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carrionkid's review against another edition
5.0
Absolute banger of a book for real
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest
jiangslore's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
[4/5]
Desde quando li “Aqueles que Abandonam Omelas”, tive vontade de ler mais da Úrsula K. Le Guin. Não estava planejando que minha próxima leitura da autora fosse “A Mão Esquerda da Escuridão”, mas, como surgiu a oportunidade de participar de uma leitura coletiva dele, acabei resolvendo ler. E fico feliz em dizer que não me arrependi, pois gostei bastante do livro. Apesar de a questão do gênero ser colocada como um ponto central na sinopse, não foi o que mais gostei do livro; mesmo pensando que a abordagem da autora teve muitos aspectos positivos.
Como é dito na introdução escrita pela a autora, a ideia da ficção científica é mostrar certos aspectos já existentes no ser humano e em nossa sociedade. Ou seja, a intenção não é dizer como as coisas deveriam ser; e não há, necessariamente, a vontade de criticar ou transformar algo. Acredito que ter essa noção é importante para não esperar do livro algo que ele não se propõe a entregar — é importante entender que, embora a perspectiva de gênero apresentada no livro seja interessante e gere reflexões, ela não parece ser formulada com uma finalidade primordial de criticar a estrutura de gênero da nossa sociedade.
Além disso, há uma questão que não tenho certeza se deve ser atribuída à escrita original ou à tradução: são usados muitos termos que podem gerar um desconforto compreensível em leitores dos dias atuais. Eu não diria que elas possuem uma intenção pejorativa dentro da própria obra, até porque são palavras usadas para descrever criaturas que não são da mesma espécie que nós. E, claro, para o mainstream da época da publicação de “A Mão Esquerda da Escuridão” — para o mainstream, mas não para algumas subculturas, visto que a publicação foi no mesmo ano das manifestações de Stonewall — a perspectiva apresentada no livro é quase revolucionária. Mas é normal que, décadas depois, alguns termos não sejam mais considerados tão adequados. Essa questão não fez com que eu não gostasse da leitura, mas acredito que ela deve ser mencionada, especialmente considerando o tipo de público que a sinopse da obra atrai.
Nesse contexto, também é importante mencionar que um dos narradores, Genly Ai, muitas vezes associa o feminino com características negativas. No início da leitura, pensei que tal fato era atribuído ao preconceito do próprio personagem, nascido e criado em uma sociedade binária. Entretanto, esse aspecto não foi completamente revertido até o final do livro, apesar de se tornar bem menos frequente.
Acredito que o que mais gostei em “A Mão Esquerda da Escuridão” foi a construção de mundo, rapidamente seguida pelo desenvolvimento dos dois protagonistas e pela escrita. A construção de mundo é ótima, pois, ao mesmo tempo em que são apresentados aspectos relevantes do planeta Gethen para a missão de Genly Ai, também são mencionadas e desenvolvidas coisas que parecem ser parte da rotina; algo natural do planeta.
Há vários aspectos do planeta que, ao se entrelaçarem com o enredo, tomam a forma de alegorias. Para algumas pessoas, isso pode consistir em uma “falta de desenvolvimento”, mas eu não concordo com essa perspectiva. Como disse anteriormente, o objetivo da autora não era criticar ou mudar aquela sociedade fictícia. O que ela pretendia era mostrar o seu funcionamento, tanto em coisas positivas quanto em coisas negativas. Por isso, acredito que mostrar certas questões na obra não trazia, consigo, uma necessidade de crítica ou desconstrução desse tipo de local.
Um dos temas abordados no livro é a ambivalência, ou a necessidade do humano de viver nela, e, ao mesmo tempo em que o livro aborda esse assunto, ele é narrado por dois pontos de vista, por duas pessoas que são, simultaneamente, humanos e alienígenas: Genly Ai e Estraven. Eu adorei ver as diferenças entre os pontos de vista, que, muitas vezes, se encaixavam, em outras, se contradiziam. No início, vemos que os personagens observam suas interações de formas muito diferentes, o que cria problemas de comunicação que são muito bem desenvolvidos, porque nós, como leitores, temos acesso aos pensamentos e preconceitos que levaram determinado personagem a pensar ou agir de certa forma.
