Book Review : The Hours by Michael Cunningham

Hi. I’m going to write a review about a book by Michael Cunningham, which is "The Hours". I found this book while window shopping through a vintage used book shop on Instagram, and I was immediately drawn to the fact that this book won the Pulitzer Prize, known as the highest award an author can receive. I have read that there is a movie adaptation of this book, but I have never watched it since I’m not a fan of movies in the first place. The genre of this book is drama with a hint of psychological fiction.

This book tells the story of three women who live separated by decades. The first woman is Virginia Woolf, who is portrayed at the beginning of the novel in the oldest timeline, 1923. She is a novelist who published under the name Mrs. Dalloway and is currently working on her novel titled "The Hours". She struggles with depression alongside her work as a writer. Later, she persuades her husband that her depression might ease if they move to the bustling city of London, leaving the rural life of Richmond behind. There are later developments in her story that will shock you.

The second character is a woman named Laura Brown who lives in 1949. She is a young wife and mother suffering from a deep soul death and a kind of black depression, despite living in a nice house with her three-year-old son and a good husband. She feels unsatisfied with her life and believes she should have a different one. She is a bookworm who always feels out of place in her domestic life. On her husband’s birthday, she bakes a cake, leaves her son with a babysitter, and escapes to a hotel to read "Mrs. Dalloway".

The last character is Clarissa Vaughan, representing modern life in 1990. She lives in an apartment in the West neighborhood of New York with her partner Sally and Clarissa’s daughter Julia. She is a passionate and optimistic person who loves stability in her life. The main issue for this character revolves around her friend Richard, who calls her Mrs. Dalloway, prompting her to reassess her life choices while experiencing a midlife crisis. Later, she discovers that Richard has AIDS, leading her to take care of him, as he is also her former lover. This character is perhaps the most impactful; I won’t spoil more, but you will find out more if you read the book.

This book is not overly complicated, but the shifts from one character to another can be a bit confusing, especially considering they live in different timelines. Personally, I don’t enjoy this type of novel as the characters are mainly dealing with mental crises, depression, and dark themes that lack optimism. Although the characters don’t seem to have major issues in their lives, Michael Cunningham might have hidden backstories that portray each character as desperate enough. Personally, I've seen people in worse conditions who are still grateful for their lives.

Despite my negative opinion of this novel, I think it’s a great read for those who love psychological and drama novels that have deeper meanings requiring analysis. I can see the author’s intention that everyone must find the true meaning of their lives and discover their true nature. It’s a story of humanity told insightfully and sensitively.

The Hours

Goodreads Rating : 4/5

Originally published: 1998

Author: Michael Cunningham

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Phsycological Drama

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