I had set aside this book more than two years ago, feeling frustrated with the sluggish pace of the story and got lost in the number of characters introduced in the first few chapters. I decided to revisit The Voyage Out in early January, drawn by my current interest in modern classics. As if Woolf had picked up the momentum as she wrote on, the story started to captivate me this time. With the insightful interior monologues, Woolf allows me to delve into the inner life of each character and recognised their differences. Every time Terence and Rachel appeared on the page, I felt a spark of anticipation, sensing their relationship could develop into something more profound. Just as I became invested, the story took an unexpected turn. There are simply too many characters in The Voyage Out, which diverts focus from the central figures and leaves the narrative feeling fragmented. I had high hopes for this novel but it ultimately fell short, leaving me somewhat disappointed in its execution.