Today's review is about a science fiction book that belongs to the classics. It is The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin.
It's been awhile in my tbr and now I finally read it. This is the first Ursula K Le Guin book I read and I really enjoyed it.
It's a SF book that tells the story of Genly AI, an emissary to Winter, an alien world where there is no gender for its inhabitants. Every month they choose and change between male and female. Genly's mission is to persuade Winter to join a growing intergalactic civilization, the Ekumen.
This book is a political thriller that turns to an adventure as Genly and Estraven cross the frozen landscape. This trip through the frozen land was amazingly well written and even if it was only two chapters, you could feel and sympathize with the characters.
In the story we had the building up of tension (sexual, romantic, human) between Genly and Estraven especially through their journey together, the escape across the ice (the cold, the danger, the truth and the love).
It's also one major feminist SF. There is no gender in Gethen, it's an am-bisexual society and this is difficult for Genly to comprehend.
The book has a very dynamic plot but at the same time a very good character development. Excellent world building and descriptions. It's an exploration of fluid gender, sexuality and race (Genly is black & the rest of the Gethenians have various skin colours). It's a thought provoking book and highly relevant today as it was back in the 60s.
Rating: 4 Stars
See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!
Athina
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