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Kew Gardens (1919)

by Virginia Woolf(Favorite Author)

3.51 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0848269772 (ISBN13: 9780848269777)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Norwood Editions

review 1: This is a perfect moment of the sublime, a freeze-frame of just a few minutes of the pristine setting of Kew Gardens, London. It is simply incredible of Woolf to contain so much, so much emotion, beautiful imagery and brilliantly developed characters in so few pages. It’s one of those books that you can envisage in the back of your eyelids when you close your eyes mid-way through reading, feeling as if the vivid blue and reds of the flowers are making their beautiful impressions on your mind. The vignettes of the gardens visitors embody the members of post-war society and how each of they react to these almost ethereal flowers. While there is nothing in common with the pretentious academics and the mumbling older women, but one undeniable theme recognised throughout the ... moreshort story is no matter who you are or what values you hold, the beauty of nature is always something to stop for and admire.I believe that while vibrancy like the flowers shown here is something that is no longer accessible in suburban places where this book was initially set, nature should be something that everyone should seek to enjoy, every day of their lives.
review 2: Kew Gardens was originally published with illustrations by Vanessa Bell, Virginia Woolf's sister. I'd love to read that edition (or a reproduction, something that doesn't cost a hundred dollars). I imagine it would add another layer to this interesting slice-of-life story. Kew Gardens is very fluid, but I suppose that is just part of the Stream of Consciousness style. I think you have to be in the mood to read Stream of Consciousness/Virginia Woolf. She is not a writer you can casually pick up, I think. Her work requires a certain amount of focus.Kew Gardens feels like an escape from the city. Four different sets of people move in and out of the narration as they pass an oval flower bed in Kew Gardens. It's an observational story. The reader gets to watch these people (and the snail) and hear little snippets of their conversations. I enjoyed it and it's left me wanting to read more Woolf. Maybe next week I'll take on Solid Objects. If you want to sample Woolf, get a taste of her style, Kew Gardens is a great place to start. It's a wonderful and very short story. However, if you can't handle the style of Kew Gardens, I'd steer clear of To The Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway. For me, Kew Gardens was a reminder of how much I enjoy Woolf. less

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