A review by mlkao94697
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

adventurous dark reflective sad medium-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

4.0

"But it was from the difference between us, not from the affinities and likenesses, but from the difference, that that love came: and it was itself the bridge, the only bridge, across what divided us."
This book is way ahead of its time, just like many of Le Guin's works. It was an emotional story with an interesting philosophy about gender and the perception of gender built into it. Genly starts off as misogynistic, seeing feminine qualities as deceitful and weak, which leads to his initial distrust of Estraven. I thought the development of the relationship between Estraven and Genly was the best part of the book.
Genly's eventual realization, appreciation, and acceptance of Estraven hit me really hard.
At some points, I felt like the narrative dragged on a little. Also, the ending was really sad and made me feel a little empty, but I don't know if there was a better way to end it. Overall, an interesting discussion about the duality of the human experience.
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