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acemummerz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Torture, Deportation, Death, Gun violence, and Physical abuse
Minor: Violence, Torture, Child death, Pregnancy, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, War, Suicide, Excrement, Medical trauma, and Incest
brassmonkey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Incest
Moderate: Grief and Violence
Minor: Homophobia and Misogyny
sunn_bleach'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
4.25
Graphic: Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Death
Moderate: Incest, Violence, and Gun violence
Minor: Child death, War, Pregnancy, and Sexism
jdohman's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.5
Minor: Torture and Death
luis_vieira's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Slavery and Death
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Suicide, Torture, and Xenophobia
Minor: Pregnancy and Incest
_david_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The book successfully presents multiple perspectives, with the main character questioning his own ideas and cultural norms after engaging with Winter's people. What stands out is how Winter and its countries aren't portrayed as utopias nor lesser places than earth. They're not good or bad, just different, with their own moral grey areas. Even the two countries that are shown in the book have big cultural differences. Eventhough gender is a significant theme and the first thing you'll likely learn when looking up the book, the core focus revolves around learning to respect and collaborate with another culture. The way gender is represented in the book is in a world that shows the what-if scenario of a society where gender (or sexuality) has no impact on people's role in it.
The only aspect I wish were different is that 'neutral' pronouns and other terms are male to the reader. Perhaps it highlights the flaws of the main character and his default way of thinking. But I still found it odd.
Graphic: Deportation, Police brutality, Confinement, Grief, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Incest, Suicide, and Animal death
Minor: Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Cursing, Incest, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexism
paloverdepages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Death, and Misogyny
Minor: Animal death, Suicide, and Incest
renicula's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death and Xenophobia
Moderate: Transphobia, Sexism, and Violence
ericadawson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed the worldbuilding surrounding the Gethenians' physiology, though I felt some of the analysis lacking and, to my consternation, at no-point during Genly Ai's three-year stay with the Gethenians did he realize that he should, perhaps, stop associating only the traits he hates with women. It was understandable in the beginning, but grating by the end, even when he was forced to confront the nature-vs-nature/biossentialism in the tent when Harth pegged him about it.
I felt that the worldbuilding was the strongest aspect, and I wish more had been done with the commentary on nationalism and patriotism. I liked that this was a hidden first-contact story, and that both Gethenians and Terrans are human, just of a different variety.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I loved Estraven's dedication to Ai even when Ai was being an ass. Being willing to cross 800 miles with someone while knowing you could both very well die is true love, to me.
Minor: Death, Sexual content, and Incest
arcturus_b's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, War, Grief, Police brutality, and Misogyny