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gilnean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Cursing, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Excrement, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
_david_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The book successfully presents multiple perspectives, with the main character questioning his own ideas and cultural norms after engaging with Winter's people. What stands out is how Winter and its countries aren't portrayed as utopias nor lesser places than earth. They're not good or bad, just different, with their own moral grey areas. Even the two countries that are shown in the book have big cultural differences. Eventhough gender is a significant theme and the first thing you'll likely learn when looking up the book, the core focus revolves around learning to respect and collaborate with another culture. The way gender is represented in the book is in a world that shows the what-if scenario of a society where gender (or sexuality) has no impact on people's role in it.
The only aspect I wish were different is that 'neutral' pronouns and other terms are male to the reader. Perhaps it highlights the flaws of the main character and his default way of thinking. But I still found it odd.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Police brutality, Grief, and Deportation
Moderate: Animal death, Incest, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
ericadawson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed the worldbuilding surrounding the Gethenians' physiology, though I felt some of the analysis lacking and, to my consternation, at no-point during Genly Ai's three-year stay with the Gethenians did he realize that he should, perhaps, stop associating only the traits he hates with women. It was understandable in the beginning, but grating by the end, even when he was forced to confront the nature-vs-nature/biossentialism in the tent when Harth pegged him about it.
I felt that the worldbuilding was the strongest aspect, and I wish more had been done with the commentary on nationalism and patriotism. I liked that this was a hidden first-contact story, and that both Gethenians and Terrans are human, just of a different variety.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I loved Estraven's dedication to Ai even when Ai was being an ass. Being willing to cross 800 miles with someone while knowing you could both very well die is true love, to me.
Minor: Death, Incest, and Sexual content
ford_defect's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
There were a couple things that rubbed me the wrong way, though. CW: incest, sexism, misogyny, transphobia
But overall, my discomfort didn't sour this book for me. The uncomfortable parts had their place in the story. It's still an amazing work that certainly deserves a spot in SF history.
4.75/5
Graphic: Incest, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Transphobia and Pregnancy
bookishperseus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I did keep reading it because there was a small interest as to what would happen, even though this book is following what could be considered a 'usual every day life'.
Towards the end, I found the final 3 or 4 chapters actually quite interesting. Not something I'd read again, but glad I finished it!
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Deportation
Minor: Body shaming, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation
amaya_jam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Slavery, Vomit, and Trafficking
Minor: Child death and Pregnancy
pomegranatepanacea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content and Grief
Minor: Incest and Pregnancy
Minor content warnings are mentioned in passing in the novel.kaziaroo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This was very interesting to read, especially from a 21st century perspective where we are accustomed to the boundaries of the gender binary being pushed, twisted, and ignored in wonderful diversity. We are also mostly familiar with, and accepting of, the gender neutral pronoun "they" being used exclusively to refer to a particular person.
In The Left Hand of Darkness, the main character, Genly Ai, is a poor representative of planet Earth in this respect; he is frequently disgusted by the Gethenians' bodies and attitudes towards sex and constantly tries to fit them and their characteristics into gendered boxes. He refers to the Gethenians using masculine pronouns, and seems to reject their femininity; it is only when one of them cries, or flirts, or is distressed, that he thinks "Ah ha! There is his femininity!" when it has been there all along. Genly's awkwardness around the Gethenians' sex and even his own fumbling description of what defines a woman, paired with the fact that he is the minority, the alien, on this planet, betray the notion that perhaps it is us earthlings who are the silly ones, forcing divides and highlighting differences between genders where there are none, and believing ourselves superior because of it. The Gethenians have no gender, yet they also have so far had no testosterone-fueled war or sexism (although they are not perfect; some parts of the book had strong echoes of 1984). On the other hand, the society of Earth that we see glimpses of is cisnormative and allonormative; at the beginning of the book, Genly cannot fathom a sexless and genderless society
I enjoyed this book a lot, and although I would have liked an earlier explanation of certain concepts (mostly kemmer), once I understood them I could fully immerse myself in the world. The Gethenians' societies and customs felt incredibly detailed and well thought out for such a short novel. It was interesting reading from the perspective of both the alien visitor and the visited, except this time it's us earthlings who are the visitors. I particularly loved the scenes journeying across the icy landscape. I highly recommend this book, but it's important to remember the publication date before complaining about the intricacies of gender politics – it was ahead of its time.
Graphic: Death, Incest, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, and Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Excrement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child death, Rape, Pregnancy, and War
aurora_noriealis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
the pacing varies quite a bit throughout.
that said, some of the depictions of cultures and gender are dated, discomforting at times. noting this less as a deterrent and more to bear in mind going into reading.
as someone who doesn't typically read fiction, I greatly enjoyed it.
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: War
much of the imagery parallels pieces of the cold war - era states. collectivization, imprisonment, and exile are presented in ways reminiscent of Stalinist and McCarthyist states.thecriticalreader's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Death, Incest, and Sexism
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Pregnancy, and War