The Mysterious Case of Miss V., by: Virginia Woolf

I dove back into The Complete Shorter Fiction of Virginia Woolf This week. I found the fantastic, somewhat chilling story, The Mysterious Case of Miss V. While the story was interesting, well-written and enjoyable, I couldn’t help but apply what I knew of Woolf’s life to its text. My first reaction was that Virginia Woolf was writing what was going on in her mind. The main character is nameless, but it’s not really about her. It’s about Miss V (V for Virginia?). Miss V. is actually two people, Mary V. (elder sister) and Janet V, but they are treated as one. Woolf stresses the difference between country life and city life. In the city you can be forgotten so easily. If you do not make your presence known, you become part of the background. The narrator often calls Miss V. a shadow.

If you’re a fan of Virginia Woolf and interested in her life, this story should definitely be read. If you like somewhat creepy, thoughtful short stories, The Mysterious Case of Miss V. is for you too.

Happy Short Story Monday! Thanks to John Mutford for hosting.