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A review by katmarhan
Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? No
4.25
8.5/10
This story was absorbing, a little slow in parts, with a cast of interesting characters. Gavir’s journey to learn the truths about himself, his world, and his powers is the plot of the book; the reader experiences and learns only what he does, and so some things remain unknown, some questions remain unanswered. Seeing everything from only Gavir’s perspective gives the reader a sense of intimacy with him but, unfortunately, that also means there is always a distance between the reader and the other characters.
The author does a masterful job of creating the various settings in the story—Arcamand and the city of Etra in times of peace and siege, the farm at Vente, Cuga’s cave, the camp of the Forest Brothers and Heart of the Forest, and the villages of the Marshes . They are almost like characters themselves.
I highly recommend all 3 books of the Annals of the Western Shore. While they are sometimes listed as YA, I found them engaging and thought-provoking.
This story was absorbing, a little slow in parts, with a cast of interesting characters. Gavir’s journey to learn the truths about himself, his world, and his powers is the plot of the book; the reader experiences and learns only what he does, and so some things remain unknown, some questions remain unanswered. Seeing everything from only Gavir’s perspective gives the reader a sense of intimacy with him but, unfortunately, that also means there is always a distance between the reader and the other characters.
The author does a masterful job of creating the various settings in the story—
I highly recommend all 3 books of the Annals of the Western Shore. While they are sometimes listed as YA, I found them engaging and thought-provoking.