Hainish novels & stories

English language

Published July 9, 2017

ISBN:: 978-1-59853-538-9

E-book extra: In-depth study guide.Shevek, a brilliant physicist, decides to take action. He will seek answers, question the unquestionable, and attempt to tear down the walls of hatred that have isolated his planet of anarchists from the rest of the civilized universe. To do this dangerous task will mean giving up his family and possibly his life. Shevek must make the unprecedented journey to the utopian planet, Anarres, to challenge the complex structures of life and living, and ignite the fires of change.

51 editions

laundry0099@bookwyrm.social reviewed The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Slow start but a beautiful story

4 stars

I had to force myself to keep reading this book for a while. The beginning seemed to drag, and I was not really emotionally invested in any of the characters.

However, the last third of the book is an absolute page turner, and I found myself saving quote after quote. I am not a fan of books or movies that have a pervasive sense of doom about them, and this one definitely does. It is, much like life, a lesson in hopefulness in spite of the horrors.

I’m not quite sure how I feel about this book right now to be honest, having just finished it moments ago. That doesn’t happen often to me, and I think that speaks to the complexity of it. I look forward to mulling it over for the next few days, and also to reading more of this series.

penwing reads (they/them) reviewed The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (Hainish Cycle)

Love this book

5 stars

I didn't realise how much I loved this book until I reread it. It is the scifi book on gender in a very substantive way, but it is also, as the author acknowledges, out of date and lacking. Like Genly, le Guin and society learned and moved - one way and now, sadly, another...

It still shows misogyny in how Genly thinks of women and his (initial) attempts to put Gethians into gendered categories - perhaps exaggerated by the choice of "he" as pronoun (a great example of how "default" is not the same as "neutral").

But it is also much much more than just the scifi gender book. So much politics which must have had an impact on me when I read the book as a youngster - especially on patriotism and kindness - that I picked up much more brazenly on each reread.

Now to …

I didn't realise how much I loved this book until I reread it. It is the scifi book on gender in a very substantive way, but it is also, as the author acknowledges, out of date and lacking. Like Genly, le Guin and society learned and moved - one way and now, sadly, another...

It still shows misogyny in how Genly thinks of women and his (initial) attempts to put Gethians into gendered categories - perhaps exaggerated by the choice of "he" as pronoun (a great example of how "default" is not the same as "neutral").

But it is also much much more than just the scifi gender book. So much politics which must have had an impact on me when I read the book as a youngster - especially on patriotism and kindness - that I picked up much more brazenly on each reread.

Now to go discuss at book club #wsf