Reviews

Always Coming Home by Ursula K. Le Guin

savaging's review

5.0

The first book I read of Le Guin, and it sticks with me.

An ethnography of the deep future. A celebration of the "no-account" people who build whole and healthy and beautiful cultures. It's a book to read slowly and with patience, like watching a Natalia Almada film.

funktious's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Well of course Le Guin wrote solarpunk, nearly half a century before the term was coined. She was a visionary and this book is a beautiful and thoughtful look at how our children, many many years from now, might have learned to live better than we do.

It's virtually plotless, bar one narrative that's returned to a few times throughout, and is instead more an anthology of poetry, short stories, songs, recipes and filthy jokes that taken together, show us an alternative to capitalism and individualism. It would make Thatcher weep.

And of course, being Le Guin, what could be a dry, academic exercise is elevated by her beautiful, simple prose.

chaniaclare's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

Delicate unfolding story, with beautiful turns of phrase and a slow reveal of the world and the people in it

zelos's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing slow-paced

4.75

this is one i really want to read again in print rather than audio - i feel like i missed so much and could get so much more out of it if i had it in front of me. either way, what a journey. unlike any other novel i've read, and definitely worth the time and commitment. 

rocomama's review against another edition

hopeful informative 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? It's complicated

4.25

kirilaw's review against another edition

slow-paced

5.0

I love this book so much, and I don’t think there’s anything else quite like it. 

qteabeans's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

An interesting academic exercise. This felt like Le Guin taking a stab at the textbook writing that Tolkein modeled in the world of fantasy and such things. I feel like there were things that were lost in the shuffle but it is a nice thought exercise. I would recommend this as a bedside reader to have over several months but it was kind of a bummer to read this as a book club book with a deadline. Also, it does seem appropriative of native cultures as a vague return to nature ideal. 

halieh's review against another edition

challenging inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

bdelcastle's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

4.0

tenderedge's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0