OrlandoOrlando
Score Classic
What it's about
Virginia Woolf's playful 'biography' follows Orlando, who begins as a young nobleman in the 16th century, changes sex, and ends as a woman writer in the 1920s. It's partly a tribute to Woolf's love for Vita Sackville-West.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's Woolf at her most exuberant and lighthearted.
You'll love it if you liked
Mrs. Dalloway
A Room of One's Own
The PassionGood to know
It's lighthearted, unlike most of Woolf's work.
By the numbers
- Readers31 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller29 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #376 of the 504 fantasy books we rank
- #757 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2406 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
More by Virginia Woolf
A Room of One's Own
To the LighthouseMrs. DallowayIf you like this, read next
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Master and Margarita
Beloved
Midnight's Children
The Magus
Invisible CitiesExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Orlando worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,406 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Orlando about?
Virginia Woolf's playful 'biography' follows Orlando, who begins as a young nobleman in the 16th century, changes sex, and ends as a woman writer in the 1920s. It's partly a tribute to Woolf's love for Vita Sackville-West.
How long does it take to read Orlando?
About 8 hours (333 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Orlando?
If you liked it, try Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf or The Passion by Jeanette Winterson.