Reviews with content warning for Racism - Das Wort für Welt ist Wald

This was a brilliant introduction to Ursula K Le Guin and I’m excited to read more of her work. This science fiction collection in general includes beautiful concise works. I didn’t expect to like the dual perspective as much as I did, but I think it was crucial to the novel’s efficacy. I had some unanswered questions which were not really relevant, which is how this novel remained concise; it told the important story.

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evehowell's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

absolutely incredible book, one that gets ever more relevant with time. tells us so much about humans and how we will lose everything - i wish everybody in the world had read it so they could understand.

i was driven largely in my reading of it by the introduction’s statement that it tells of what happens to a colonised people’s morality in the aftermath of defending themselves, and i saw this message very expertly woven throughout the narrative. politically, this book is a masterpiece - an easy 5/5.

outside of its “real world” implications, the book is also fantastic. the characters are brilliant - davidson’s pure evilness is compelling (although it almost sent me spiralling in rage at times), lyubov both admirable and pitiable, and selver the unlikely antihero - what can you do but root for him?

the most compelling part for me, which will haunt me for weeks to come, was lyubov’s reaction to selver’s warning about the attack on Central. the very small admission that he knew what it meant and didn’t allow himself to act on it, in itself an act of both sacrifice and betrayal, is haunting. selver’s acceptance of lyubov being victim of the attack, but the everlasting impact of accepting this fact, gives perfect and realistic weight to the reality of the situation.

i could talk about this book for hours. it’s true that having read it has changed me as a person, and for that i’m very grateful.

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nyxlikesbook's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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