Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
Unique and engaging the whole way, even through the ice odyssey.
Although, I will admit that Genry is hard to read sometimes, even after his significant character development. He's not as passionate as the cast surrounding him, but I felt that this kind of worked to the setting's advantage. His insipidity made a good medium for the portrayal of an alien society.
Although, I will admit that Genry is hard to read sometimes, even after his significant character development. He's not as passionate as the cast surrounding him, but I felt that this kind of worked to the setting's advantage. His insipidity made a good medium for the portrayal of an alien society.
ho finito il libro esattamente un'ora fa ed è il tempo che mi ci è voluto per sedermi qua e dire "ho finito il libro". sento che la mia autrice dell'anno sarà proprio la Le Guin! ti leggerò tantissimo Ursula!!
also why did she have to talk about love in the sweetest most heart wrenching way possible what do you mean "a friendship so much needed by us both in our exile, and already so well proved in the days and nights of our bitter journey, that it might as well be called, now as later, love. But it was from the difference between us, not from the affinities and likenesses, but from the difference, that that love came: and it was itself the bridge, the only bridge, across what divided us" and "a profound love between two people involves, after all, the power and chance of doing profound hurt" :(((
also why did she have to talk about love in the sweetest most heart wrenching way possible what do you mean "a friendship so much needed by us both in our exile, and already so well proved in the days and nights of our bitter journey, that it might as well be called, now as later, love. But it was from the difference between us, not from the affinities and likenesses, but from the difference, that that love came: and it was itself the bridge, the only bridge, across what divided us" and "a profound love between two people involves, after all, the power and chance of doing profound hurt" :(((
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A harder one to review.
But I loved it and Ai not sitting down made a lump come to my throat.
The book felt like it needed to go further, but for the time period it's ideas were amazing.
The world is seen through Ai's sexist vision, and so everyone being male could be contributed to that. However, Le Quin did write a further two essays after this book exploring gender further and so we know this was not the end of her thoughts.
The story was far easier to read than I thought it would be and I would read again.
Such a short book to explore so much and create such a vast and intricate world.
But I loved it and Ai not sitting down made a lump come to my throat.
The book felt like it needed to go further, but for the time period it's ideas were amazing.
The world is seen through Ai's sexist vision, and so everyone being male could be contributed to that. However, Le Quin did write a further two essays after this book exploring gender further and so we know this was not the end of her thoughts.
The story was far easier to read than I thought it would be and I would read again.
Such a short book to explore so much and create such a vast and intricate world.
adventurous
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The book does well in acknowledging what a lot of other sci-fi stories do not, that inhabited planets are likely to have subdivided cultures and nations rather than being monolithic. However, I did not enjoy this being the driving force behind the plot.
What I had heard of the book before reading it was that it addressed questions of gender and sex from the point of view of a people that have no sex most of the time. This is the one thing people know about the book. Yet the story is not really about that. Any commentary on gender and sex is secondary to commentary about how nationalism leads to the division of one's humanity. It's barely present. The narrator is definitely sexist and intentionally so, but he's never really confronted about this by himself or others?
Also, about halfway through the protag goes to a fortune teller who is ALWAYS right and asks for an answer to the central question of the plot.... spoiling how the book itself will end?
The story really drags in the middle. Was hard to finish.
I did enjoy the diagetic myths and folklore chapters throughout. Those were very good.
What I had heard of the book before reading it was that it addressed questions of gender and sex from the point of view of a people that have no sex most of the time. This is the one thing people know about the book. Yet the story is not really about that. Any commentary on gender and sex is secondary to commentary about how nationalism leads to the division of one's humanity. It's barely present. The narrator is definitely sexist and intentionally so, but he's never really confronted about this by himself or others?
Also, about halfway through the protag goes to a fortune teller who is ALWAYS right and asks for an answer to the central question of the plot.... spoiling how the book itself will end?
The story really drags in the middle. Was hard to finish.
I did enjoy the diagetic myths and folklore chapters throughout. Those were very good.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Incest, Suicide, Torture, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Grief, Pregnancy
Lacking an interesting plot - something fundamental to a story...
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
If you're turned off by science fictions prolific use of strange vocabulary and made up proper nouns, you will feel alienated by this book at first. But spend an evening with The Left Hand of Darkness, cuddled up by the fire, and it will put you in kemmer.