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Summary: Decipher the cryptic 20's narrative to find the substance
Review: I struggled passed the cryptic, abstract narrative to really get to know the characters. I wanted to know their thoughts and feelings and kept hoping that at some point in time a full, rich character development would become clear to me. Although some under-the-surface insights into their psyches were excellent, they were no more earth-shattering than other 20th century literature that I have read. These solid character-defining excerpts that I enjoyed so much were also few and far between, and I felt annoyed that I had to wade through the "filler" to get to the real thing. Even with these excellently written insights, I still never had a powerful image in my mind about the characters, and I did not empathize with any of them. It was a very detached experience.In order to appreciate the book more for what it was I tried to take into consideration the timing of the book. Today our society is very self aware and we are able to articulate what we are thinking and feeling so much more than we did in the 20's. This book was written before Freud and Oprah were household names, and before we had access to TV and other forms of mass media. Perhaps the lack of clarity of the characters was symptomatic of the lack of self-understanding that people (or Virginia Woolf) experienced at that time. I am sure if I read it again and did not filter it through my late 20th century perspective on life, I would find it to be the masterpiece that it is revered to be. But I will not read it again - I would much rather read another book that grabs me the first time. Overall I am happy that I read it simply to have experienced a novel by Virginia Woolf and check off another book from the New York Times 100 best books of the 20th Century.
Rating: 
Summary: Stunning
Review: Do FOUR things this summer and I guarantee your happiness. Read TO THE LIGHTHOUSE. Read "The Triumph and the Glory". Get some sun. Ignore politics. Virginia Wolfe is the most under-rated writer who ever drew a breath. What talent!
Rating:
Summary: One Long Interior Monologue Delivered By Milquetoast
Review: Woolf has a canny ability to explore the secret hidden motives and interior monologues of all her characters, but in this book she chooses some pretty unnoteworthy subjects. I'm not sorry that I read this book, but I really wouldn't recommend it. Though it does have its share of beautiful and insightful passages, mostly it just rambles.
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Summary: A confusing tale of a lifetime obsession with a lighthouse.
Review: Both my sister and I have had the pleasure of trying to study Virginia Woolf's 'To the Lighthouse', at A-level...without much success! We were informed that the book will become easier to grasp with age...we are still waiting.
Rating:
Summary: More complex than you might realize
Review: Woolf's TTL is her most often read novel, but this in itself does not make it great. TTL has several layers of understanding which may not be apparent to those who don't know Woolf. Woolf prefers texture to plot/structure. The book occurs in three parts, two days separated by a 20-page interlude representing 10 years of separation. There is a biographical layer, as Woolf includes elements of her early life. There is a layer dealing with changes in art (thus literature) spanning pre-WW1 to post-WW1. Lily searches for balance. James wants his father's approval. Mrs. Ramsay is an artist of community. Mr. Ramsay worries about his legacy. And there's more. Events unfold in Woolf's interior monologue style. The novel is best appreciated in multiple readings, since Woolf's style often causes beginners or first-time readers to misinterpret her reliance upon other things than plot. An excellent work.
Rating: 
Summary: A slow moving but captivating book.
Review: After reading many of the other reviews, I am dismayed. I took to heart comments like "typical American action movie goers" disliking this book. I strongly disagree with this statement. I am 16 years old so some might say, I could find nothing of interest in this book, and I may not be as learned as the older audience reading it, but I would like to say that I have taken as much from it as any other. It doesn't have an exciting, action packed plot as much of the movies I watch do, but I thought that it's insight into male and female perspective was outstanding. Some parts of this book were slightly tiresome to read, but Virginia Woolf makes you think about life in ways that you haven't before. Although some books that I have read make you rush to finish to find out the exciting ending, Virginia Woolf encourages you to think about experiences, and beauty while reading. Many times I put this book down to contemplate ideas she was trying to portray. I would definetely recommend this book even to "typical American action movie goers".
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Summary: The most overrated novel of all time? Yes
Review: First of all, I understand the psychology of the book and that it attempted something quite different from the conventional novel of its day (or the conventional novel of any day, for that matter). However, who could honestly say that there is something going on here that wasn't done much better by writers such as Joyce or Faulkner -- who also, by the way, generally had the courtesy and ability to include characters worthy of your attention, and a plot worth following. "To the Light-house" comes off as a college-lit writing exercise by a very precocious and observant writer, but one that ultimately lacks some very important abilities necessary to create top-shelf fiction.
