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abbyeck's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Confinement
Moderate: Death
Minor: Suicide
deedireads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
I’m really glad I read The Left Hand of Darkness. It wasn’t as accessible as I’d (naively) assumed it would be, but it was certainly thought-provoking and resonant.
For you if: You want to read foundational works of SFF (especially by women) and like books that are or read like “classics.”
FULL REVIEW:
TL;DR REVIEW:
I’m really glad I read The Left Hand of Darkness. It wasn’t as accessible as I’d (naively) assumed it would be, but it was certainly thought-provoking and resonant.
For you if: You want to read foundational works of SFF (especially by women) and like books that are or read like “classics.”
FULL REVIEW:
“Light is the left hand of darkness
and darkness the right hand of light.”
I’ve been meaning to dive deeper into Ursula Le Guin for years now, but I’d only ever read A Wizard of Earthsea (which I loved). And now I’ve finally, *finally* read The Left Hand of Darkness. Those two together are probably the two most famous of her 40ish books, and TLHOD, published in 1969, was one of the first books considered “feminist” sci-fi and is known as THE classic sci-fi novel that explored androgyny and nonbinary characters. It’s a standalone story, but also the fourth book set in her Hainish Cycle universe.
The story is about a man named Ai, who has come to the planet of Gethen as an envoy to try to get them to join a loose non-political association of worlds that facilitates shared knowledge and culture. On Gethen, people have no fixed gender or sex; they’re non-sexual for most of the month, and then enter “kemmer,” assuming either male or female body parts and pairing up until their period of kemmer ends. (Hence one of the book’s most famous lines, “The king was pregnant.”) The book explores themes of duality, gender roles and what the absence of them might look like, the necessity of differences, and the challenges of cultural misunderstandings.
While I liked this book and am really glad I read it, I think because I read Earthsea (which was written for a younger audience) first, I had expected it to be a bit more accessible. It very much reads like a classic, and so I found it helpful to read through a sparknotes-style summary and interpretation after each chapter, just to make sure I grasped the subtext and didn’t miss anything famously important.
That said, there’s no doubt that I’ll think about this book throughout the rest of my life. She raises so many good questions about the possibilities outside our own assumptions, especially as it relates to gender roles. I’m looking forward to reading the other Hainish Cycle novels and beyond.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Misogyny
Moderate: Death and Grief
Minor: Incest and Suicide
pastelkerstin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book took a while to get interesting, but once it did, I found it hard to put down.
At its core there are some pretty good radical ideas in here about favouring community over patriotism. Genly speaks of a world based on cooperation and without law enforcement out among the stars. What a vision.
Gender and sex is also obviously a big topic in this book. I think it shows the arbitrariness of gender roles well, even though Genly and the other Envoys struggle with understanding this, as they come from a binarist society. Genly often makes sexist comments about manly or womanly qualities he sees in the Gethenians, people who are neither men nor women (or who are both, depending how you want to see it). But I don't think that means that the reader is supposed to agree with Genly. Seeing whatever a main character says as correct is a misguided way of reading fiction, in my opinion.
That's also why when Genly's interior monologue says that sexual desire/attraction is people's driving force (a very Freudian idea) and a requirement for being human, and therefore the Gethenians with their sexual cycle seem strange and inhuman to him, I think we're not supposed to think he's right. After all,Genly learns to see Therem fully, as not fitting into Genly's ideas of sexuality and gender, but as a full human being, despite these differences. There is the implication here that asexuality either doesn't exist on the other planets or that Genly isn't aware of it. So I would put an aphobia warning on this just in case, because reading "no sexual attraction = inhuman" stings even if you know that Genly struggles to see past his own experience of the world.
I think Genly and Therem's relationship is the most interesting part of this book. And it feels very queer to me, even thoughthey are never officially together and Gethen doesn't seem to have a concept of queerness (unlike Genly's homeworld).
Overall, I liked this book, even though it has some elements that are a bit squicky or hard to read for me, like the way incest is tolerated on Gethen under certain circumstances and how this is part of one the main characters' backstories, or the aforementioned sexism and (almost certainly unintentional) asexual erasure from Genly.
At its core there are some pretty good radical ideas in here about favouring community over patriotism. Genly speaks of a world based on cooperation and without law enforcement out among the stars. What a vision.
Gender and sex is also obviously a big topic in this book. I think it shows the arbitrariness of gender roles well, even though Genly and the other Envoys struggle with understanding this, as they come from a binarist society. Genly often makes sexist comments about manly or womanly qualities he sees in the Gethenians, people who are neither men nor women (or who are both, depending how you want to see it). But I don't think that means that the reader is supposed to agree with Genly. Seeing whatever a main character says as correct is a misguided way of reading fiction, in my opinion.
That's also why when Genly's interior monologue says that sexual desire/attraction is people's driving force (a very Freudian idea) and a requirement for being human, and therefore the Gethenians with their sexual cycle seem strange and inhuman to him, I think we're not supposed to think he's right. After all,
I think Genly and Therem's relationship is the most interesting part of this book. And it feels very queer to me, even though
Overall, I liked this book, even though it has some elements that are a bit squicky or hard to read for me, like the way incest is tolerated on Gethen under certain circumstances and how this is part of one the main characters' backstories, or the aforementioned sexism and (almost certainly unintentional) asexual erasure from Genly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Violence, Vomit, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Body shaming, Child death, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Minor: Infertility, Suicide, Ableism, and Homophobia
shonarpakhi's review against another edition
- 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
perhaps it is because i chose to read the left hand of darkness at the wrong time, or perhaps because i did not do it the courtesy of reading with generous time -- i sped through this book in three sittings, over three days -- i did not find it as groundbreaking as i was led to expect. partly there is the fact that i am reviewing it in 2022, whereas it was published for the 70s when it would have been much more subversive. there's no denying the mastery of le guin's writing, which i respect immensely -- it's clean, smooth, perfectly balanced and perfectly judicious in its use of various literary modes and devices, its distinguishment of character voices, the hybridity of its form -- and yet i found myself a little impatient with the rhythm of its expression. something about it didn't resonate with how i like to be led through sentences and paragraphs when i read. it might be a function of the language of the time, a feature of le guin's own style, which despite its beauty and precision refuses to be pinned down and laid flat. larger than life, it demands attention and dedication. so again, it might be a flaw with how i went about reading in the first place.
