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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
[40/166]
The only reason this can not be said to be a fully modern science-fiction novel is because of a single trope which occurs at the end, which I will not spoil, because it is otherwise near (not there, but near) immaculate.
Good god.
So rarely do novels sweep me off my feet these days that I was entirely unprepared for the experience. I clung to every word of The Left Hand of Darkness, from every moment Ai and Estraven spend spend together to the deeply rich worldbuilding and lore of Gethen. Ursula K. Le Guin's A Fisherman of the Inland Sea entranced me not too long ago, and I almost wept finding out there was more of this, and the length certainly does not disappoint. We explore culture, sexuality, mythology, lore, wholeness, alienness, the fickle nature of governments in the face of a post-scarcity prosperity... it's simply divine. Of course, nothing in the story meant more to me than Ai and Estraven's slowly blossoming friendship, and how the two's twinned perspectives let them both see and appreciate otherness. It is a story of man reaching out to touch man, to hold him, to understand him fully even in the face of fear and xenophobia. It is so motherfucking good. Ursula K. Le Guin was lightyears ahead of her time and an absolute beast of an author, with a gorgeous prose style and the most incredible knack for creating liveable and alien worlds.
Don't let yourself miss out on this one.
The only reason this can not be said to be a fully modern science-fiction novel is because of a single trope which occurs at the end, which I will not spoil, because it is otherwise near (not there, but near) immaculate.
Good god.
So rarely do novels sweep me off my feet these days that I was entirely unprepared for the experience. I clung to every word of The Left Hand of Darkness, from every moment Ai and Estraven spend spend together to the deeply rich worldbuilding and lore of Gethen. Ursula K. Le Guin's A Fisherman of the Inland Sea entranced me not too long ago, and I almost wept finding out there was more of this, and the length certainly does not disappoint. We explore culture, sexuality, mythology, lore, wholeness, alienness, the fickle nature of governments in the face of a post-scarcity prosperity... it's simply divine. Of course, nothing in the story meant more to me than Ai and Estraven's slowly blossoming friendship, and how the two's twinned perspectives let them both see and appreciate otherness. It is a story of man reaching out to touch man, to hold him, to understand him fully even in the face of fear and xenophobia. It is so motherfucking good. Ursula K. Le Guin was lightyears ahead of her time and an absolute beast of an author, with a gorgeous prose style and the most incredible knack for creating liveable and alien worlds.
Don't let yourself miss out on this one.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
adventurous
reflective
tense
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:
Yes
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Besides the never-ending winter, the most remarkable aspect of the planet is the people. As Ai notes, they are neither men nor women, but at the same time, both men and women. The people of Winter can switch gender, but in doing so, don't discard the other gender. It's fluid, both unified and disparate, and Ai has a hard time wrapping his mind around it, and thus accepting the people as more than anomalies. But the residents find Ai perverse, too. They can't imagine being constantly in one state of being.
Sci-fi isn't a genre I typically gravitate towards, as the focus is usually on world building and less on character development. Sure, there can be both, but the characters tend to be flatter - authors relying instead on the unique worlds they create to captivate readers. Winter's world was interesting, but not to the point where I felt fully immersed. The characters didn't compel me strongly, either.
What I found most compelling were the philosophies behind the plot - the relationship and essentiality of both light and dark, as well as the deep, almost painful desire we have to connect with others and know, really truly know, that we are not alone.
Sci-fi isn't a genre I typically gravitate towards, as the focus is usually on world building and less on character development. Sure, there can be both, but the characters tend to be flatter - authors relying instead on the unique worlds they create to captivate readers. Winter's world was interesting, but not to the point where I felt fully immersed. The characters didn't compel me strongly, either.
What I found most compelling were the philosophies behind the plot - the relationship and essentiality of both light and dark, as well as the deep, almost painful desire we have to connect with others and know, really truly know, that we are not alone.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Initially I found this frustrating and a bit dull, but later came to appreciate the detail and confusing invented language of the first section as effectively putting us in the perspective of Genly experiencing this new, unfamiliar world. I loved the whole journey across the ice and the relationship developing between Genly and Estraven. I wonder if this had been written nowadays a homoerotic relationship would/could have been explored more. I’m conflicted about Le Guin’s use of androgynous characters as for me they still presented as very masculine (similar to the notion even today that often ‘gender neutral’ is more masculine presenting) but perhaps this was from Genly’s understanding of their androgyny and his struggling to accept it.
adventurous
reflective
tense
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
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The plot was incomprehensible to me but I enjoyed the exploration of gender and sex in society.