Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Mrs. Dalloway chronicles the life of a very vibrant woman named Clarissa, throughout a single very important day, during which she is supposed to be hosting a party of her own. At first I found the novel a little challenging as it is not broken up into chapters, so some ideas seem to flow into others without breaks, causing the lines between character thoughts and certain events to be blurred. However the reader does catch on to the acclaimed Virginia Woolf's style to writing literature; she frequently changes character perspectives and locations in periodic intervals throughout her work. This is helpful in giving the reader a sense of multiple character's views about various occurrences. Though a bit hard to understand when first reading the novel, this style helps keep the novel interesting and flowing well.

Throughout her day of preparing for the party Clarissa is confronted by those from her past, including Mr. Peter Walsh. The two have not seen each other since he left for India years ago, and last Clarissa heard he was engaged and to be married to some woman he met on the ride over. She was utterly shocked by his visit and he clearly still illustrates he has feelings for the girl he has known since early childhood days. Although he tries to cover up these feelings by pretending he is "in love again" he dearly wishes Clarissa had not married Mr. Richard Dallowy in the years past. Clarissa recalls at this time the way she and Richard met, how they were a perfect pair, despite her first few incorrect introductions of him. When Clarissa is speaking with Peter Walsh her daughter unexpectedly enters the room and she introduces her little darling sweetly with a mother's admiration, yet it somehow seems to anger Peter the way she does so. The novel also follows a couple of whom the wife has become increasingly unhappy as she has had to move to Enlgand which she hasn't come to fancy and their marriage is falling apart. She uses the excuse that her fingers are too thin to wear her wedding ring, but her husband is not fooled. Mrs. Dalloway decides to invite Peter to her gala that night as he is abruptly leaving her home. Care to see how the events of the day will unfold for the multiple characters present in this novel? Will an old flame reappear or die out for good? To find out pick up a copy of the famous author's work that inspired the hours. You'll certainly end up enjoying it.