Book Review: The Left Hand of Darkness (The Hainish Cycle, #4) by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: Standalone, The Hainish Cycle (Book #4)
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 367 pages (ebook edition)
Word Count: 92,000 words
Publish date: March 1969 by Ace Books
The Left Hand of Darkness is a great example of a book conveying big themes in a small package.
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
I consider it one of my failures to have never read anything by Ursula K. Le Guin prior to The Left Hand of Darkness. Yes, as a big devotee of reading the fantasy genre, one of the legendary classics The Books of Earthsea remains elusive to me. I have made it one of my tentative goals to start reading The Books of Earthsea in the year 2025, but before that, I thought it would be a good idea to end the year 2024 with a relatively small standalone novel by Ursula K. Le Guin. The Left Hand of Darkness became the last book I read last year, and it certainly won’t be the last book I read by her. If any, I am even more determined to read The Books of Earthsea as soon as possible.
“The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next.”
The Left Hand of Darkness tells a story about Genly Ai, a lone human ambassador sent to Winter—an alien world without sexual prejudice where the inhabitants can change their gender whenever they choose. Genly’s goal is to facilitate Winter’s inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so, he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the strange, intriguing culture he encounters.
“Truth is a matter of the imagination.”
What can I say about The Left Hand of Darkness that hasn’t been shared by other individuals before? None. There is a saying that science fiction, as a genre, sometimes tries to tell a story about our future. The Left Hand of Darkness is one of those cases. Originally published in 1969, decades before I was even born, reading this for the first time now impressed me with how relevant the themes discussed in The Left Hand of Darkness were. Emotions, psychology, societies, perseverance, harmony, identities, prejudices, and more. Guin tells many themes as efficiently and effectively as possible, and I do not think there is anything new I can divulge regarding the strengths of Guin’s storytelling here. The Left Hand of Darkness is definitely one of those books that stand the test of time in both writing and themes. Maybe even ahead of its time with the themes it discussed. One of those being balance in light and darkness.
“Light is the left hand of darkness
and darkness the right hand of light.
Two are one, life and death, lying
together like lovers in kemmer,
like hands joined together,
like the end and the way.”
This factor is exhibited through Genly’s journey and his relationship with Estraven. Initially, Genly arrived at Winter with his own beliefs and mindset. It is not easy, understandably, for him to let that go. We are all products of our bringings, time, bonds, and surroundings. Genly struggles with the culture and the world of Winter. Understanding, empathy, and reconciliation are often destinations easier said than reached. But through Estraven and their journey through the harrowing field of ice, Fre Hill, Esherhoth, and escaping their enemies, Genly, too, will come to realize that to achieve peace, to meet in the middle and greet harmony, a true sense of understanding should be given from both sides.
“If civilization has an opposite, it is war.”
Another thing I’d like to mention before I end this review. The world in this novel is a living thing. It is one of the “main characters.” The world of Winter portrayed in The Left Hand of Darkness is desolate, lonely, and cold. At a glance, the harshness of the weather and climate made the world look like a location that does not seem to allow any light of hope to shine through. But it does. Right from the beginning, the way I see it. The light of Erhenrang Parade was beautiful, and moments like this happen in The Left Hand of Darkness. As mentioned in the beginning. This is not a big book. It’s about 90,000 words long. And yet Guin succeeded at creating a believable world rich with culture and its own intellect. I’m sure when I reread this book someday, I will find something new and understand more of it.
“I certainly wasn’t happy. Happiness has to do with reason, and only reason earns it. What I was given was the thing you can’t earn, and can’t keep, and often don’t even recognize at the time; I mean joy.”
Admittedly, there were some impactful events in the book that felt brushed off too quickly or a bit hollow due to Genly’s stoic nature as a narrator. I would have preferred a more explicit display of raw emotion during these specific scenes. But at the end of the day, there cannot be light without darkness. And some of the messages The Left Hand of Darkness delivers are to be read and remembered. The deeper the darkness, the brighter the light of hope. To greatly love someone means we give them the ability to hurt us as powerfully. But it also allows the potential for us to be loved in equal measure to come in. I believe The Left Hand of Darkness is a standalone sci-fi novel with profound messages to recommend to any reader who wants to read Ursula K. Le Guin’s writing for the first time. And I, obviously, look forward to reading The Books of Earthsea next.
“A profound love between two people involves, after all, the power and chance of doing profound hurt.”
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One thought on “Book Review: The Left Hand of Darkness (The Hainish Cycle, #4) by Ursula K. Le Guin”
“The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next.”
I think of this quote often, especially when I am very anxious about the future.