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A review by goblinhearted
A Wizard of Earthsea: The First Book of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
2.0
I am ashamed by how much I didn’t like this book. I know I shouldn’t be, but after intensely enjoying other books in Le Guin’s bibliography and hearing so many people speak so highly about this book and series, I accept that I am the problem here.
I just couldn’t connect with the concept as a whole. For such a short book, it felt like it stretched on forever. There was too much seafaring for my tastes, which made it difficult for me to stay focused on the story. The narrative felt like it was painted in broad strokes, reminiscent of a campfire tale or a retelling of a myth. While that style can be effective, it didn’t resonate with me in this longer format.
The story also had a certain masculine essence that I struggled to articulate until I came across an interview where Le Guin admitted, “What I’d been doing as a writer was being a woman pretending to think like a man.” That revelation helped clarify why A Wizard of Earthsea felt different from what I’ve come to love about her work. It lacked the special touch that I so deeply relate to as a woman, and instead, it felt like any other basic and forgettable fantasy tale. This could be because so many works since its writing have been derivative of it (like the Harry Potter series), which might make it seem bland and overdone to a new reader.
That said, I’m not giving up on this series. I’ve been reassured that The Tombs of Atuan and Tehanu showcase the glimmer of what I love in Le Guin’s work, and I intend to give the series another chance with those books!
I just couldn’t connect with the concept as a whole. For such a short book, it felt like it stretched on forever. There was too much seafaring for my tastes, which made it difficult for me to stay focused on the story. The narrative felt like it was painted in broad strokes, reminiscent of a campfire tale or a retelling of a myth. While that style can be effective, it didn’t resonate with me in this longer format.
The story also had a certain masculine essence that I struggled to articulate until I came across an interview where Le Guin admitted, “What I’d been doing as a writer was being a woman pretending to think like a man.” That revelation helped clarify why A Wizard of Earthsea felt different from what I’ve come to love about her work. It lacked the special touch that I so deeply relate to as a woman, and instead, it felt like any other basic and forgettable fantasy tale. This could be because so many works since its writing have been derivative of it (like the Harry Potter series), which might make it seem bland and overdone to a new reader.
That said, I’m not giving up on this series. I’ve been reassured that The Tombs of Atuan and Tehanu showcase the glimmer of what I love in Le Guin’s work, and I intend to give the series another chance with those books!