Reviews - The Left Hand of Darkness

10.6k reviews for:

The Left Hand of Darkness

Ursula K. Le Guin

4.07 AVERAGE

madame_redd's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

writerres27's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

joaoluis's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

nechterine's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

roz_taylor's review against another edition

3.25

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

jasonben10's review against another edition

4.0

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Well written, well paced, awesome story, fun world, grounded characters. Just super solid, I daresay strong fantasy. The novel hinges on two characters carrying it (along with the world) and Le Guin pulls off their different voices and connection splendidly. Read in a few days, this was exactly what I was hoping to find.

literarycolin's review against another edition

2.5

adventurous challenging reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

I really wanted to love this classic since I know how bold and groundbreaking Le Guin’s exploration of gender and sexual identity was in 1969!

Not only that, but Le Guin prioritized character and cultural development at a time when science fiction was largely plot-driven.

That said… I found the book pretty boring.

Much of the political intrigue and worldbuilding went over my head. I got tangled in the dense terminology and the unfamiliar fictional nations/ethnicities. The plot didn’t feel particularly high-stakes, and the dynamic between two protagonists was supposed to carry emotional weight, but it just didn’t land for me.

I respect what Le Guin achieved here, but ultimately this book was more of an intellectual experience than an enjoyable one for me.