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reubenalbatross 's review for:
Worlds of Exile and Illusion: Rocannon's World, Planet of Exile, City of Illusions
by Ursula K. Le Guin
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love the structure of the three stories within this collection - telling the middle, end, and new beginning of the human race.
I also didn’t realise until 80% in that the bloody collection title is one world from each story title! Nice bit o’ fun.
Rocannon’s World
3.75 stars
3.75 stars
Really interesting stuff and started out great, but the plot definitely lost momentum towards the end. I also didn’t find myself caring for the characters much, so any emotional weight was lost.
Planet of Exile
4.25 stars
Planet of Exile
4.25 stars
One of the most accurate allegories I’ve read in a long time - all about the foolishness of pride and misplaced arrogance, and the inability to work with others and concede to some of their ideas because that would be 'giving up'. All while the thing you’re meant to be fighting for/fixing is going up in smoke.
It did have a bit of a slow start, but when it got going, it was really good, and the last two paragraphs nearly had me in tears.
Only thing I wasn’t sure about was the inclusion of the snow ghouls. I really didn’t see any point to them. They had no real influence on the story, and were also never mentioned as part of the dangers of winter, which is where their inclusion would have felt most powerful.
City of Illusions
5 stars
It did have a bit of a slow start, but when it got going, it was really good, and the last two paragraphs nearly had me in tears.
Only thing I wasn’t sure about was the inclusion of the snow ghouls. I really didn’t see any point to them. They had no real influence on the story, and were also never mentioned as part of the dangers of winter, which is where their inclusion would have felt most powerful.
City of Illusions
5 stars
Dear blinkin’ lord this one is something special.
The idea of mankind needing an enemy is such a complete truth I’ve held for many years, so it was so intriguing to read about a world that hinges on that concept and the philosophy that it brings forth.
The idea of mankind needing an enemy is such a complete truth I’ve held for many years, so it was so intriguing to read about a world that hinges on that concept and the philosophy that it brings forth.