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simonator 's review for:

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
2.75
adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expecting something of the caliber of The Dispossessed, one is surely left disappointed. This thought-experiment exhausts its insights fairly quickly. 
Nonetheless, the skill of workbuilding and emotional allure on display here is impressive. Unfortunately, the plot kind of stutters along, lots of made-up words to keep track off, and somehow, I felt both protagonists remain sort of blank - maybe because there is not much of a colourful supporting cast to bounce off of or because their backstories remain elusive. 

What makes this a classic is it's pioneering character, being written in 1969. For the modern (feminist) reader, some of the questions and answers in here are already part of a past conversation.