Scan barcode
A review by allbutterbiscuit
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
This one was hard for me to get into, but I found that by the end I cared deeply for the characters and appreciated the intricate details of the world that Le Guin created.
I don't want to say this is "Dune" but cold, but I'll admit the thought occurred to me while reading this book haha. An envoy to a harsh planet who has to grow out of their naivete to survive and lead people out of war and oppression amidst cutthroat political intrigue? Fascinating and detailed world building that describes how this planet's people have forged a way to not just survive but thrive in an extreme climate?? The introduction of multiple contrasting cultures to shed light on the true nature of each one??? Even the treatment of religion and sex feel similarly anthropological in these two books. I noticed an orientalizing gaze in both, Middle Eastern in "Dune" and East Asian in "The Left Hand of Darkness", that I saw as maybe problematic/uncomfortable in 2024 but still found interesting for how it grounds these invented cultures in something recognizable to readers. Of the two, I enjoyed reading "The Left Hand of Darkness" a bit more, because I preferred Le Guin's writing and resonated more with her characters. Can Denis Villeneuve please adapt?
My favorite things about this book (spoilers)
I don't want to say this is "Dune" but cold, but I'll admit the thought occurred to me while reading this book haha. An envoy to a harsh planet who has to grow out of their naivete to survive and lead people out of war and oppression amidst cutthroat political intrigue? Fascinating and detailed world building that describes how this planet's people have forged a way to not just survive but thrive in an extreme climate?? The introduction of multiple contrasting cultures to shed light on the true nature of each one??? Even the treatment of religion and sex feel similarly anthropological in these two books. I noticed an orientalizing gaze in both, Middle Eastern in "Dune" and East Asian in "The Left Hand of Darkness", that I saw as maybe problematic/uncomfortable in 2024 but still found interesting for how it grounds these invented cultures in something recognizable to readers. Of the two, I enjoyed reading "The Left Hand of Darkness" a bit more, because I preferred Le Guin's writing and resonated more with her characters. Can Denis Villeneuve please adapt?
My favorite things about this book (spoilers)
- Estraven's character and story arc. I love that you first meet him through the eyes of Genly, who distrusts him and so passes that distrust onto the reader. He sees Estraven as a slick political operator and is unused to the concept of "shifgrethor" on Gethen, having lived in a society with more direct or assertive communication. Then you find out, before Genly does, that Estraven is the hero of this book. He's someone who is truly open minded and humanistic to the point of martyrdom. I also really enjoyed how his friendship with Genly develops over the course of the novel, especially their harrowing journey through the ice together.
- The constant shifting and re-evaluation of Karhide and Orgoreyn as political entities. Orgoreyn seems like the more "advanced" society that just happens to be a little more bureaucratic, but their surveillance culture quickly reveals itself as authoritarian rule split amongst warring oligarchs and a secret police force. It's a society that seems placid on the surface, but hides a deep rot below.