Gaagaagiins I have read that “speculative fiction” mini essay, and it’s delightful. I think it’s such a great way to describe her work, because, while Left Hand of Darkness is technically science fiction, it’s absolutely speculative fiction in the best way. There are still scenes from that book that I think about, and I want to revisit it again soon.
I did read The Word for World is Forest and enjoyed it, but with some caveats. I didn’t like how much of the book was written from the perspective of Don Davidson. I get that what he thinks, says, and does are bad. It was just so unspeakably evil to read anything from his perspective, and it was just gross to read. That being said, I did connect a lot to the situation she was in when she wrote the book! She wrote it while living in the UK, disgusted by the Vietnam War but unable to protest. I’m an American living in London atm, unable to do much to aid in any cause in the US, and it’s surprisingly demoralizing. Perhaps that’s why the book is so dark. I don’t think it’s good to psychoanalyze an author usually, but in this specific instance it was a deeper connection than I was expecting.
Also, George Lucas absolutely read that book before Return of the Jedi, right? There’s a city called Endtor, little hairy humanoids, colonial invasion, it’s RotJ.
yeso I love that shirt so much I can’t stand it!
