A review by wanderflash_
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

aside from the obvious mind-boggling world building and relationship between the characters, I ADORE AND THANK URSULA FOR SHOWING ME THE INEFFABLE BEAUTY OF WORDS AGAIN. her writing rejuvenated my love for the english language.

i feel like being able to engross myself in countless books of different genres and styles made me inept to appreciate how beautiful the language is. i took it for granted, but ursula's deliberate and masterful way of writing just lit a fire in me huhuhuhu

I LOVE LOVE WORDS, BUT OH MY GOD WOW HOW COULD SHE DESCRIBE SNOW, AN INHABITABLE, AND CRUEL WORLD, IN MILLIONS OF WAYS TO EVOKE SUCH PROFOUND EMOTIONS?

oscar wilde did the same with dorian gray but i feel like ursula's world is much more challenging, unforgiving, and bleak, AND YET!!! AND YEEEEET!! I WANT TO LIVE IN IT

the abundance of coldness and bleakness of the world was given warmth by the heartfelt friendship between genly and estraven. the unbound kindness of those who helped these exiles after their deadly treck in the snow for months. 

ursula's genius lies in her shining such a hopeful light in the darkness of the universe she created. it also lends such a radical view of the human conditions in the 60s and breaking gender stereotypes in an honest and loving way. i am once again touched by a masterpiece in human storytelling. i feel indebted to her.