Reviews

The Word for World Is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin

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rvlgonzalez's review

If we have talked about books, you know I am not a sci-fi person. If we have talked about books and you *are* a sci-fi person and/or you're a leftist, you've probably said, "even Le Guin?" Here's the thing, even Le Guin. I did really enjoy this. I just mostly enjoyed it for it's leftist principles-ness and not for it's sci-fi-ness. I know the story is the vehicle and the principles are just theory w/o it and I get it and I'm on board. I would totally read more Le Guin! I liked it! It just didn't really shift me from "not being a scifi person," the sci-fi was still not what I liked.

Side note: hit me or the theanarchistlibrary.org up if you want the pdf.

yaraxodb's review against another edition

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adventurous dark sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

stefhyena's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad 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

5.0

Ursula Le Guin in her own introduction to this book is needlessly harsh to herself as a writer and to the flaws she sees in it. I think she feels she infused her own ideology into it too much and too obviously but her characters are particularly (and chillingly) believable. I don't agree with her that Davidson is too evil to be true...he just seems like the average Trump supporter and probably honestly thinks his own intentions are noble.

It's a very horrifying and sad book but with touches of hope.

tomatoes127's review

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5.0

Outstanding, full of wisdom and with Le Guins trademark writing style, hard and clear without sacrificing beauty. The author herself criticises the book as being too polemical but while the real-world parallels are clear, I don't think it strays into preaching.

andrivete's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Some of the characters are very dislikable, but that's on purpose. The point of view switches between different characters, which is really interesting and adds a lot to the plot.