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A review by spinnerlynne
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I liked this a lot, especially after the first third? I found Orr very sympathetic and the whole thing very unsettling. There was a lot of ethics and philosophy for such a short text--compact!
My mind drew some parallels with L'étranger in that it's very focused on a "weak" loner man in a world that seems very difficult to understand and I just wish I'd had to read this three times over in school and university rather than Camus...! It would have given me way more I'm sure.
Also there are some delicious turns of phrase and humorous bits. Masterful.
But--there is also that dusty musty old feeling common to a lot of mid-20th century writing. Stuffy in a way I can't quite put my finger on. I don't love that atmosphere in a book so that pulls down the rating a bit for me.
My mind drew some parallels with L'étranger in that it's very focused on a "weak" loner man in a world that seems very difficult to understand and I just wish I'd had to read this three times over in school and university rather than Camus...! It would have given me way more I'm sure.
Also there are some delicious turns of phrase and humorous bits. Masterful.
But--there is also that dusty musty old feeling common to a lot of mid-20th century writing. Stuffy in a way I can't quite put my finger on. I don't love that atmosphere in a book so that pulls down the rating a bit for me.