Orlando


(4.6 stars; 104 reviews)

A fictional biography following the adventures of Orlando: initially a gentleman, later a lady — always a poet — who romps through British history, living an unusually long and full life…. (summary by Cori)


This book is part of the Legamus collection. It is public domain in the European Union, where it is hosted on Legamus' servers. It may not be legally accessed in the United States.

Reviews

Well read, if encrypted, novel


(3 stars)

I find myself struggling what to say about Orlando. Firstly, the reading and sound quality is excellent. I was really into this book in the first 'half', it was poetically written and contained diverse characters and adventures. However I foundmyself getting rather lost and confused in the latter half - the language became increasingly 'fluffy' and (I'm assuming) metaphorical, and the storyline meandering and increasingly difficult to follow. It's rare that I struggle to understand a novel, however this was my first Woolf and I expect I'll be back to try her other works soon, as this did contain some promising and intriguing content.

beautifully read


(5 stars)

Read by the best reader I've come across so far. Surely the gentleness and intonation of her voice adds an extra dimension to this 'biography'. Thank you! About the book itself: It is not easy to grasp the story, and I imagine Orlando might be better suited for listeners who are already familiar with the works of Woolf (which I was not when starting out with this book). Nevertheless I enjoyed listening and I feel enriched having finished this 'poetic epic' (as Adam puts it below).


(4.5 stars)

The reader’s expressions and volume changes made it easier to follow the plot and differentiate between important and filler scenes. The book itself was very very rich and a bit hard to follow, especially in an audio format. Nevertheless it’s truly a masterpiece worth reading. A revolutionary concept for its time. Moreover, this work shows the rich vocabulary and intense point of view of Virginia. She saw everything in a different light. Beautiful.

wow


(5 stars)

This is a work of genius. It's amorphous and many faceted, bringing the view of ages. It's a beautiful poetic epic. I've already recommended it to a few friends and I recommend it to you too! Well read. Thanks!


(5 stars)

For everyone saying they like the reader- I’m not totally sure but I believe this reader also does a version of Gullivers Travels. Such a lovely relaxing voice to listen to! As for the story itself, Woolf writes beautifully but with a complexity that can be a little difficult to follow in an audio format. Still I enjoyed this very much. She really is a creative genius.


(5 stars)

Virginia Woolf’s Orlando read perfectly and exquisitely. The prose is gorgeous as it is in all of her books, but the fantasy, fairy tale aspect makes it even more poetic and enchanting.


(5 stars)

Arguably the most brilliant biography of a fiction writer, or imaginative reader, written to date. A masterful reading. I can't imagine better!

beautifully read


(5 stars)

This was a great reading of the book. Really helped me get through the denser parts of the novel