Reviews tagging 'War'

The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin

23 reviews

tiernanhunter's review against another edition

reflective medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, and War

random19379's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Mental illness, War, Violence, Racial slurs, Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Genocide

jdcorley's review against another edition

challenging reflective fast-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

5.0

It's facile to say this is Le Guin's book about speculative fiction itself.  It runs deeper - about how our desires for comfort, riches, power, or even simple security have endless implications, how the desires themselves are both the danger and the promise.  Lathe is truly one of the few books that truly address themselves to the eternal questions of the individual human and their relationship to the world.  We all feel, after all, entitled to dream, but are we all then held hostage to each other's dreams?  A work that will stay with you your whole life, that you will remember your whole life. It asks a question that you can only answer by living.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Racism, and War

lauramcc7's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Blood

wispy_reviews's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.5

Such a wonderful surprise!
I had so much fun reading this one; such a unique concept, and it’s so effortlessly cinematic in how it reads.  That’s the only way I can think to describe it; imagining it as a film gives me chills.
A treatise on agency and hubris, what it means to help another person and the fine line where goodwill becomes selfish altruism.   Absolutely worth a try, highly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, War, Xenophobia, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Racism and Panic attacks/disorders

maziodynes's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring reflective fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Toxic friendship

Moderate: War, Racism, and Forced institutionalization

blueteacup's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Mental illness

Moderate: War, Genocide, and Ableism

Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use

giuliana_ferrari's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

One of those books that you could finish in a single reading if you didn't have adult stuff to do along the day and if you weren't trying to understand what the hell is going on for the last chapters. Truly, I had to stop and breath every now and then because I was getting terribly confused at the same time that I was understanding precisely what Mrs. Le Guin wanted me to understand and see.

A terrific story, with a combination of sci-fi science, almost time-travel like consequences, and the natural mysticism surrounding dreams. 

Sci-fi enough to include aliens, but still keeping that magical realism of reality-altering dreams. I really enjoyed Orr's character, who wouldn't be a bit afraid of their own gift and try to keep it under wraps? I guess only Dr. Harber, the perfect symbolism for people that consider that ends justify the means, no matter how many horrible consequences can come of it.

 

Ursula Le Guin was truly ahead of her time. On to her next book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, and War

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Forced institutionalization

erikwmj's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, War, and Genocide

nohousekey's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Medical content

Moderate: Death, War, and Addiction

Minor: Forced institutionalization