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51 pages 1 hour read

To the Lighthouse

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1927

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Book Brief

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Virginia Woolf

To the Lighthouse

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1927
Book Details
Pages

209

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Isle Of Skye • 1910s

Publication Year

1927

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

In Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, the Ramsay family and their guests navigate their internal lives and relationships during their stay at a summer house on the Isle of Skye. The narrative spans a decade, divided into three parts, focusing initially on six-year-old James Ramsay's desire to visit the nearby lighthouse, which is thwarted, and culminating in a future revisitation to the house wherein Lily Briscoe completes a painting she began years earlier. The novel sensitively addresses the topics of grief and parental loss.

Contemplative

Melancholic

Bittersweet

Nostalgic

Reviews & Readership

4.0

194,943 ratings

65%

Loved it

23%

Mixed feelings

13%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf is widely praised for its lyrical prose and deep exploration of human consciousness and relationships. Critics laud Woolf's innovative narrative structure and rich character development. However, some find the stream-of-consciousness technique challenging and the plot slow-paced. Overall, it remains a significant and influential work in modernist literature.

Who should read this

Who Should Read To the Lighthouse?

Readers who enjoy To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf typically appreciate lyrical prose, introspective narratives, and psychological depth. Fans of James Joyce’s Ulysses or Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time will find Woolf’s exploration of time, memory, and existential reflection similarly compelling.

4.0

194,943 ratings

65%

Loved it

23%

Mixed feelings

13%

Not a fan

Character List

Mrs. Ramsay

A 50-year-old beauty and mother of eight, known for her nurturing nature and matchmaking skills, who is married to a metaphysical philosopher.

A 34-year-old painter who looks after her father, has a close friendship with William Bankes, and navigates deep emotional connections with other characters.

A metaphysical philosopher and father of eight, characterized by his need for sympathy and reassurance and his complex relationship with his family.

The intelligent and sarcastic eldest son with aspirations to become a mathematician.

The eldest daughter known for her beauty and admiration of her mother, with a curiosity and envy towards engagements.

One of the Ramsay children, known for her inquisitiveness and adventurous spirit, who experiences discomfort on a romantic outing with friends.

A daughter with a deep affinity for beauty, known for her emotional sensitivity and reverence for her mother.

A Ramsay child who enjoys helping his mother select jewelry and has a worrying interest in shooting birds.

The youngest Ramsay daughter, described as wild and fierce, who matures into complex adult emotions.

A six-year-old at the start, known for his strong feelings towards his parents, whose desire to visit the lighthouse frames key plot elements.

A son known for his laughter and mockery, whose reactions highlight the absurdity of situations around him.

Mr. Ramsay's acolyte from a lower middle-class background, known for his insecurities and testy demeanor.

A widowed botanist and old friend of Mr. Ramsay, known for his close friendship with Lily Briscoe and reflections on family life.

An elderly poet and failed philosopher known for napping and opium use, who later achieves success with his poetry.

Book Details
Pages

209

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Isle Of Skye • 1910s

Publication Year

1927

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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