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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-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:
Complicated
For as much philosophy and physics that are in this book, I found it very compelling and easy to read.
It reminded me quite a bit of Atlas Shrugged--however, it is pretty much the complete antithesis of Atlas Shrugged, a vision of a leftist anarchist utopia. I found the world building to be absolutely fascinating, however I found Shevek as a protagonist to be quite lacking. I didn't find him as a character interesting at all; I was much more intrigued by what was going on around him and saw him merely as a lens through which to view this vision of our future. If he had been a more compelling protagonist, I would be more inclined to view this book positively. I do want to read the rest of Ursula LeGuin's work though!
It reminded me quite a bit of Atlas Shrugged--however, it is pretty much the complete antithesis of Atlas Shrugged, a vision of a leftist anarchist utopia. I found the world building to be absolutely fascinating, however I found Shevek as a protagonist to be quite lacking. I didn't find him as a character interesting at all; I was much more intrigued by what was going on around him and saw him merely as a lens through which to view this vision of our future. If he had been a more compelling protagonist, I would be more inclined to view this book positively. I do want to read the rest of Ursula LeGuin's work though!
This book suffers from the besetting sin of Scifi: there's a good idea for a short story which is then turned into a full novel. Which means 300 something pages of non-consequential details and bad prose.
Yes, I am aware of Le Guin's status. But there is no excuse for this kind of writing:
"The first time they both came as Shevek came into her, the second time they struggled and cried out in a rage of joy, prolonging their climax as if delaying the moment of death, the third time they were both half asleep, and circled about the center of infinite pleasure, about each other’s being, like planets circling blindly, quietly, in the flood of sunlight, about the common center of gravity, swinging, circling endlessly."
Yes, I am aware of Le Guin's status. But there is no excuse for this kind of writing:
"The first time they both came as Shevek came into her, the second time they struggled and cried out in a rage of joy, prolonging their climax as if delaying the moment of death, the third time they were both half asleep, and circled about the center of infinite pleasure, about each other’s being, like planets circling blindly, quietly, in the flood of sunlight, about the common center of gravity, swinging, circling endlessly."
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No