À medida que o livro avança, vemos mais casos em que os pontos de vista se complementam — às vezes, o que não era mencionado ou explicado por um, por motivos expressos ou implícitos, era pelo outro. E essas escolhas deles no que revelar ao leitor, além de transformarem a leitura em algo mais dinâmico, serviu muito bem para entendermos os personagens de forma ainda mais profunda. Também há um desenvolvimento profundo do relacionamento entre esses dois personagens, que, em certo ponto, torna-se o foco da narrativa. Penso que é importante mencionar que os personagens coadjuvantes não possuem o mesmo nível de desenvolvimento, mas, como o livro é muito focado nos personagens principais, isso não atrapalhou tanto a leitura.
O enredo do livro é bem interessante. Ele apresenta alguns aspectos bem clássicos, como a presença de uma profecia no início da história — que demonstra que o que é previsto vai ocorrer, mas, com certeza, não será da forma que se espera. Nada que é previsto em uma visão do futuro ocorrerá de forma direta e reta. Apesar de não ser muito inovadora, esse tipo de narrativa é algo que gosto bastante; principalmente quando o desenvolvimento é bom (o que, na minha opinião, foi o caso).
Em suma, “A Mão Esquerda da Escuridão” foi um livro que me agradou bastante, apesar de eu, objetivamente falando, reconhecer que há aspectos negativos nele. Úrsula K. Le Guin tem uma forma extremamente interessante de abordar as contradições e estranhezas que formam um ser humano — algo que só vi ser feito com esse nível de excelência e nessa forma de ficção por uma única pessoa: N. K. Jemisin. Acredito que pessoas que gostam da obra de uma vão gostar dos livros da outra. E, se você não conhece nenhuma delas, definitivamente recomendo ambas.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Xenophobia
sara_n's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, and Deportation
blazingquill's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is an older book written in a classical science fiction style - which is to say, sometimes a slog to get through. In addition, while it takes several meaningful steps to deconstruct the gender binary, it does so in a way which is very accessible, and therefore doesn’t push as far at it perhaps could, as Le Guin herself commented on several times.
That being said, it’s a very profound look into the difference between things that are societally decided and things that are innately human, in a way that thoughtfully offers solutions to the world we currently live in rather than just pointing out the bad. (From what I understand, this is often a core tenant of Le Guin’s work, and makes me excited to read more.) At it’s core, despite the way it sometimes reads, it’s a story about friendship and love. The line, “I do not know if we were right,” inflicted psychic damage upon me, and just barely manages to push the heavy queer coding into explicitly queer.
If you have experience reading dense science fiction, and don’t mind it, I would highly recommend.
That being said, it’s a very profound look into the difference between things that are societally decided and things that are innately human, in a way that thoughtfully offers solutions to the world we currently live in rather than just pointing out the bad. (From what I understand, this is often a core tenant of Le Guin’s work, and makes me excited to read more.) At it’s core, despite the way it sometimes reads, it’s a story about friendship and love. The line, “I do not know if we were right,” inflicted psychic damage upon me, and just barely manages to push the heavy queer coding into explicitly queer.
If you have experience reading dense science fiction, and don’t mind it, I would highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Trafficking, and Grief
Moderate: Torture, Violence, Vomit, and Police brutality
Minor: Transphobia, Murder, and War
loki's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The way this book explores gender means so much to me. While I knew the premise of the book, I didn't expect it to be quite as revolutionary as it is, especially given when it was written. The two perspectives of Gently Ai and Estraven work beautifully to illustrate both the strangeness of the androgyny of the inhabitants of Gethen, and the strangeness of our own gender norms. The dual perspective allows us to see how each system of gender is working, and how crucial those systems are in understanding each other. It is painful to watch the two main characters so deeply misunderstand each other to begin with, and then to find mutual understanding as the story goes on. I was surprised that the book managed to convince me not to hate Gently Ai, as I did after just the first chapter. In a wider context, this is the first of Le Guin's books that I have read so far that so beautifully marries social commentary and an incredible story.
As a final note that i will not specify as a positive or a negative, this is essentially omegaverse before omegaverse even existed.
As a final note that i will not specify as a positive or a negative, this is essentially omegaverse before omegaverse even existed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Grief, and Colonisation
thecriticalreader's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Blurb:
Genly Ai is a human envoy from an interstellar organization called Ekumen that coordinates communication, trade, transportation, and cultural exchange between anthropoid planets sent to the planet of Gethen to convince the planet’s government to join Ekumen. Gethen is an extremely cold planet with near-constant wintery weather. Another notable aspect of the planet is that its inhabitants belong to a singular, fluid sex. Their physiology is androgynous and asexual except for when they find themselves in heat, at which point they couple with another person in heat. When coupling, one person’s anatomy and hormones closely resemble that of a human male; the other, that of a human female. Genly Ai struggles as he fights to accomplish his goal on a planet that he finds strange, confusing, and inhospitable.
