Orlando - by Virginia Woolf (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"(...) a fittingly innovative and playful take on the original."- Publishers Weekly

"I read Orlando and believed it was a hallucinogenic, interactive biography of my own life and future." - Tilda Swinton

The graphic novel adaptation of Virginia Woolf's feminist classic, which tells the story of a passionate young nobleman traveling through time in the body of a woman.

Virginia Woolf's Orlando has long stood as a dazzling landmark in feminist and queer literature. In this vivid adaptation by Susanne Kuhlendahl, Woolf's fantastical biography comes to life anew: the tale of a passionate young nobleman who defies time and convention. Orlando begins his journey in the Elizabethan court and lives for over three centuries--transitioning along the way from a man into a woman, and from a restless youth into a self-assured figure of modernity. As eras shift and empires rise and fall, Orlando remains, navigating identity, desire, and the elusive nature of love.

With a foreword by Virginia Woolf scholar Anna Snaith, King's College London

Review Quotes

"I read Orlando and believed it was a hallucinogenic, interactive biography of my own life and future." - Tilda Swinton

"This layered, complex work created in beautiful conversation with the original text will appeal to readers interested in Woolf, surreal historical fiction, or classic feminism with a fantastical twist" - Booklist

"Ultimately, Orlando is most free when toggling between genders--both how she presents and whom she loves. It's a fittingly innovative and playful take on the original."- Publishers Weekly

"Rather than replacing the original, Kuhlendahl's version is much more likely to motivate readers to take yet another turn through Woolf's masterpiece." - California Review of Books

"[Orlando is] a brilliant book that teaches you so much about identity and love--all these fundamental questions that we ask ourselves." - Emma Corrin

"This graphic novel is an entrancing read and an excellent introduction to Woolf's writing and themes. The whimsical, expressive artwork celebrates Woolf's language and Orlando's experiences" - Colleen Schneider Cameron

"Each page feels like looking at a gallery of Orlando's life. Kuhlendahl employs a painterly illustration style, which slowly changes from loose scribbles to full, brightly-colored watercolors as Orlando moves through the eras. The color palette shifts as well, with Kuhlendahl offering spreads that range from black-and-grey to single-color to multi-hued, all seemingly in accordance with Orlando's whims and moods." - The Comics Beat

"Kuhlendahl lifts phrases, gestures, moments, and lets the images carry the rest, offering something remarkable: a version of Orlando that feels both faithful and entirely its own. An invitation to see the familiar anew." - Ellen Kirkpatrick, The Break

About the Author

Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) is widely considered one of the most important modernist authors. Her works have been translated into more than fifty languages.

Susanne Kuhlendahl is a German illustrator who is passionate about telling complex and emotional stories in pictures. A graphic designer, she has illustrated textbooks, children's books, craft books and calendars. She lives in Germany.