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teabrewer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
3.75
This book confuses me. Not because of the plot, but because I'm not sure if I liked it or not. The wirld building is well done and the concept of making the gender binary foreign is very interesting. To listen to this story through the words of Genly Ai, a average 1960's man despite being from a futuristic space travelling society, made it even more interesting. The book may not seem revolutionary, but that's because it revolutionized. I didn't get the critics about it being heteronormative, have you read the same book as I? Despite the Author herself regreting the decision, I think Genly Ai refering to all people from gethen as "he" makes sense to the society he came from. I didn't get the incest stuff though, and I have been, and will be, ignoring it. I'm not sure if I got the ending either
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Slavery, Sexism, Misogyny, and Classism
Moderate: Xenophobia, Suicide, and Gun violence
Minor: War, Incest, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Transphobia
acemummerz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
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
sunn_bleach's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
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
4.25
I read "The Left Hand of Darkness" in 2018 and didn't really get it. Yeah, I got the subversion of man-as-default, but I didn't get some of the deeper considerations Le Guin was going for regarding societies that previously did not know war and totalitarian systems that don't match one-for-one to our earthly systems. I also found Genly and Estraven's trip over the icefield monotonous - but after four years of serious mountaineering pursuits, it's anything but that, and Le Guin masterfully captured the sheer stress of being on the run for one's lives while also underneath the beauty of the stars. I'm tempted to argue that the gender fiction aspect falls prey to TVTropes' "Seinfeld is Unfunny" given how much has progressed in half a century (like the he/him pronoun aspect not being as radical), but the fact it still makes me think shows it's relevant 25 years into the new millennium. Masterful book, and a good example of "the worst criticism I have is that it could be longer"... and the ending felt a little saccharine, losing the conceit of it being a report. But still!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Death
Moderate: Incest, Violence, and Gun violence
Minor: Child death, War, Pregnancy, and Sexism
luis_vieira's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Death
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Suicide, Torture, and Xenophobia
Minor: Pregnancy and Incest
_david_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- 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 worldbuilding is masterfully executed, revealing a rich and diverse world and culture within the confines of a relatively short book. The characters are captivating, and the narrative effectively captures the challenges of collaboration with a culture one doesn't fully comprehend and vice versa.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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
donut_holer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
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
5.0
Holy lord. It is books like these that make me feel... i don't know. In awe? Humbled? A love for humanity? A raging obsession, even? It was incredible. I was losing my mind by the end. I started this book with literally no idea what it was about besides the fact that the author wrote The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, and being able to read something with no idea where it was going was difficult in the beginning, but became very exciting. This book is a fascinating gender critique, and an invitation into the politics of the time it was written despite the fact that it takes place on an alien planet far in the future. The worldbuilding was incredible in how all these concepts of this fictional culture were tied together to create something cohesive. Also, I was surprised by how horny it was. I have to put that in here because I did think it was gonna be 100% politics, and I was more than a little shook. In a similar, but not the same vein, I was surprised by how much love was in this story. It was bleeding it. In my opinion, all good sci-fi must do this, but I was awed by how much love for the characters it evoked in me, and how much love they had for the universe and other humans, and how Estraven and Genly Ai envision that love, because of their cultures. Then, of course, I was totally crushed by Estraven's death, sudden and confusing as it was. And equally so, everything that came after was touching, hopeful, and very sad.
It took me a while to get into it to the extent that I was invested by the end, but it was well worth it. Sometimes it feels like the story lingers on a strange place, but I felt that all moments that were dramatized/made into a scene were the right ones to choose. No star rating yet because I'd like to reread it first, because of how confused I was the first time through. I think I've got a better handle on the world now, and I'm exciting to reread. Le Guin doesn't drop you in totally blind, but she doesn't make it too easy for her readers, for sure.
It took me a while to get into it to the extent that I was invested by the end, but it was well worth it. Sometimes it feels like the story lingers on a strange place, but I felt that all moments that were dramatized/made into a scene were the right ones to choose. No star rating yet because I'd like to reread it first, because of how confused I was the first time through. I think I've got a better handle on the world now, and I'm exciting to reread. Le Guin doesn't drop you in totally blind, but she doesn't make it too easy for her readers, for sure.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence
alsira98's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gun violence
Moderate: Incest, Violence, and Xenophobia
bookishperseus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It did take a while for me to be able to start this book, and at times I found it incredibly slow, complex or tedious.
I did keep reading it because there was a small interest as to what would happen, even though this book is following what could be considered a 'usual every day life'.
Towards the end, I found the final 3 or 4 chapters actually quite interesting. Not something I'd read again, but glad I finished it!
I did keep reading it because there was a small interest as to what would happen, even though this book is following what could be considered a 'usual every day life'.
