A Few "Hours" in the Lives of Three Women

(#2) Read 25 books

1. Room by Emma Donohue
2. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
4. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
5. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
6. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
7. A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
8. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
9. The Shack by William Young
10.The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
11. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
12. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
13. Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
14. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
15. Wicked by Gregory Maguire
16. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
17. Bossypants by Tina Fey
18. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
19. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
20. Watership Down by Richard Adams
21. The Alchemist by Paul Coelho
22. The Hours by Michael Cunningham

I have two problems with this novel: the extent to which Michael Cunningham, a man, can convincingly get inside women's heads; and the extent to which I as a sane and functioning human being can relate to the plights of these three tragically unraveling women.

Otherwise this book was fabulous.


The Hours follows the stories of three women living in different but also parallel times- Virginia Woolf in 1923 England, Laura Brown in 1949 Los Angeles, and Clarissa Vaughn (nicknamed "Mrs. Dalloway") in New York at an unspecified time in the late 20th century. Virginia Woolf, as you may know, struggles with depression, and the first few pages of the book detail her suicide before backtracking to her life leading up to it. Laura is a mother pregnant with her second child, stealing time to herself to read Mrs. Dalloway. Clarissa, much like her namesake, is planning a party, this time for her friend Richard who has won a writing award.

The tie between them is of course Woolf herself- Clarissa's nickname and Laura's passion for reading. The three women are also alike in the way that they internalize their emotions and in their struggles to define themselves as women in a male world (ironic again that a male is the author here). Virginia is a creative genius whose work is the only thing keeping her anchored to reality. Laura feels she is only pretending to be the perfect wife and mother. Clarissa is a lesbian in a long-term partnership but still in love with her gay, male best friend. The stories are told in alternating chapters, transcending the time that separates them.


The ending is worth it. Cunningham managed to surprise me with a twist that brings sudden clarity to the connection between the three stories. I hope my saying that there is a twist does not ruin the twist for you.

I will give one caveat before recommending this book- the writing style is very reminiscent of Woolf herself, and therefore not for everyone. The stories of the three characters take place across one or two days, and are filled with the mundane moments that make up our lives. "The hours" that become years suddenly make us wonder where all the time has gotten to. Most of the novel is internal dialogue of the characters realizing a similar point themselves.  Little action takes place, and there is a total discard for predictable chronology. It is also helpful to your enjoyment of the book if you have read Mrs. Dalloway.

I am very excited to see the movie. Maybe that route would be more accessible for the reader who's afraid of Virginia Woolf.

(See what I did there? If not, probably don't read this book.)