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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Barely any
Suicide is central — Woolf's drowning and a character's jump from a building
Language
Barely any
Some mild language
Sexual Content
Some
A same-sex kiss; adult relationships depicted
Substance Use
None
No significant substance use
Emotional Intensity
Very heavy
An intensely psychological exploration of suicidal ideation, depression, and the struggle to find reasons to continue living
What this book is about
Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize winner weaves together three days: Virginia Woolf composing Mrs. Dalloway in 1923, a Los Angeles housewife reading it in 1951, and a New York editor preparing a party in 2001. All three women orbit questions of life, death, and the decision to stay or go. A novel about the pressure of existence on those who feel it most acutely.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Suicide depicted prominently — a drowning and a jump from a building
Depression and suicidal ideation as central themes
A man dying of AIDS
Reader Verification
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