Review: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Title: The Left Hand of Darkness Author: Ursula K. Le Guin Format: MM Available Formats: MM, TP, Audio Download Page Count: 301 Genre: Science Fiction Publisher: Ace Pub. Date: March 15, 1987 ISBN-13: 9780441478125 Series: Stand Alone Rating: 10 of 10

Summary:
Genly Ai (who is mostly called Genry, because Gethenians have a hard time pronouncing the "l") has come to the planet Winter, called Gethen by those that live there, to convince them to join the Ekumen of Known Worlds. However, Genly has trouble understanding both the people of Winter as well as the politics. These ambisexual people, who are essentially able to become either sex during their mating cycle and who have no real concept of gender, confuse him. Unfortunately, he seems to be even worse with the politics. Additionally, Genre only has one Gethenian who seems to want to help him, Lord Estraven, but isn't sure if Estraven is trustworthy...

TL;DR Version:
This novel is stunning in many ways and will definitely be ranked amongst my favorites. The beginning is slow and it may not have the gripping force of Butler Kindred, but nevertheless is an amazing read on so many levels.

Review:
A recommendation to read Ursula K. Le Guin may be a little redundant, because I am (apparently) the last science fiction fan on Earth that hadn't read her. All the same, I'll say it just in case there is one other person living under a rock somewhere: Every and any science fiction fan must read Ursula K. Le Guin. This goes double for anyone interested in gender issues, philosophy, or anthropology. As a side note, I do highly recommend that everyone read this book, because it's one of those smartly done, amazing pieces of work that makes me spaz about and unable to talk about the book properly.

Le Guin begins her story with an exhaustively detailed quality that makes the story telling a little slow. For me, this is the point of the story that dragged on a bit long for me. Although all the information was very intelligently thought out and dumped, I still felt a bit as if the information was overwhelming the story rather than augmenting the story. Thankfully, I felt that this aspect of the novel--a "setting up" of policial and social rules--ended as soon as Genly and Estraven left Karhide.

A lot of this information is necessary. Le Guin's world is one that's incredibly original and detailed. The Gethenians are entirely different from the reader and Genly Ai. There's no real concept of gender on the world of Gethen, because gender is an amorphous property that comes only once every few weeks. A Gethenian may be female during this time one month and bear a child, but later take on the quality of a male and sire a child at a different time--and with the same person. The social repercussions are sweeping. I think Le Guin does do something right in that she gets all this out of the way early--while Genly himself must learn all of it--so the impact of later events is understood implicitly. Also, I think there's a nice message in that the difference between the ambisexual and Genly disappears as the novel continues...

After that, the real development began and I adored every second. And every theme. I loved the characters Estraven and Genly. In fact, I was shocked when a friend of mine said that he thought the characters of The Left Hand of Darkness were flat and boring, because I didn't perceive them that way at all. Rather, I think the characters are just a little reticent of showing their character to both the reader and the other characters in the book. So every little development is instead a big development. I love the sort of writing that can handle everything so subtly.

Speaking of subtle: the relationship between Genly Ai and Estraven is by far the best part of the book. This is because it's (a) compelling and (b) speaks of all the important issues Le Guin wanted to touch on. At first the two are uncomfortable strangers to each other--literally alien. Neither understand how the other thinks and, perhaps, doesn't try very hard to figure that out. By the end, in their journey together, they've moved closer together. Genly understand the social aspects of Winter better as well as his friend, Estraven. And yet they still don't quite realize that there's still a invisible divider between them. Absolutely, heart-breakingly beautiful.

As a note, I call Estraven and Genly Ai by the names they're introduced with in the book, but they are fondly known in my heart as Therem and Genry. And one of my favorite scenes will forever be the first time Genry calls Estraven by "Therem" rather than "Estraven" or "Harth".

I'm sure everyone's noticed that I'm still a mess over this book and completely unable to handle it properly. In the end I can't recommend it enough. And I just might corner/kidnap anyone who hints they might like to discuss the novel. Just a warning.

Cover/Title/First Line Critique:
I love the cover. It's elegant, cold, and alternately welcoming, barren, warning... It's perfect for all the events of the novel and second only to the trade paperback cover.

Rating: 10 of 10 [Learn more about the rating system?]

This book was purchased from Barnes & Noble.