Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Word for World Is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin

8 reviews

trailmixraisins's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This Ursula K. Le Guin classic is a short and bittersweet parable-like story. She uses vivid and explicit depictions of colonialism in the setting of an alien planet years in the future where humans have developed the technology to travel through space. Selver, an Athshean man, and his society are irrevocably changed after humans settle the planet to harvest wood to be sold on Earth. Though ultimately hopeful, the toll of human violence and hatred on the non-violent society puts its continued existence in jeopardy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Murder, Colonisation, Sexual harassment, Slavery, War, Xenophobia, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Confinement, Alcohol, Blood, Drug use, Misogyny, Torture, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Minor: Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism

issyharvey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I'm always a fan of Le Guin's writing and will definitely be rereading this piece again and again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Death, Genocide, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Gun violence, Bullying, Sexual assault, and War

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, and Alcohol

johnpfromkc's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Good message but it was a little too "on the nose." 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Death, Bullying, Colonisation, Police brutality, Murder, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Classism, Racial slurs, Violence, Addiction, Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, War, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Blood, and Physical abuse

cjlacyhanks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Rape

Minor: Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, War, Rape, Confinement, and Blood

ka_cam's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A heart wrenching and thought provoking read. I was impressed how she introduced complex characters, relationships, and ideologies in a short time. Deeply flawed characters navigate themes of violence, humanity/inhumanity, colonization, reality, subconscious, gender, cultural difference, self defense and more. Ultimately tragic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Blood, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Body horror, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, War, and Colonisation

becksusername's review

adventurous challenging dark sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Genocide, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Violence, Rape, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, War, Vomit, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Murder, Slavery, Confinement, Death, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury

lucystolethesky's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Slavery, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Murder, Colonisation, War, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Racism, and Rape

sweekune's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Audiobook narrated by Kevin Pariseau.

This short but profound story gives raw and visceral insight into the harms of colonialism and the effects on both native and coloniser. Le Guin crafts the narrative with amazing skill. I really felt for the Athsheans and their plight and I absolutely hated Davidson!

The good:
- Intense and reflective plot which encourages parallels with our own history and the atrocities committed. For much of this book you could switch out the Athsheans and Terrains with indigenous people and European invaders. 
- The Athsheans culture was unique and different to any I've read before. I would have loved to explore it further.
- Davidson was the most hateable character I've read in a long time. He is egotistical, racist, sexist, manipulative, narcissistic. There is not a redeeming feature for this character and his role in the narrative needed him to be just so.

What could have been better?:
- The characters felt a little shallow. Of the three characters whose points of view the reader is shown, Selver the Athshean was flat and not built up to the height told in the narrative, Lyubov was insightful but his sections were brief and Davidson was an epitome of a hateable nemesis. 
- The short length meant that some of the interesting aspects of Athshean culture were not explored more fully. I would happily read a book just detailing their species and culture.
- The audiobook version I listened to had annoying music at the beginning and end which added nothing to the performance.

There is a lot to think about and apply from this book. If anyone is looking for reading material about colonialism, despite being sci-fi, this would be a good recommendation. I plan to read this book again with my children once they are older as I think there are some poignant themes and lessons to learn here.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Slavery, Xenophobia, Sexism, Racism, Blood, and Death

Minor: Rape and Drug use