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sophie_larisa's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
blythebeary's review
4.0
I would rate the entire trilogy a 5/5 stars, but wanted to be clear that the first book was my favorite. What I liked about the trilogy as a whole was its unique presentation of the scale and scope of change, and from a distinctly female gaze and perspective. So often strong women are just masculine females, probably who have been raped. This is nothing like that, nor does it even approach that narrative style. Only a few women are so important that they are consistently named, but mostly it's about making slow, meandering change over generations, with the satisfaction of results only going to the reader who can actually see it. The scale and scope are illustrated in the myriad of vignettes of Terran men and women throughout Terra and the galaxy over a lengthy timeline, with only a few connecting into anything like a story. The third book took me by surprise by straying from the linguistic element and becoming even more broad in the timeline, but it also was the most firm in its indictment of human violence. But certainly the lesson was clear: The problem is fundamental and the change will be incremental. But it is absolutely worth it.
cetian's review
4.0
This is the most generous and ambitious book of the trilogy. A happy surprise that comes and gives meaning to the series. The premise seems to be taken to its extreme, in a utopian fashion. While reading it, it felt at times strange and unconvincing. but it was defenitely worth reading.
The thought-experiment underlying the series was really interesting, maybe even unique. Since it was meant to be wider that the scope of fiction. Elgin set out to launch "Láadan", her constructed language potentially better suited to express women's perceptions, into the world, the real world.
It is an inspiring case where the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis and feminism meet, using fiction as a weapon of reality, not an adversary.
The thought-experiment underlying the series was really interesting, maybe even unique. Since it was meant to be wider that the scope of fiction. Elgin set out to launch "Láadan", her constructed language potentially better suited to express women's perceptions, into the world, the real world.
It is an inspiring case where the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis and feminism meet, using fiction as a weapon of reality, not an adversary.
jfrederich's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
mad_taylh's review
4.0
"'I came here to talk to you. I'm just not sure exactly how to start.'
'Try the simplest method,' he said. 'The ancient one. Where you begin at the beginning, go on till you're through- within the boundaries of reason- and then stop.'"
'Try the simplest method,' he said. 'The ancient one. Where you begin at the beginning, go on till you're through- within the boundaries of reason- and then stop.'"
sharonrhh's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
sammiseah's review against another edition
challenging
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
wakenda's review against another edition
3.0
I loved Native Tongue, the first book in this trilogy, but the second two books weren't nearly as strong. This one is centered around a really interesting idea, focused on music instead of language, but the time span of the book is so long (literally hundreds of years) that it's just centered on the idea without any real characters with arcs. I was also disappointed that the preface was an explanation of how the story got told, from outside the world of the story, where the prefaces of the first two books were from within the universe of the story. Ultimately, I don't regret having read the second two, but I'd recommend that others read the first book and stop there.