A review by samants
The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin

dark reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.5

• Davidson's cruelty was a little overdone at times in my opinion, and I was wavering on how realistic a cartoonishly evil man was in a colonial setting when I feel like most evil is systemic, but then I thought about how many cartoonishly evil men I have read about in nonfiction books. Maybe it's just wishful thinking of me to say that his evil was exaggerated.
• I liked the inclusion of a "benevolent colonizer" in Lyubov but felt like his character was not interrogated as deeply as it could have been. He obviously
  feels guilt about what he has done wrong, but his last thoughts are that he is a traitor to his people (though I can see how this might be up for debate) rather than that he and his people have done a terrible thing. Then again, maybe his action speak louder than his last thoughts: he did not alert the fellow colonizers to the fact that something was amiss
  . I had more questions about
  Selver's feelings toward him (why he essentially deemed Lyubov "not like other Terrans")
  , but I suppose things get complicated once you get to know each other and I guess their relationship reflected that.
• Overall a deeply heartbreaking look at colonialism with obvious parallels to Vietnam and *gestures vaguely at the world*. Cuts deeper with the current Israeli genocide on Palestinians.
• A super interesting look into what the League looked like in its very early days (pre-Ekumen) and indeed why it was established in the first place. Who knows how many worlds like Athshe had to suffer and burn before the strict protocols we see in the other books were established.
• The ending...
  Athshe will never be the same again, and no amount of "we will never leave you alone again" promises will change that, even if colonizers did promise that and make good on their promise, which has never happened. Colonialism can never truly be undone. The survivors just have to pick up the pieces and move on. I get so sad thinking about what the Philippines could have been without colonialism. Heartbreaking doesn't even begin to describe it.

Looking forward to discussing this in book club. I think the discussion will be quite interesting.

Free Palestine