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Summary: A book to separate readers from page-turners.
Review: It is depressing to realise that the work of the twentieth century novelists has not filtered through to the reading practices of the modern public. I use the term novelists in its true form, not in the way it is bandied about to every pulp writer today who picks up a pen gives the public "what it wants" and is handed a six or more figure check in return. The Bloomsbury group was motivated to redefine writing by a despair over the reduction of writing to the production of an easily digested plot. Does this in the age of the blockbuster sound familiar? In case this sounds like the disgruntled ramblings of an old has been I must reveal that it is instead the bitter attack of a 22 year old. My only advice is for people who believe reading is an experience, rather than the chance to churn through the equivalent of pastoral gossip, you must read To the Lighthouse. For those "readers" out there who did and disdained then I suggest a magazine or current bestseller may be to your tastes. Otherwise there is always the television for those who cannot take the time to breathe.
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Summary: I FIND NO REASON TO REVIEW SOMETHING SO WELL EXPLAINED
Review: and understood over time EXCEPT that people living right now evidentally feel "superior" to their forbears who "broke" with custom (in the way Virginia did in "To the Lighthouse") to enable the types of experimentation with "thought" and "stream of consciousness" to be furthered, expanded, invented and BY NOW to be well known as a "genre." Internet writing IS by virtue of it's "nature" necessarily AT TIMES "stream of consciousness" in the chatrooms, at certain online venues. No Virginia Woolf does not interact back. For AOL users, her "ims" are blocked. She's dead, and you couldn't just start talking to Judith Krantz, John Grisham or whoever you wanted to talk with today anyway. One does not pick up "To the Lighthouse" to read contemporary american fiction of the late twentieth century. The "espoused formula" of many readers was precisely what Virginia Woolf flouted. The misunderstanding of this woman's book by so many readers (many, American males) is a sad testimony to the state of "true literacy" and our "cultural legacy" in the United States. "To The Lighthouse" will also stand as a historical marker. Perhaps it will help the ill comprehending "boring brigade" to know that there ARE no more "lighthouse keepers." The last "manpowered" Lighthouse in GreatBritain was evacuated and automated in the most recent of months (sometime around Christmas I believe of 1998 or the beginning of 1999). This woman has made history now, more than once. How could people NOT be interested in how other people think, in slowing down the pace, in the quiet rhythm of different places and times. I am at a loss as to how so many persons misconstrued and misunderstood a great author like VW in a great book like "TTHLH" while greedily gorging on necrophilia by persons like Poppy Z. Brite. Nato is still bombing Kosovo. Ms. Woolf committed suicide during WW2. I understand the readers that feel FULFILLED by this amazing book. It is disheartening to know that there are people out there, with strange ideas of "literature" and well...that as to the group of persons with their negative opinions of "To The Lighthouse" I guess it's too bad I cannot understand you. You say tomatoe and I say tomahto but you know... To The Lighthouse is still a "Stellar" and an important book and will remain so as long as the "pundits of taste" and the "Canon" mandates. I can tell you that will be as long as this globe spins. Read the book for yourself. I would only use capitals as some reader did...to stop someone from hurting themselves. A little culture never hurt anyone. Perhaps, the best one could hope to be by cultural illiteracy is (arching and eyebrow) amused.
Rating:
Summary: One of the absolute best books I have ever read
Review: This book is not for everyone! Last month our bookclub read "The Divine Secrets of the YA YA Sisterhood" which I thought was just drivel but is an absolute hit with the public. Fortunately our selection this month was "To the Lighthouse". This is the anti "YA YA" book. It is very spiritual and existential. The symbolism is beautiful. I will never think of lighthouses the same again. I am just sorry that I waited until I was 40 years old to read this book. At least I found it! I will read it over and over. True there is no real plot, but Virginia Woolf is a genuis in her commentary on life. The whole novel is told from the inside out. Everything is told from someone's thoughts. I could not put the book down and was struck with a sense of Awe the entire time. To me this is a true work of art. I also admire her treatment of the theme of masculine and feminine in our society. It is a sad commentary on our society that there are over 300 comments under the book about the Ya Ya's and just a couple of comments on "To the Lighthouse".
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