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fireflying's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lindcherry's review
challenging
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
jaimygdala's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
honeymonster's review
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A wildly depressing short story about slavery, some poems, and two essays. The writing is excellent. There is also an interview with the author where she isn't very forthcoming.
nhcfriedman's review against another edition
4.0
A compelling story, two insightful essays, a few gem-like poems, and an interview that manages to be both terrible and enlightening at the same time
jasmine_f's review against another edition
4.0
I want to be clear, the four stars are solely for the novelette, the rest of the book I could've done without.
The Wild Girls is a wonderful read and lives up to what a reader is expecting when they pick up writing by Ursula K. Le Guin. It's frank, honest, and absolutely heartbreaking. It confronts an oft-hushed aspect of fantasy but through the eyes of the young women abused.
The essays are nothing to write home about, they're interesting enough ideas with a few thought-provoking lines here and there, and a healthy amount of pomp. If you haven't encountered essays on publishing/literature capitalism or gender roles, it's worth reading. I could recommend tens of better essays on the same topics but these are not bad.
I don't care for Ursula K. Le Guin's poetry, but it's par for the course, just depends on whether you like it or not.
The interview is hilarious, she truly elevates it with the wit she always has.
I'd pick up the book if I were you and will be re-reading The Wild Girls again, but maybe skip the rest.
The Wild Girls is a wonderful read and lives up to what a reader is expecting when they pick up writing by Ursula K. Le Guin. It's frank, honest, and absolutely heartbreaking. It confronts an oft-hushed aspect of fantasy but through the eyes of the young women abused.
The essays are nothing to write home about, they're interesting enough ideas with a few thought-provoking lines here and there, and a healthy amount of pomp. If you haven't encountered essays on publishing/literature capitalism or gender roles, it's worth reading. I could recommend tens of better essays on the same topics but these are not bad.
I don't care for Ursula K. Le Guin's poetry, but it's par for the course, just depends on whether you like it or not.
The interview is hilarious, she truly elevates it with the wit she always has.
I'd pick up the book if I were you and will be re-reading The Wild Girls again, but maybe skip the rest.
lonecayt's review against another edition
4.0
I found the story to be a bit too depressing for my taste, but it was well written. The rest - essays, poems, the interview - was great.
russk's review against another edition
4.0
This is a short collection of work by LeGuin.
“Wild Girls,” the title story, follows two nomadic girls captured as slaves as they maneuver the caste system of their new city. Genre-wise, it’s less a fantasy story and more of a fable. There’s nothing fantastical or surprising about the oppression that the girls go through and how they feel empowered to react to it.
The essays include a critique of the the publishing industry and capitalism’s obsession with growth in general, and support for the classic definition of modesty. The overall message being that not everything is a commodity to be promoted and cashed in on, especially good art.
But honestly it felt like the publisher, PM Press, had the opportunity to get some of LeGuin’s material and wanted to cram in as much as possible. The few poems are nice but don’t add much, and the interview feels like mostly filler, with dead-end questions and answers left in to add to the page count. But the story and essays make up for this.
“Wild Girls,” the title story, follows two nomadic girls captured as slaves as they maneuver the caste system of their new city. Genre-wise, it’s less a fantasy story and more of a fable. There’s nothing fantastical or surprising about the oppression that the girls go through and how they feel empowered to react to it.
The essays include a critique of the the publishing industry and capitalism’s obsession with growth in general, and support for the classic definition of modesty. The overall message being that not everything is a commodity to be promoted and cashed in on, especially good art.
But honestly it felt like the publisher, PM Press, had the opportunity to get some of LeGuin’s material and wanted to cram in as much as possible. The few poems are nice but don’t add much, and the interview feels like mostly filler, with dead-end questions and answers left in to add to the page count. But the story and essays make up for this.
fallen_adam's review
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25