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A review by nicole_schmid
Die linke Hand der Dunkelheit by Ursula K. Le Guin
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
[read in the German translation by Karen Nölle]
I very much enjoyed this book. I found it a bit disappointing that the main character's view on gender roles was so very fixed and stereotypical, but this gets challenged constantly. I also found this book very progressive for its time - or even for today, unfortunately. It was a bit of a pity that many terms were only explained in a glossary at the very ending (which I missed, I have to confess) and that some words like Kemmer were brought up, but only explained much later while others had footnotes. I really liked the myths and fairytales that were added in-between the chapters; that really makes this book seem like the sorts of notes an anthropologist. What left me wanting was the focus on world-building over characterisation or relationships. Not that there is anything wrong with that, some authors put more focus on that and some readers prefer it, but I'm the opposite, enjoying deep relationships over intricately thought out worlds, so this book was a bit hard to read in that aspect. It is also a very slow book, which also hampered my enjoyment.
A few words about the translation:
Ich denke, dass die Übersetzung gut gelungen ist. Das einzig, was mich gestört hat, war, dass die Maßeinheiten wie Fahrenheit und Yards nicht in üblichere Maßeinheiten übertragen worden sind.
I very much enjoyed this book. I found it a bit disappointing that the main character's view on gender roles was so very fixed and stereotypical, but this gets challenged constantly. I also found this book very progressive for its time - or even for today, unfortunately. It was a bit of a pity that many terms were only explained in a glossary at the very ending (which I missed, I have to confess) and that some words like Kemmer were brought up, but only explained much later while others had footnotes. I really liked the myths and fairytales that were added in-between the chapters; that really makes this book seem like the sorts of notes an anthropologist. What left me wanting was the focus on world-building over characterisation or relationships. Not that there is anything wrong with that, some authors put more focus on that and some readers prefer it, but I'm the opposite, enjoying deep relationships over intricately thought out worlds, so this book was a bit hard to read in that aspect. It is also a very slow book, which also hampered my enjoyment.
A few words about the translation:
Ich denke, dass die Übersetzung gut gelungen ist. Das einzig, was mich gestört hat, war, dass die Maßeinheiten wie Fahrenheit und Yards nicht in üblichere Maßeinheiten übertragen worden sind.