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literatemushroom's review against another edition
I honestly did not like the writing in this book, the characters, or the misogyny blatantly displayed. This was a pick for my book club and my wife made it further than I did and reported back some very disturbing/graphic use of sexual assault in a later part of the book and both of us DNF'd because we felt that the violence and objectification of the woman was not conducive to the story at all and just furthered the decent of this book into unreadability.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual violence
erbridge's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Sexism, Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Gun violence
Moderate: Classism
hendrixpants's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexism
pastelkerstin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Essential reading if you're a leftist who likes sci-fi! I thought The Left Hand of Darkness was good, but I wouldn't say it's one of my favourite books. But The Dispossessed now is.
One of the most interesting things about The Left Hand of Darkness for me was the mention of another planet in the federation without war or law enforcement. Now, this book apparently takes place before the federation was formed, but it's exactly about that. It's about an anarchist society, the capitalist society it clashes with, and a scientist caught between the two who wants to follow his passion. And it doesn't beat around the bush at all with its politics. No fantasy names for real-life political concepts. Instead you get moving criticisms of capitalism, authoritarianism, police brutality and patriarchy. Although Anarres isn't portrayed as flawless or as totally immune to what they were trying to escape (e.g. social capital creates a kind of hierarchy after all), you know that despite its flaws and hardships, it portrays a world more just than Urras on such a deep level.
I borrowed this from the university library, but I liked it so much, I might actually buy my own copy. My only real gripe with it is how [vague spoilers ahead] Shevek's accidental drunk night ends. He narrowly avoided becoming a character I couldn't root for anymore. Very narrowly. I think him getting drunk accidentally and not knowing what's happening/how to deal with it at all because Anarrestri don't drink makes perfect sense. I just don't like where that went...
Otherwise really fucking good!!
One of the most interesting things about The Left Hand of Darkness for me was the mention of another planet in the federation without war or law enforcement. Now, this book apparently takes place before the federation was formed, but it's exactly about that. It's about an anarchist society, the capitalist society it clashes with, and a scientist caught between the two who wants to follow his passion. And it doesn't beat around the bush at all with its politics. No fantasy names for real-life political concepts. Instead you get moving criticisms of capitalism, authoritarianism, police brutality and patriarchy. Although Anarres isn't portrayed as flawless or as totally immune to what they were trying to escape (e.g. social capital creates a kind of hierarchy after all), you know that despite its flaws and hardships, it portrays a world more just than Urras on such a deep level.
I borrowed this from the university library, but I liked it so much, I might actually buy my own copy. My only real gripe with it is how [vague spoilers ahead] Shevek's accidental drunk night ends. He narrowly avoided becoming a character I couldn't root for anymore. Very narrowly. I think him getting drunk accidentally and not knowing what's happening/how to deal with it at all because Anarrestri don't drink makes perfect sense. I just don't like where that went...
Otherwise really fucking good!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexism, Vomit, Alcohol, Classism, Xenophobia, Death, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexual content, War, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcoholism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Addiction, and Rape
zombiezami's review against another edition
Not sure if this is for me. I might re-evaluate after looking at more of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Pregnancy, Sexism, Misogyny, Gun violence, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Classism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Death, Excrement, Grief, and Xenophobia
Minor: War, Colonisation, Medical content, Child death, and Vomit
Attempted rapesoscarlettm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? No
5.0
LeGuin explores how "revolution" is something which can happen at a specific point centered around specific people and political questions, and how a character (or people in general) can exist simultaneously in a post-revolutionary and pre-revolutionary period if they are not at its epicenter. For Shevek, his society was born out of revolution against capitalism, but rather than overthrowing that economic system, the revolutionaries chose a separatist path and colonized their planet's moon. They developed an anarchist culture with mutual aid as the central relationship of production. Thus, Shevek exists as a post-revolutionary character on the moon (Anarres), but as a pre-revolutionary character on the main planet (Urras) where the working class is still struggling to liberate themselves from class exploitation and oppression. LeGuin metaphorically connects this linear idea of revolutionary organizing or consciousness-building with the fictional physics theory of "Sequency."
At the same time, the narrative follows the development of Shevek's awakening to stagnant elements of the social organization on Anarres which are preventing the anarchist society from fulfilling its political potential. He comes to realize that revolution must be ongoing, constant, and inconvenient to the status quo. For LeGuin, revolution is an individual before a collective phenomena - it occurs in each individual's mind in the form of their developing political consciousness. It grows imperfectly, in fits and spurts, but at all times across the whole society. As it does, it breaks out in collective action in a multitude of forms. At the same time that Shevek and Bedap are organizing to challenge unhealthy power dynamics in Anarres's bureaucracy, there is an uprising against a military dictatorship in Benbili and a one-day mass strike in A-Io. Revolution against oppression is happening all at once, and will always happen. Shevek is a revolutionary character because he exists, has ideas that can change, and has the potential to act. This notion of permanent revolution is linked to LeGuin's other fictional physics theory, "Simulteneity."
Sequency, in the book, receives more institutional scientific support, and could be analogous to Marxist historical materialism while simulteneity could be analogous to anarchism or anarcho-syndicalism, a generally less developed theory of social change. As a physicist, Shevek works to unite both sequency and simulteneity into a general theory of time which has the potential to benefit all people on all the known worlds of Urras, Anarres, Hain, and Terra. As such, the book may be considered a political case for uniting multiple theories of social change and human interaction in a constant process of enacting human liberation.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexism
woweewhoa's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
My friend recommended this book to me as "The book that made him an anarchist", and I absolutely agree with him. I've in fact doubled down on being an anarchist after reading this book.
Ursula K. Le Guin is a phenomenal author that really understands the complexities of the way politics and worlds work, and doesn't write as if one idea is perfect or flawless as one might claim it to be. This book explores an anarchist society, the flaws that it has, and directly contrasts it with a capitalistic society.
On top of this, the way the societies and cultures are built are done in such a way that include prior history, as well as what a society would look like if everyone was raised a particular way. Anarres exists as a separation from the Urras propitarian society, and such the people raised there do not exist in a world where that type of society was ever the norm.
Definitely a must read, if you are at all interested in Ursula K Le Guin's work. So far from what I've read of her work, another masterpiece.
Ursula K. Le Guin is a phenomenal author that really understands the complexities of the way politics and worlds work, and doesn't write as if one idea is perfect or flawless as one might claim it to be. This book explores an anarchist society, the flaws that it has, and directly contrasts it with a capitalistic society.
On top of this, the way the societies and cultures are built are done in such a way that include prior history, as well as what a society would look like if everyone was raised a particular way. Anarres exists as a separation from the Urras propitarian society, and such the people raised there do not exist in a world where that type of society was ever the norm.
Definitely a must read, if you are at all interested in Ursula K Le Guin's work. So far from what I've read of her work, another masterpiece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Violence
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Toxic relationship
cwe's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual assault and Xenophobia
alanaefarrell's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexism
etosaurus's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Sexism, and Grief
Minor: Bullying and Forced institutionalization
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