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

Rating: 8/10

Far away in outer space, there exists a planet named Winter. It is perpetually cold in the planet. But what was odd about it was its inhabitants - the Gethenians were androgynous. The concept of gender did not exist. They simply took the form of man or woman during kemmer, or mating cycle. Genly Ai is sent by the Ekumen of Known Worlds to further investigate these people and persuade the Gethenians to ally with the Ekumen. At first, he finds his subjects stubborn and unreadable, but when he journeys through the Ice with one of them, Ai begins to see through the eyes of the Gethenians.

What persuaded me to buy this book is, honestly, the name of the author. I first encountered Ursula K. Le Guin's work in a short story we tackled in English 11. I found her writing delightful and, when I saw this book, I wanted to read more from her. As it turned out, I wasn't in the least disappointed by that choice.

It was a little weird reading The Left Hand of Darkness during the first few chapters. It was strange to refer to androgynous people as "he". It was strange to know the Gethenian sexual physiology. The Gethenian calendar and clock was very much strange. The fact that Le Guin wrote about an entire world so different from ours (and yet so real) is just amazing. Well, it is science fiction, after all.

Like I mentioned above, it was pretty hard to comprehend the terms, names, and dates because it was so different. But when I finished the book, I felt that the Gethenians are no different from us. Their physical condition may be different but the human nature does not change.

The discussion of patriotism was an eye-opener for me. It is true that love for country is a questionable concept.

"I know people, I know towns, farms, hills and rivers and rocks, I know how the sun at sunset in autumn falls on one side of a certain plowland in the hills; but what is the sense of giving it a name and ceasing to love where the name ceases to apply? What is love of one's country; is it hate of one's uncountry? Then's its not a good thing." - Therem Harth rem ir Estraven,  The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

This was a fantastic novel. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Book Review - Shadow Baby by Alison McGhee

Rating: 7/10

Shadow baby is the story of Clara winter (she prefers the lowercase), an eleven year old girl who is struggling to learn more about her dead twin sister, father, and grandfather. However, her mother Tamar would not reveal any information. She also meets an immigrant, Georg Komminsky, who is equally silent about his past. Because of this, Clara  makes up her and the old man's histories. It's a novel about an unlikely friendship and finding possibility.

I can say that it's a really good novel and that the tone is equal all throughout. The only thing I didn't like about it is that I find it boring at times. I learned much from it, though, and it's really a touching story. The ending was also very well done and the last sentence, "But I was a child then." sums up the whole of the novel. It's real nice. :)