kvnrmrz's review against another edition
3.0
As a fan of several of Ursula K. Le Guin's novels, this was a difficult read.
There's no denying her way with words. The writing brings this story to life, and yet, the actual story, a young man leaving his home with his revolutionary friends, wasn't all that captivating. The most touching moments came when the main character, Itale, expressed his passion for freedom to the friends and women he loved.
I would recommend this novel still, despite the absence of elements Ursula is beloved for: magic, dragons, interstellar voyages, alien worlds. It just requires a little more effort.
There's no denying her way with words. The writing brings this story to life, and yet, the actual story, a young man leaving his home with his revolutionary friends, wasn't all that captivating. The most touching moments came when the main character, Itale, expressed his passion for freedom to the friends and women he loved.
I would recommend this novel still, despite the absence of elements Ursula is beloved for: magic, dragons, interstellar voyages, alien worlds. It just requires a little more effort.
mssarahmorgan's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
richardpierce's review against another edition
5.0
A parable. This eternal tension between duty to family, duty to self, duty to the greater good. The discussion of whether or not it's hypocritical of someone wealthy to agitate on behalf of the poor and oppressed. There are no easy answers, not in real life, not in this book, where the beautiful writing uncovers horror and love and despair and hope with the same languid language which makes it even more shocking and moving.
jandi's review against another edition
5.0
Very unique book from Ursula K. Le Guin. Beautiful writing to be savored. The story here is set in an imaginary European country under Austrian control in the first half or the 19th century. While the country is imaginary, the novel is written as if it was real, with many references to contemporary events in other parts of Europe. Orsinia starts as a place filled with hope after the revolution in France, with eerie shadows of totalitarian regimes to come. Itale Sorde, the main character, is an idealistic young man that sets out into the world to write about freedom. The path his character goes through reminded me a lot of Pyotr from "War and Peace". While Itale is out and about, his sister Laura and his childhool friend Piera (who reminded me of Tenar from "Tehanu") stay behind, seeking freedom their own way. The focus on the story is on Itale's journey, but my favorite sections were those featuring Laura and Piera.
Spoiler
Some sections of the book made me quite angry. Why are there so few choices for the women here? While historically correct, it is still infuriating. One particular scene where Italo describes 22-year old Piera as too worn out to account for much is heart wrenching. The subtle ending merited multiple reads.booksbythewindow's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
For full review: https://booksbythewindow.wordpress.com/2022/09/28/malafrena/#more-1498
Summary: Malafrena primarily follows recently graduated Itale Sorde, who decides not to join his father managing the family estate but instead move to Krasnoy, the capital city of Orsinia, where he can join with other revolutionaries hoping for Orsinia’s independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As the newspaper he and his friends founded starts to rise in notoriety, opposition from the Empire also begins to rise, requiring them to decide if this is something for which they are willing to risk their lives and freedom. Meanwhile, back in his home town, Itale’s sister, Laura, and her friend, Piera, try to move forward with their lives which now look so different to the life Itale has chosen.
Overall Thoughts: Malafrena has definitely been one of my favourite reads of the year so far. I was gripped by the narrative, which took some turns that I did not see coming, and found the primary characters to be engaging and sympathetic, even at their lowest and worst moments. Itale’s journey, particularly in the final section of the novel, felt emotional and complex in a way that left me thinking about it long after I had put the book down. I would definitely recommend Malafrena to anyone who enjoyed The Earthsea Cycle as well as to anyone with an interest in narratives about revolutions in nineteenth-century Europe. Malafrena has definitely confirmed Le Guin as one of my favourite authors and I am really looking forward to reading Orsinian Tales soon.
Summary: Malafrena primarily follows recently graduated Itale Sorde, who decides not to join his father managing the family estate but instead move to Krasnoy, the capital city of Orsinia, where he can join with other revolutionaries hoping for Orsinia’s independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As the newspaper he and his friends founded starts to rise in notoriety, opposition from the Empire also begins to rise, requiring them to decide if this is something for which they are willing to risk their lives and freedom. Meanwhile, back in his home town, Itale’s sister, Laura, and her friend, Piera, try to move forward with their lives which now look so different to the life Itale has chosen.
Overall Thoughts: Malafrena has definitely been one of my favourite reads of the year so far. I was gripped by the narrative, which took some turns that I did not see coming, and found the primary characters to be engaging and sympathetic, even at their lowest and worst moments. Itale’s journey, particularly in the final section of the novel, felt emotional and complex in a way that left me thinking about it long after I had put the book down. I would definitely recommend Malafrena to anyone who enjoyed The Earthsea Cycle as well as to anyone with an interest in narratives about revolutions in nineteenth-century Europe. Malafrena has definitely confirmed Le Guin as one of my favourite authors and I am really looking forward to reading Orsinian Tales soon.
mmparker's review against another edition
4.0
This is another that I think LeGuin fans will enjoy, but it's a hard, quiet, cynical(?) book about failed ambitions.
nhcfriedman's review against another edition
4.0
A quite astonishing 19th-century realist novel that just so happens to have been written in the mid 20th-century and set in a fictional country. Le Guin spent nearly 30 years working on this off and on, and it shows in the level of polish.
lory_enterenchanted's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Reviews and more on my blog: Entering the Enchanted Castle
I was never interested in Orsinia when I read Le Guin as a kid. I bought Orsinian Tales thinking it would be more Earthsea or The Wind's Twelve Quarters and put it aside, baffled and bored by the lack of magic or spaceships. But now it strikes me as one of her most impressive works, utterly immersive and not at all fantastic, except in being about an imaginary country. The characters live, within their vividly described setting, the language is beautiful, subtle and oblique, the thoughts about love and freedom as as relevant now as in the 1825 of the story. So glad I finally read this and I'll definitely be reading the Tales as well.
I was never interested in Orsinia when I read Le Guin as a kid. I bought Orsinian Tales thinking it would be more Earthsea or The Wind's Twelve Quarters and put it aside, baffled and bored by the lack of magic or spaceships. But now it strikes me as one of her most impressive works, utterly immersive and not at all fantastic, except in being about an imaginary country. The characters live, within their vividly described setting, the language is beautiful, subtle and oblique, the thoughts about love and freedom as as relevant now as in the 1825 of the story. So glad I finally read this and I'll definitely be reading the Tales as well.
silvvy234's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
lindcherry's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0