Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself
Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1934
Book Brief
260
Novel • Fiction
England • 1920s
1934
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
"Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself" by Radclyffe Hall follows Miss Wilhelmina Ogilvy, a woman grappling with her masculine identity in conservative early 18th century Surrey. During World War I, she finds freedom as an ambulance driver, but returning home forces her back into stifling gender norms. Seeking solace on a Devon island, she experiences a psychological breakdown, identifying with a prehistoric male past.
Contemplative
Melancholic
Inspirational
Bittersweet
Reviews & Readership
134 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Radclyffe Hall’s Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself is both praised and critiqued for its exploration of gender identity and societal norms. The narrative is lauded for its poignant and ahead-of-its-time portrayal of a woman grappling with her nonconformity. However, some find the pacing slow and the story occasionally didactic. Overall, it's considered an important, albeit contested, work in LGBTQ+ literature.
Who Should Read Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself?
A reader who enjoys feminist literature and early 20th-century LGBTQ+ narratives would appreciate Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself by Radclyffe Hall. Fans of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando or E. M. Forster’s Maurice will find Hall’s exploration of gender identity and societal norms compelling.
134 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
260
Novel • Fiction
England • 1920s
1934
Adult
18+ years
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