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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Probably not the most appropriate book to read during a July heatwave, in hindsight...
- Spoiler Free Review -
This is such a hard book to rate because, if I'm being objective about it, I do think it was a good book. I just didn't enjoy it all that much as I was reading.
What's it about?
Genly Ai is an envoy to the planet Winter from the Ekumen - a league of eighty-something planets spread across the galaxy. His job is to bring the people of Winter into union with the Ekumen, but he is caught between the political manoeuvring of two rival factions and the cultural complications of a race of androgynous humans - male and female do not exist on Winter.
What did I like about it?
Ursula K Le Guin is a really remarkable writer. She has a very unique way with words and her prose is truly just beautiful to read. It's almost poetry in places.
There are also a lot of interesting ideas and concepts here: what would human society look like without clearly defined male and female? How do you go about bridging an interplanetary cultural divide? There are also some nice moments exploring crossing boundaries with friendship.
So why didn't I love it?
I'd say this was a very theme-heavy, rather than character focused, book - which could be a positive or a negative, depending on what you prefer. While there were some nice character moments in the second half, I just never ended up feeling much for any of the main characters. Because I didn't feel much for them, I found it a bit hard to care what happened to them, or whether they achieved their goals.
While I enjoyed some of the themes Le Guin chose, I felt like she didn't go all that deeply into some of the things I was most interested in, but would then spend a long time detailing other things I didn't much care about. Obviously, this is just personal preference, another reader could feel the total opposite.
I think I'd just sum up by saying I didn't hate my time with this book, and I think the right reader would really enjoy it, but I never felt excited to pick it up again and there were some patches that definitely felt like a bit of a chore to get through.
Overall: objectively, probably a good book. Just not one that clicked for me.
- Spoiler Free Review -
This is such a hard book to rate because, if I'm being objective about it, I do think it was a good book. I just didn't enjoy it all that much as I was reading.
What's it about?
Genly Ai is an envoy to the planet Winter from the Ekumen - a league of eighty-something planets spread across the galaxy. His job is to bring the people of Winter into union with the Ekumen, but he is caught between the political manoeuvring of two rival factions and the cultural complications of a race of androgynous humans - male and female do not exist on Winter.
What did I like about it?
Ursula K Le Guin is a really remarkable writer. She has a very unique way with words and her prose is truly just beautiful to read. It's almost poetry in places.
There are also a lot of interesting ideas and concepts here: what would human society look like without clearly defined male and female? How do you go about bridging an interplanetary cultural divide? There are also some nice moments exploring crossing boundaries with friendship.
So why didn't I love it?
I'd say this was a very theme-heavy, rather than character focused, book - which could be a positive or a negative, depending on what you prefer. While there were some nice character moments in the second half, I just never ended up feeling much for any of the main characters. Because I didn't feel much for them, I found it a bit hard to care what happened to them, or whether they achieved their goals.
While I enjoyed some of the themes Le Guin chose, I felt like she didn't go all that deeply into some of the things I was most interested in, but would then spend a long time detailing other things I didn't much care about. Obviously, this is just personal preference, another reader could feel the total opposite.
I think I'd just sum up by saying I didn't hate my time with this book, and I think the right reader would really enjoy it, but I never felt excited to pick it up again and there were some patches that definitely felt like a bit of a chore to get through.
Overall: objectively, probably a good book. Just not one that clicked for me.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
it wasn't quite the grand revolutionary revelation and shock to the system that everywhere seemed to tell me it was. i'm sure it was closer to the time it was published. and to a different reader - i've had a pretty good education when it comes to gender and sexuality tbh. still an enjoyable read for me, i love ursula's writing but i much prefer going in with as little foreknowledge as possible.
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
While The Left Hand of Darkness is obviously a classic and masterfully written, it just didn't hit me as hard as I was expecting it to. It has without a doubt been the victim of high expectations as this is clearly a fascinating book that I enjoyed reading. I was just hoping for something more.
The introduction written by the author herself was great, and as she herself wishes she had gone a bit further with some of these ideas I won't feel too horrid about not finding a new favourite here.
The introduction written by the author herself was great, and as she herself wishes she had gone a bit further with some of these ideas I won't feel too horrid about not finding a new favourite here.
The Left Hand of Darkness is undoubtedly a thought-provoking and well-crafted novel, but it didn’t fully resonate with me. While I appreciated the intricate world-building and the exploration of themes like gender, politics, and identity, I found the pacing uneven and the narrative occasionally difficult to follow, especially in the early chapters.
While I admired the dynamic between Genly Ai and Estraven, I struggled to connect with the characters on a deeper level.
I was bothered by the use of male pronouns (he/him) for the androgynous gethenians. Although it may have been a deliberate choice at the time, I felt it reinforced traditional gender assumptions in a story that was meant to challenge them. I appreciate Ursula's later reflections on this matter and agree that a more neutral approach might have better supported the book’s themes.
While I admired the dynamic between Genly Ai and Estraven, I struggled to connect with the characters on a deeper level.
I was bothered by the use of male pronouns (he/him) for the androgynous gethenians. Although it may have been a deliberate choice at the time, I felt it reinforced traditional gender assumptions in a story that was meant to challenge them. I appreciate Ursula's later reflections on this matter and agree that a more neutral approach might have better supported the book’s themes.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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:
No