Literary
The Hours
Three women in three eras share a single day linked to Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway: Woolf herself, a 1950s housewife and a present-day New Yorker planning a party. Their stories begin to echo one another.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1998
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 244
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you like quiet, beautifully made novels that spend a lot of time inside characters' thoughts.
Skip this if you want much plot, or you are looking for an upbeat read.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about The Hours
- What is The Hours about?
- Three women in three eras share a single day linked to Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway: Woolf herself, a 1950s housewife and a present-day New Yorker planning a party. Their stories begin to echo one another.
- Who should read The Hours?
- Read it if you like quiet, beautifully made novels that spend a lot of time inside characters' thoughts. Skip it if you want much plot, or you are looking for an upbeat read.
- How long and how fast is The Hours?
- It is a slow-paced, short read of about 244 pages, first published in 1998.
- Does The Hours have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Suicide, Mental illness, Death.
- Can I borrow The Hours for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Hours; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after The Hours?
- Readers who liked it often move on to Mrs Dalloway, A Little Life, Olive Kitteridge.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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Because you might love it
If you loved The Hours
-
Mrs Dalloway
The book it was written in response to; reading it first adds a great deal.
-
A Little Life Another American novel about friendship and the weight of private pain, far longer and harsher.
-
Olive Kitteridge
Another elegant study of ordinary lives, grief and loneliness in plain, compelling prose.
Literary
