Reviews

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

kidicarus64's review against another edition

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5.0

My heart was shattered by this sublime tale full of empathy and softness.

racoonsinatreanchcoat's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

katreadsalot's review against another edition

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3.0

Really enjoyed this one! Marvelous world building. Ged was a great character. I think I will have to read this a hundred times before I completely understand it. It was so beautifully written.

baldrinium's review against another edition

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adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

3.75

toniuhgwire's review against another edition

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1.0

Probably the most boring book I’ve ever read. I was literally going to pull my hair out trying to get through this. I only finished it because it is required for one of my courses. Absolutely terrible reading experience. Too much lore not enough Dialogue.

bookslikegranola's review against another edition

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5.0

At once intimate and mythic, I really love this book. 
 
Ged lives a quiet life in a remote mountain village, until his dramatic sorcery saves the village from raiders and brings him to the attention of a powerful wizard. I really love this as a quick, comfy book about an archetypal wizards journey. 
 
Highly recommended as a quick comfort fantasy read.

josefiend's review against another edition

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adventurous dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

banned_book's review against another edition

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2.0

There is no earnestness to this story.


I greatly looked forward Le Guin's "powerful prose" and "psychological portraiture" as rave reviews put it, but by the end I was still searching for something even remotely resembling those things. Her prose is straightforward but bland, not one of the characters stand out, and the plot always trudges on at the same monotonous pace. 


It's as if the book was constructed with small talk. Light on detail, not evocative of anything. I need at least one aspect of a story to be vivid to latch onto it. Whether the author focuses on intense emotion, strong character personalities, extensive world building, artful prose - I don't care what narrative tool gets used. But Le Guin never hones in on anything, so Earthsea ended up feeling more like an outline.

imabrunette23's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

bobbobson088's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0