Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin

6 reviews

reads2cope's review

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4.0

Only the third Le Guin I've read, and the parts I disliked were the same things I disliked in Left Hand of Darkness - a strange focus on sex and too much time debating complex politics (in Left Hand) and physics (in Dispossessed)

I also was confused by the flashbacks at the beginning, possibly because I listened to it rather than having an eBook or physical copy. However, the way anarchism is described on Annares, and especially contrasted with the capitalism on Urras, was very interesting. I hated Shevek, which by the time he gets to Vea's party I hope the reader is supposed to do, but still, even that felt like a push too far. However, the last third of the book really paid off and the excitement of the ending might get me to continue the Hainish Cycle... we shall see. 
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gilnean's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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ka_cam's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful informative mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I enjoyed the structure time in the story, the political philosophy and philosophy of physics, the musings on language, morality, social dynamics, and autonomy, and think anyone who enjoys those topics will find this an interesting read. I Can see how more recent ‘left or left-ish’ sci-fi has taken inspiration from this. It did well at not being overly dystopian or utopian on either planet, making the characters and situations feel more realistic and complex. I felt the changes in Shavek while on Urras were underexplored, especially related to a sexual assault- he just moved on when it came to his own behaviors, when he was otherwise highly critical of gender relations on Urras and fairly self aware, which seemed a bit off to me. All in all recommend!
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imds's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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eep's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This is an absolutely amazing and insightful book! The point of view and time variations every other chapter make the story very lively, especially reaching the end of the book. Many scenes were emotional, and I really enjoyed the way Le Guin gave detailed descriptions of the moral dilemmas and philosophy of not only Shevek, but also the communit(y/ies) of Anarres and Urras. I think for the full affect, historical knowledge of feminism in the 1970s is helpful. There is also a scene that graphically depicts sexual assault at the very end of the party in Chapter 7. It is extremely difficult to think of Shevek as a 'likeable' or 'good' character after that and, despite this, the assault is never mentioned again. This reflection is due to a modern point of view though, and Le Guin's intention was in no way a support of Shevek's actions; she was attempting to show the moral corruption caused by the social and political systems on Urras, that managed to even infiltrate an anarchist such as Shevek. Overall, however, I think this is an important piece of feminist sci-fi of course, and I love the imagery and philosophy Le Guin describes.
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rmperezpadilla's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A stunning book that frankly I’d love everyone in my personal life to read. Easily one of my favorites, and possunly the book that has most influenced my perspective and philosophy of the world. 
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