Questions everything, not just gender
Written: May 25 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful writing, involved plot, resonant themes and characters
Cons: Sometimes slow and a little vague
The Bottom Line: If I could live my life having read only one book, this would be it.
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| falanouc's Full Review: Ursula K. Le Guin - Left Hand of Darkness |
The Left Hand of Darkness well deserves all these positive reviews. It was a daring, milestone work in its time--one for which LeGuin received both the Hugo and Nebula awards--and remains a unique, provocative book.
If a reader were to put this book down and say "It's about androgynous people" or "It's about gender", they would be missing the point. Indeed, the inhabitants of Gethen (Winter), the planet where the story takes place, are androgynous--and certainly this calls into question many issues of gender and humanity for the male protagonist from Earth. However, the gender issues are only one part of a novel that tackles quite a few themes. For me, the Gethenians being neither "men" nor "women" helped their simple humanity shine through in the political, sociological, and emotional elements of the story.
Genly Ai, a man from earth and a representative of the Ekumen, a collective of human worlds, arrives on Gethen alone. His duty is to try to convince Gethen to enter the Ekumen. Karhide and Orgoreyn, the planet's two most powerful nations, are on this verge of war--and this planet has never seen a war in all its history. The Gethenians are suspicious and baffled by Ai, and he by them. Pay attention to the character of Lord Estraven--is he what he seems? and what does he seem like, anyway?
Ambiguity plagues Ai wherever he goes. It is present in the state, in the mythology, in the religion, in the Gethenians themselves. More than being about gender, this is a book that wonders "What is truth?", "What is love?", "What is betrayal?" The reader is free to answer these questions however they see fit.
Although a bit slow in places, the descriptions of Gethen's wintry climate and unique people are vivid and memorable. Much of it rings somewhat Taoist. Even the minor characters are interesting. Some old legends and myths of Gethen, beautiful stories in themselves, are integrated into the main plot. LeGuin can write wrenchingly, tragically, yet still with an admirable edge of humor. Her style is poetic without being too flowery. My only complaint would be that I was left with a feeling of wanting to know more about the characters and what they were thinking; it's almost as though the book is a little vague on purpose. This could have to do with the fact that it is presented as Ai's report to the Ekumen. People usually don't include the juiciest details in official reports. Perhaps the sense of unanswered questions is supposed to be part of the read.
The latest edition of The Left Hand of Darkness, besides having a vastly improved cover, includes the author's foreword, which is a good read unto itself. Those wanting to hear more from LeGuin about Gethen can read her essay "Is Gender Necessary?", an updated version of which can be found in Dancing at the Edge of the World; or you can check out "Winter's King", from her short story collection The Wind's Twelve Quarters; or "Coming of Age in Karhide", a story about kemmer, the phase during which Gethenians assume a gender and mate--find that one in LeGuin's latest book The Birthday of the World!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
falanouc
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Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 1 member
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