A review by beardybot
Ursula K. Le Guin: The Complete Orsinia (Loa #281): Malafrena / Stories and Songs by Ursula K. Le Guin
3.0
I struggled with Malafrena. It lacked that individual substance that makes a story its own. At times it read so close to Middlemarch I had to check which book I was reading. At others, it was just words. Many beautiful, but without the spirit I'd expect from Le Guin.
Orsinia is a fictional Central European country, and Malafrena covers the early 1800s and occupation by the Austrian empire. The trials of landed country families provide a backdrop to fomenting rebellion in the city. There's not much more to say, except that it took a long old time to get through.
After Malafrena, the Orsinian Tales were a breath of fresh air. Character, time, and place were impeccable, throughout the centuries. These small stories were solid, and grounded, and so much bigger than they were. The loss that pervades through many of them feels almost personal. Brilliant, and immensely satisfying.
Orsinia is a fictional Central European country, and Malafrena covers the early 1800s and occupation by the Austrian empire. The trials of landed country families provide a backdrop to fomenting rebellion in the city. There's not much more to say, except that it took a long old time to get through.
After Malafrena, the Orsinian Tales were a breath of fresh air. Character, time, and place were impeccable, throughout the centuries. These small stories were solid, and grounded, and so much bigger than they were. The loss that pervades through many of them feels almost personal. Brilliant, and immensely satisfying.