quinessential English Upper Middle Class Victorian. Ms. Woolf in each chapter uses a different narrator (through her detailed description of space, smells, and time) to describe what they see and feel about Jacob. I found this choice difficult to follow.
Jacob, his mother, and housemaid were compelling narrators but beyond them the other narrators were characters I generally found myself daydreaming through their perspectives and descriptions. The continuity in the story was lost and I found myself drifting through a sea of stream of conciousness. So despite my best effort to give Ms. Woolf a second chance I still have not been converted to being a Woolf-head. Maybe three time's the charm? I will let you know after I have read Mrs. Dalloway.
