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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Very thought-provoking and evocative novel with a clever premise and well-crafted world. Feminist sci-fi dystopia x linguistics. So niche!
Language shapes and is shaped by society. In an oppressive society it is a tool of oppression (see Iragaray and Spivak). In this book, the author imagines a world where women create their own language to change their reality. It’s very Atwood-esque, from the themes of female subjugation to the narrative framing device, but was published a year earlier.
Like Atwood crossed with Ursula K Le Guin with added lit crit cred. Very satisfying!
Language shapes and is shaped by society. In an oppressive society it is a tool of oppression (see Iragaray and Spivak). In this book, the author imagines a world where women create their own language to change their reality. It’s very Atwood-esque, from the themes of female subjugation to the narrative framing device, but was published a year earlier.
Like Atwood crossed with Ursula K Le Guin with added lit crit cred. Very satisfying!
M'ha agrada molt. És una mica caòtic i crec que es dispersa massa en alguns personatges que no m'interessaven gaire durant la lectura, però em sembla molt interessant el món que rodeja la novel·la i la manera en la que l'autora dona protagonisme al llenguatge.
it felt like this book was written just for me. suzette haden elgin is my new favorite author
A dystopian, futuristic, feminist masterpiece. My favorite definition from this book is "lowitheláad: to feel, as if directly, another's pain/grief/surprise/joy/anger"
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An interesting concept and foundation for something bigger. Suzette said herself that she wrote to pay her tuition and I think it shows that her interest was more in the creation of a language rather than the writing of a novel. Regardless, it was a quick and enjoyable read
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Very much a Joshua pick for sci-fi book club but one of the better obscure ones he’s picked out.
This had some interesting concepts and I find the dystopian elements very realistic. Misogyny has always been prevalent in society for as long as its existed and it’s interesting but sad to see that not much has changed in society since then.
Quite frankly I found most of the book pretty boring especially because a lot of it is told through dialogue. I liked the concepts and ideas more than the plot itself.
This had some interesting concepts and I find the dystopian elements very realistic. Misogyny has always been prevalent in society for as long as its existed and it’s interesting but sad to see that not much has changed in society since then.
Quite frankly I found most of the book pretty boring especially because a lot of it is told through dialogue. I liked the concepts and ideas more than the plot itself.
The premise and the inclusion of sign language sound awesome, but I found the writing very dense and difficult to follow on audio. The narration was also quite flat and unengaging. This was part of the audible plus catalogue, so nothing lost, but I will be going for a print format if I pick up again in the future!