The Dispossessed

Too much politics here for me. Le Guin has created an other worldly setting for this series and it doesn't quite work for me. The names are too similar. The background is less descriptive and more philosophical. I felt like I was reading a stilted allegory to warn against consumerism and other pitfalls if modern culture. This might all resonate with someone else but it was a bad fit for me.

I don't know. It's well-written. It's an eloquent and complete answer to Ayn Rand about the possibilities of cooperation- not perfect even if set-up perfectly, but better than greed and selfishness. At the same time, the characters are real and moving people. This isn't an empty allegory.

Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot I actually enjoyed in this book. I more or less just powered through it.

This is exactly what you would expect from 1970s dystopian sci-fi novel. On the surface, it is the tale of one man with a mission travelling from one planet to another. However, it is not really about space, or future life on other planets. At its core, it is about human societies and how greatly they can differ due to their politics. Le Guin has created a highly fascinating and original platform to explore differences in culture, morality, langu...read more

I’m rating this an 8, but that’s based on memory because I read this years ago and remember loving it. I am planning a reread soon!