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kmartineau 's review for:
Ender's Game
by Orson Scott Card
emotional
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Despite my distates for the author as a person, I revisited Ender's Game recently on a road trip with my fiancee through an audiobook. It was one of my favorite books as a kid and I wanted to see if it a) held up to my new standards as an adult and b) if the book reflected the author's own views.
Thankfully, not only did the book hold up amazingly but it also featured none of the hateful rhetoric used by the author and, instead, has a very human and compassionate lens. The endingwas especially moving and a truely beautiful way to end the story as well as Ender's arc as a character . My only point of improvement for the book is, because of how long we spend with our main characters (who are fantastic) and how much ground the book covers in terms of in-store time, we don't get a lot of insight or development into the cast of diverse side characters we meet along the way who help Ender in his journey. I especially would've liked to know more about Alai and his bond with Ender.
Regardless, I was touched by my return to Ender's Game. It's place in my heart is still conflicted due to Card's bigotry, however I cannot deny the impact his story had on me both in my youth and as an adult.
Thankfully, not only did the book hold up amazingly but it also featured none of the hateful rhetoric used by the author and, instead, has a very human and compassionate lens. The ending
Regardless, I was touched by my return to Ender's Game. It's place in my heart is still conflicted due to Card's bigotry, however I cannot deny the impact his story had on me both in my youth and as an adult.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs
There is a single usage of a slur when referring to a character of Israeli descent. It is used to show the bigotry of the setting, but I question the necessity for it's inclusion. Card had also had a version of the novel where he used the n-word to specifically draw critique of a characters bigotry, however he later implored his publisher to let him re-write that segment to not include it.