The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf

The first novel of a major literary figure of the twentieth century, "The Voyage Out" is a witty social satire that witnesses the maturity of the young Englishwoman Rachel Vinrace. She begins a long voyage to South America from London, on her father's ship with her unusual family. In the eclectic array of passengers with which they launch, Woolf invokes satire to address modern criticisms of Edwardian life. This physical passage also becomes a journey of self-discovery for Rachel, taking on mythical proportions as uncertain distances on a ship of light and shadow alternately reveal and obscure her suffering and love. A haunting story with the beautifully flowing language uniquely characteristic of Woolf, Rachel's tragic coming-of-age tale unfolds the spiritual growth of a young woman that spans continents.