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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
Finally.
It has taken me five long months to finish this book. I would pick it up time and time again and most times only manage small stretches as I struggled to get through it.
I have endured this novel, stubborn to the last, and I can finally say it is done.
I have read a few Ursula K. Le Guin books before and adored them. So much so, I would happily declare her a favoured author when it came to sci-fi works. But this book? Shevek was not a character I enjoyed reading about -- a shame as the whole book was about him.
It was heavy with scientific terminology and notions which bogged down the text for me and drew me out of the fascinating worlds and characters presented to me. Too much Psychics for me to truly enjoy it... Disappointing to say the least. It was intriguing to see how society on Urras had developed and I found the characters introduced there the most fascinating. Anarres on the other hand, while okay to read about, was much more like our society so I was less interested to read about it or the characters introduced there.
Admittedly, there were a few times I got lost in the muddle of words and it would take me a few pages to catch up again and work everything out, which wasn't a fun experience at all...
There are moments of Le Guin's brilliant writing that shine through but if this book doesn't immediately capture you the way her other works can, then don't be foolish like me. It's okay to give up.
It has taken me five long months to finish this book. I would pick it up time and time again and most times only manage small stretches as I struggled to get through it.
I have endured this novel, stubborn to the last, and I can finally say it is done.
I have read a few Ursula K. Le Guin books before and adored them. So much so, I would happily declare her a favoured author when it came to sci-fi works. But this book? Shevek was not a character I enjoyed reading about -- a shame as the whole book was about him.
It was heavy with scientific terminology and notions which bogged down the text for me and drew me out of the fascinating worlds and characters presented to me. Too much Psychics for me to truly enjoy it... Disappointing to say the least. It was intriguing to see how society on Urras had developed and I found the characters introduced there the most fascinating. Anarres on the other hand, while okay to read about, was much more like our society so I was less interested to read about it or the characters introduced there.
Admittedly, there were a few times I got lost in the muddle of words and it would take me a few pages to catch up again and work everything out, which wasn't a fun experience at all...
There are moments of Le Guin's brilliant writing that shine through but if this book doesn't immediately capture you the way her other works can, then don't be foolish like me. It's okay to give up.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-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:
Complicated
Overall, I really liked this book. Its ideas are powerful: freedom, community, what we give up for progress, and how societies shape people. It gave me a lot to think about, and I’m glad I read it.
That said, I found her writing style tough at times. Not bad, just heavy. I don’t know if it’s the age of the book or if I’ve just gotten used to more modern sci-fi, but she seems to use big words when small ones would do. I had to slow down and really focus in some spots, which took me out of the story now and then.
But even when it’s a challenge, I always finish her books feeling like I gained something. This one made me reflect on how we live, what we expect from others, and what a truly “free” society might look like. It’s not an easy read, but it’s definitely a meaningful one.
That said, I found her writing style tough at times. Not bad, just heavy. I don’t know if it’s the age of the book or if I’ve just gotten used to more modern sci-fi, but she seems to use big words when small ones would do. I had to slow down and really focus in some spots, which took me out of the story now and then.
But even when it’s a challenge, I always finish her books feeling like I gained something. This one made me reflect on how we live, what we expect from others, and what a truly “free” society might look like. It’s not an easy read, but it’s definitely a meaningful one.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-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:
Complicated
thoughts to be added after book club
it was just ... boring. the concept and characters and setting aren't boring, but the execution just included so much physics nonsense, an overabundance of politics, and lacked any real characterization or development (aside from shevek, i'll admit, his development was basically the entire point of the story but every other character might as well have been a silent extra for all they mattered) i get that the "story" isnt the point, its the questions le guin is asking the reader about society/possession/greed/etc, but i guess i prefer a bit more meat to my fiction, and this was not it. like nothing happens for the first 3/4 of the book, aside from shevek walking around and having thoughts. i wont say this is a bad book because i think it has important things to say but god was i glad to be done with it once i finished
I had read ahead of time that this book was more a collection of conversations than narrative story and was prepared for something a bit more dense and slow but my god I missed this book every time I put it down. the alternating timelines is so wonderful for the pacing and for the dual exposition of these two worlds, the scientific and political language while being highly intellectual never feels alienating, nothing is presented as an agenda (not that it would be entirely wrong to do so) and leaves so much room in its neutrality for the reader to think for themselves. and on top of all that it is a beautiful story with a beating heart at its center. it is impossible for the compassion and intelligence of this woman’s soul to not shine through in everything she writes