Review:
The Left Hand of Darkness is a science fiction novel that is often spoken about for its exploration of gender and sex, but it would be unfair to limit one’s assessment of the novel here, because The Left Hand of Darkness also delves into themes of patriotism, war, human nature, and cultural anthropology. The book’s main strengths lie in world-building, philosophical thought, and thematic explorations: since it reads like a cultural anthropology report, Le Guin’s highly imaginative world stands out but remains rather remote from the adventure, unique characterizations, and gripping plots that some expect from the science fiction genre. Nevertheless, she expertly evokes an icy atmosphere, both in terms of Gethen’s physical conditions and in the bewildering incomprehensibility its society presents for Genly Ai. The language and descriptions are so vivid, in fact, that I felt distinctly chilly every time I picked up the book. Although the plot moves slowly and takes place on another world, the story at the book’s center is a very human one.
The book’s imaginative worldbuilding and profound philosophical discussions make it a worthwhile and enjoyable read, but it would be incorrect to call The Left Hand of Darkness a ‘timeless classic,’ as several aspects of its thematic exploration betray it as a product of its time. For one, the book’s concern with the nature of patriotism and war reflects anxieties over America’s division over the Vietnam War, although these discussions still hold relevance today. On the other hand, its central optimism, rather unquestioning faith in institutions of open trade and cultural exchange, and lack of concern surrounding ecological destruction seem rather naïve to a twenty-first-century reader. Similarly, Le Guin’s narrative brushes against but never fully embraces the idea of gender and sex as social constructions, ultimately unable to fully escape a bio-essentialist understanding of gender. Her exclusive use of he/him pronouns to describe the ambisexual Getherians—despite their nonbinary conception of gender—particularly undercuts the impact of her commentary. The Left Hand of Darkness would have certainly been radical in the middle of the second wave of feminism, but now appears rather outdated in the face of subsequent scholarship in the field of gender and sexuality studies.
The Run-Down:
You will probably like The Left Hand of Darkness if:
· You enjoy cerebral, philosophical science fiction in the vein of Star Trek
· You are a fan of cultural anthropologys
You might not like The Left Hand of Darkness if:
· You are looking for an action-packed, adventurous story with fascinating characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Death, Incest, and Sexism
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Pregnancy, and War
geonox's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Suicide
dhiyanah's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
I tried reading this a few years ago, excited by the hype of it, a gender-smashing sci-fi adventure promised by the synopsis. I didn't get past the first few chapters that time. Picked it back up this year out of a nostalgia for classic sci-fi, more readily aware of the slow pace and dense narration that comes with the territory.
I appreciate Ursula's treatment of imaginative concepts, how easily she weaves a story that serves as a potent reflection for real-life considerations. The frustrations and complications of gender showcased through this slow interplanetary adventure is both intriguing and irritating. I enjoyed the melding-together of landscape, political science, and character growth in this story.
I appreciate Ursula's treatment of imaginative concepts, how easily she weaves a story that serves as a potent reflection for real-life considerations. The frustrations and complications of gender showcased through this slow interplanetary adventure is both intriguing and irritating. I enjoyed the melding-together of landscape, political science, and character growth in this story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Body horror, Suicide, and Torture
Minor: Death and Violence
madamenovelist's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, and Confinement
katconig's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I can't help but feel like this book would be eaten alive by much of the online book community if it were published today. It uses he as a gender neutral pronoun in a book deconstructing gender socialization and one of the two POV characters is a misogynist who cannot fathom associating "feminine" with anything valuable. This alone seems enough for many to write it off completely. And yet it is the exploration of the nuances of these imperfections that make the book so incredible. Genly's misogyny is precisely what foils him from making progress in his mission, and ultimately puts not only his mission but life at risk. The book uses he as the gender neutral because Genly is the one translating.
Reading this book made me wonder what other valuable explorations we might miss out on in favor of demanding perfection.
Reading this book made me wonder what other valuable explorations we might miss out on in favor of demanding perfection.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Death, Incest, and Misogyny