i also had some trouble with understanding the novel's use of incest as a narrative device. it wasn't so much the content that troubled me as to its purpose. i've done a little extra skimming on the theme but it's yet to sate my curiosity. perhaps the reveal of sorve as estraven's child of the flesh is supposed to allude to their (estraven's) femininity, an aspect of estraven which genly has largely suppressed his awareness of in order to build the bridge of their friendship, and yet one which he must reconcile himself with in order to reckon with the gethenians in their full non-binary humanity. perhaps incest is an allegory for the political narrative of a contact and communion between two different worlds/cultures -- as the figure of genly comes to merge with and then rewrite that of arek, so a lasting bond of love can only be founded on true difference (cf. le guin's introduction), and not on sameness? or perhaps incest does not serve any symbolic purpose at all but, as le guin has noted in an interview, acts as a universal taboo, a suitable device to establish estraven's criminality -- a crime so generally stigmatised that readers (presumably?) are assumed to sympathise with estraven's punishment, and it is estraven's character that is complicated and elevated, some may say redeemed, by his loyalty to the gethenians as peoples despite living a life terminally in exile.
in any case i am sure i will benefit from rereading this when i am more at leisure. this is an excellent book to read as a writer, i.e. to read with special attention to literary craft, form and function, the polishing of narration. it's a book that i think would be better enjoyed in relaxation, non-linearity -- meandering, ambling back and forth -- and with the aid of a pencil.
i also had some trouble with understanding the novel's use of incest as a narrative device. it wasn't so much the content that troubled me as to its purpose. i've done a little extra skimming on the theme but it's yet to sate my curiosity. perhaps the reveal of sorve as estraven's child of the flesh is supposed to allude to their (estraven's) femininity, an aspect of estraven which genly has largely suppressed his awareness of in order to build the bridge of their friendship, and yet one which he must reconcile himself with in order to reckon with the gethenians in their full non-binary humanity. perhaps incest is an allegory for the political narrative of a contact and communion between two different worlds/cultures -- as the figure of genly comes to merge with and then rewrite that of arek, so a lasting bond of love can only be founded on true difference (cf. le guin's introduction), and not on sameness? or perhaps incest does not serve any symbolic purpose at all but, as le guin has noted in an interview, acts as a universal taboo, a suitable device to establish estraven's criminality -- a crime so generally stigmatised that readers (presumably?) are assumed to sympathise with estraven's punishment, and it is estraven's character that is complicated and elevated, some may say redeemed, by his loyalty to the gethenians as peoples despite living a life terminally in exile.
in any case i am sure i will benefit from rereading this when i am more at leisure. this is an excellent book to read as a writer, i.e. to read with special attention to literary craft, form and function, the polishing of narration. it's a book that i think would be better enjoyed in relaxation, non-linearity -- meandering, ambling back and forth -- and with the aid of a pencil.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Confinement, Death, and Incest
laurareads87's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A classic, and one of few books I'll re-read. The Left Hand of Darkness is brilliant, and it brings me joy every time. What this book does so well, I think, is ask questions: what happens when something fundamental that we've mostly taken for granted our entire lives is all of a sudden exposed as being totally contingent, as something that could be otherwise? How can one reorient oneself? It is also, at its heart, a book about connection across difference, the erosion of preconceptions, learning to see the world differently and, in the process, emerging changed. As always, Le Guin's writing is beautiful, every line deliberate.
Le Guin, in her wonderful introduction, points out that the book is a thought experiment, not a blueprint; as such, it does not leave the reader with easy answers or a straightforward idea of how things should be. Rather, it is much more demanding than that.
Le Guin, in her wonderful introduction, points out that the book is a thought experiment, not a blueprint; as such, it does not leave the reader with easy answers or a straightforward idea of how things should be. Rather, it is much more demanding than that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Confinement, and Death
Minor: Gun violence
troisha's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Death
Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Pregnancy, and Suicide
swampmonster's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A story very focused on political intrigue, the concept of home and humanity, and, most of all, nationalism and it's impacts. Not my favorite on a personal level, but well-done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Pregnancy
readerette's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm glad I read the afterword in this book, as it called to my attention the benefit of some of the things I disliked, such as the main human character using "he" as a neutral pronoun and seemingly finding every opportunity to disrespect "feminine" characteristics in a gender-neutral world. Turns out that Le Guin later regretted using "he" as gender-neutral, and that on inspection, the main character is not as progressive as he likes to think he is, with his gender bias proving that out.
What I enjoyed regardless was the poetic definition of this new world so different from ours and so much the same. I also liked the relationship between Genly and Therem, which was appropriately complex and believable. Some parts were too slow or detailed for my taste so I did some skimming, but it was still wonderful world-building and sociological exploration.
What I enjoyed regardless was the poetic definition of this new world so different from ours and so much the same. I also liked the relationship between Genly and Therem, which was appropriately complex and believable. Some parts were too slow or detailed for my taste so I did some skimming, but it was still wonderful world-building and sociological exploration.
Content Warnings
Minor: Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Incest, Sexism, and Violence
kpharoah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Drug use
rini's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Death