Towards the end, I found the final 3 or 4 chapters actually quite interesting. Not something I'd read again, but glad I finished it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Police brutality, Drug abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Gun violence, Murder, Pregnancy, and Violence
Minor: Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Violence, Body shaming, Incest, Pedophilia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Child death, War, Chronic illness, Deportation, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Miscarriage, Rape, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Vomit, Xenophobia, and Confinement
jodar's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I admire how Le Guin writes – it’s a distinctive, often poetical and meditative style that I can readily recognise and immerse myself in.
This SF novel is about the first contact by a single envoy (the MC) to an icy planet (Winter) inhabited by a human species unique in their sequential hermaphroditism. The envoy comes from a benign, intergalactic ‘cooperative’ consisting of scores of planets who over thousands of years have made contact across a human diaspora from long ago.
Le Guin here focuses, as is typical, on social, personal and political themes. Notably here, the MC strikes cultural misunderstandings in both directions, often without realising till later on that a misunderstanding has occurred. The envoy gradually learns, with the help of a key ally in Winter and after considerable physical suffering, how to approach the cultures of Winter effectively. We also read events from the perspective of the MC’s ally.
Originally written in 1969, the novel has elements of the cold war, with ideological differences between states, one of which is essentially communist and has secret police and brutal prisons reminiscent of the Soviet Union. Le Guin also, as often, brings in eastern thought, such as yin and yang, deep meditation and theology-free religious life. Though to me there are also shades of the Judeo-Christian story of prophets coming to a people from ‘another place’, there the spiritual realm, here the intergalactic cooperative. These political, religious and interpersonal/sexuality threads are teased out in an interweaving, complex way, which is one of Le Guin’s fortes. Nothing didactic, but a lot to mull over by the reader.
I read this first in November 1985 and I hugely enjoyed this challenging, but wonderful novel again.
This SF novel is about the first contact by a single envoy (the MC) to an icy planet (Winter) inhabited by a human species unique in their sequential hermaphroditism. The envoy comes from a benign, intergalactic ‘cooperative’ consisting of scores of planets who over thousands of years have made contact across a human diaspora from long ago.
Le Guin here focuses, as is typical, on social, personal and political themes. Notably here, the MC strikes cultural misunderstandings in both directions, often without realising till later on that a misunderstanding has occurred. The envoy gradually learns, with the help of a key ally in Winter and after considerable physical suffering, how to approach the cultures of Winter effectively. We also read events from the perspective of the MC’s ally.
Originally written in 1969, the novel has elements of the cold war, with ideological differences between states, one of which is essentially communist and has secret police and brutal prisons reminiscent of the Soviet Union. Le Guin also, as often, brings in eastern thought, such as yin and yang, deep meditation and theology-free religious life. Though to me there are also shades of the Judeo-Christian story of prophets coming to a people from ‘another place’, there the spiritual realm, here the intergalactic cooperative. These political, religious and interpersonal/sexuality threads are teased out in an interweaving, complex way, which is one of Le Guin’s fortes. Nothing didactic, but a lot to mull over by the reader.
I read this first in November 1985 and I hugely enjoyed this challenging, but wonderful novel again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Death, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Miscarriage
nexelle's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
It's a great story that really picks up in the latter half when we can finally emotionally connect to the characters. Worldbuilding is great and societies are very intricate.
However, it is dated and so many opinions are problematic.
The main character Genly is extremely sexist, as well as some other characters that came before him whose records we glimpse. I find it hard to discern if these were authors' thoughts or thoughts of a shitty man character (if later why send some1 like that to build peace between nations, especially for an idealised sci-fi futuristic society).
I also found it very insulting that societally amongst winter residents incest is allowed, why would you write that in (people who don't obey normal rules of the human race and sex also participate in incest) like??? So unnecessary.
I know that I read this through a queer lens in 2023, but I just found it very sad that Le Guin who fought for representation of minorities (having black man as a protag in '69 was bold) could still spew so many hateful and inaccurate ideas towards women and queers.
However, it is dated and so many opinions are problematic.
The main character Genly is extremely sexist, as well as some other characters that came before him whose records we glimpse. I find it hard to discern if these were authors' thoughts or thoughts of a shitty man character (if later why send some1 like that to build peace between nations, especially for an idealised sci-fi futuristic society).
I also found it very insulting that societally amongst winter residents incest is allowed, why would you write that in (people who don't obey normal rules of the human race and sex also participate in incest) like??? So unnecessary.
I know that I read this through a queer lens in 2023, but I just found it very sad that Le Guin who fought for representation of minorities (having black man as a protag in '69 was bold) could still spew so many hateful and inaccurate ideas towards women and queers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Misogyny, Incest, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Homophobia and Gun violence