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jadedliterati's review
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This book was incredibly frustrating, as it started off with such promise. In the first half, the pacing is slow but made delightful to consume by Le Guin's stellar style and imagery. The Gate truly felt otherworldly, and the struggles of both Hugh and Irene were quite prevalent with plenty of time to recognize and resolve.
Once Hugh and Irene undergo the quest in the second half, the book falls to pieces. The imagery isn't nearly as rich, nor are our protagonists. Their voices bleed together, and dialogue and one-off flowery sentences become the crutch of a now vague narrative that is hard to visualize or comprehend.
The why of Hugh and Irene's journey is not entirely clear, and the villagers of Mountain Town provide little insight. Hugh even questions this a few times, but it is all chalked up to "I feel that we must go, so we'll do it." Mountain Town and the villagers to whom Hugh and Irene were so deeply attached are never seen again after they leave and mentioned only once (briefly), which begs the question, "What was the point?" Are the villagers truly free from their fear, now?
The romance was misplaced and awkward, especially when they both had affection for other people. Their love-making scene was even more misplaced. Quite literally a "skim and you miss it" scene.
Suddenly, these characters are out of the Gate and back in the real world and then it's over. It is in the final chapter that the pacing is significantly heightened for seemingly no other reason than to finish the book, which undermines all of what the first half set up.
Overall, The Beginning Place is a concept that opens strong, with mystery, beautiful language, and complicated and relatable characters but collapses when the realization emerges that that's all the book could be: a concept. Scenes in the latter half occur because they must get us to the end, and there is no true resolution or thought to consider.
Once Hugh and Irene undergo the quest in the second half, the book falls to pieces. The imagery isn't nearly as rich, nor are our protagonists. Their voices bleed together, and dialogue and one-off flowery sentences become the crutch of a now vague narrative that is hard to visualize or comprehend.
The why of Hugh and Irene's journey is not entirely clear, and the villagers of Mountain Town provide little insight. Hugh even questions this a few times, but it is all chalked up to "I feel that we must go, so we'll do it." Mountain Town and the villagers to whom Hugh and Irene were so deeply attached are never seen again after they leave and mentioned only once (briefly), which begs the question, "What was the point?" Are the villagers truly free from their fear, now?
The romance was misplaced and awkward, especially when they both had affection for other people. Their love-making scene was even more misplaced. Quite literally a "skim and you miss it" scene.
Suddenly, these characters are out of the Gate and back in the real world and then it's over. It is in the final chapter that the pacing is significantly heightened for seemingly no other reason than to finish the book, which undermines all of what the first half set up.
Overall, The Beginning Place is a concept that opens strong, with mystery, beautiful language, and complicated and relatable characters but collapses when the realization emerges that that's all the book could be: a concept. Scenes in the latter half occur because they must get us to the end, and there is no true resolution or thought to consider.
sortabadass's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
weyburn13's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
swarmofbees's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
2.5
zelos's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
a little slow, a little dry, but otherwise fine. le guin definitely has better work but this wasn't bad!
madeleinemae05's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
billd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
In 2024, I've decided that I will focus on the works of Ursula K. Le Guin (amongst other reading challenges. The Beginning Place is my fourth read, one of Le Guin's standalone novels, originally published in 1980.
It tells the story of two disparate people, Hugh and Irena, both struggling and unsatisfied in the world, who meet each other in separate, strange place 'across the creek'. They will ultimately come together to help save the world of Tembreabrezi.
The story starts with Hugh. He is a frustrated young man, still living with his mother, who controls his life, and works at a local grocery store as a checker. On a particular day, instead of going home, he goes for a long walk and after crossing a creek, finds himself in a quiet, peaceful place. Returning home, he realizes that time has sort of stopped or slowed down tremendously while in his sanctuary. He begins to go there regularly, leaving for work early, telling his mother that he's out jogging, and enjoying the fresh water and just the peace of the spot.
Switch to Irena who it turns out, has been going to the same spot for a long time. In fact she has explored much further into Tembreabrezi and discovered the Mountain town and learned their language and enjoys the company of the locals. She is distressed when she discovers that Hugh has crossed over as she doesn't want to share.
Something dark is happening in Tembreabrezi though and ultimately, both will go on a further journey to try and save their friends. The last half of the story involves this journey and the final result. It's a neat little story, filled with emotion and strong feelings. It's not perfect mind you as some things are left unsaid. But it's got some neat characters and is a fascinating story, easy to read and leaves you satisfied with the resolution. It shows the depth and breadth of Le Guin's writing styles and her imagination. (4.0 stars)
It tells the story of two disparate people, Hugh and Irena, both struggling and unsatisfied in the world, who meet each other in separate, strange place 'across the creek'. They will ultimately come together to help save the world of Tembreabrezi.
The story starts with Hugh. He is a frustrated young man, still living with his mother, who controls his life, and works at a local grocery store as a checker. On a particular day, instead of going home, he goes for a long walk and after crossing a creek, finds himself in a quiet, peaceful place. Returning home, he realizes that time has sort of stopped or slowed down tremendously while in his sanctuary. He begins to go there regularly, leaving for work early, telling his mother that he's out jogging, and enjoying the fresh water and just the peace of the spot.
Switch to Irena who it turns out, has been going to the same spot for a long time. In fact she has explored much further into Tembreabrezi and discovered the Mountain town and learned their language and enjoys the company of the locals. She is distressed when she discovers that Hugh has crossed over as she doesn't want to share.
Something dark is happening in Tembreabrezi though and ultimately, both will go on a further journey to try and save their friends. The last half of the story involves this journey and the final result. It's a neat little story, filled with emotion and strong feelings. It's not perfect mind you as some things are left unsaid. But it's got some neat characters and is a fascinating story, easy to read and leaves you satisfied with the resolution. It shows the depth and breadth of Le Guin's writing styles and her imagination. (4.0 stars)
mattyo's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Incest
bluestarfish's review against another edition
5.0
Tembreabrezi is the beginning place for Hugh and Irene as they escape intolerable family situations and lives and people who are stuck. Slipping into the twilight world serves as an escape at first, a place that is a breather, a resting place to find themselves and work through what their lives are throwing at them. This is a beautifully realised short novel that is lyrical and haunting and a fantasy novel of the best sort that illuminates the human heart. In many ways it is about the limits of fantasy novels in the way that Ursula Le Guin seems to do so well. The deftness of her characterisation of the families and the situations Hugh and Irene are living has an incredible lightness of touch that is feels devastating in its accuracy, and compassion.