Reviews

Changing Planes by Ursula K. Le Guin

lauragill's review against another edition

2.0

Not LeGuin's best work.

aardwyrm's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Only Le Guin could have published a loosely connected series of fictional travelogues that are mostly sort of long-form koans, and only she could have made it worth reading all the way through.

stevenyenzer's review against another edition

3.0

Definitely not up to the level of Le Guin that I'm used to, but a fun and creative read nonetheless.

columbosunday's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful informative mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

robin_seewald's review against another edition

5.0

This fascinating short story collection differs greatly from Ursula Le Guins other works. Each story explores an alternative world and attempts to explain how their society works and how they interact with the travelers from other worlds. The stories are very diverse. Some of them are satirical and funny, others are sad, and many of them ask thought-provoking philosophical questions. They all have in common that they are beautifully written.

macarooney42's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious relaxing slow-paced

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

3.25

booksnbrains17's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.25

dayseraph's review against another edition

2.0

I really liked the premise, but in execution, this read more like responses to a writing prompt than an exploration of how interplanar travel would, I don’t know, effect the world? Function? Come to exist? I wanted more of that and less of one-off expositions on imaginary societies.

twstdtink's review against another edition

4.0

I picked this book up on a whim, mostly because I loved Le Guin's Earthsea series. What a gem! It was surprisingly witty and clever. The main character describes a series of planes (of existence) she's traveled to, as doing so has become common practice in her time/world. You get the feeling that most of the planes describe events that could happen to us, like genetic experimentation gone horribly (sometimes hilariously) wrong, and wars that lead to the de-evolution of the inhabitants. Le Guin could have easily turned each of these chapters into its own book.

mikimeiko's review against another edition

4.0

Amazing small stories, so different one from another that is hard to believe they were all written by the same writer.
A book that everyone should try, even if they usually don't like scifi.