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solenophage's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
unluckyprimes's review
4.0
I read this book for the first time when I was... like 15 or 16, on the recommendation of a friend. And I have very vivid memories of being curled up on the spare bed at my aunt and uncle's house during summer vacation reading this. I remember being enthralled by the idea of a third gender... and by the fact that fiction could provoke such interesting conversations about gender and sexuality. Before this, I think the only exposure I'd had to those ideas had come from fanfiction. Lots of SFF readers talk about [b:The Left Hand of Darkness|18423|The Left Hand of Darkness (Hainish Cycle #4)|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1488213612l/18423._SY75_.jpg|817527] as their gateway book for exploring such themes, but for me, it was this book. (I did enjoy Le Guin's take as well, but I didn't read it until much later.)
But that was a long time ago. And the details of the characters and plot had grown quite hazy. I still remembered this book fondly, and with a little awe, but I wondered if it would hold up on a reread. Especially given all the time that's passed. And I also worried that if it didn't, it would taint all those important memories for me.
So I've been putting off this reread for a while. But I finally decided to find a copy of this at the library and give it a go.
And then I spent the whole day reading.
And man, I just really love character driven sci-fi. Because the characters here are absolutely the selling point. Sure, there's sort of a central mystery, what with the back and forth of past and present perspectives; but at the end of it all, it's just a story about people.
And I liked it. A lot. Which is definitely a relief.
It certainly has its flaws, some of which I even expected given the late 90s publication date. But there weren't any great dealbreakers here.
It's definitely not for everyone. The writing is dense at times, but not overly complicated. More in a way that makes you want to slow down and pay attention. Some of the language use and jargon takes time to get used to. And the pacing is slow. This is not an high-action book. It's really more slice-of-life science fiction. So some people are definitely going to bounce off it.
I'm just glad I didn't. I really did enjoy it again, and I don't think that's just the nostalgia talking, considering I'd remembered very little of the actual plot.
But that was a long time ago. And the details of the characters and plot had grown quite hazy. I still remembered this book fondly, and with a little awe, but I wondered if it would hold up on a reread. Especially given all the time that's passed. And I also worried that if it didn't, it would taint all those important memories for me.
So I've been putting off this reread for a while. But I finally decided to find a copy of this at the library and give it a go.
And then I spent the whole day reading.
And man, I just really love character driven sci-fi. Because the characters here are absolutely the selling point. Sure, there's sort of a central mystery, what with the back and forth of past and present perspectives; but at the end of it all, it's just a story about people.
And I liked it. A lot. Which is definitely a relief.
It certainly has its flaws, some of which I even expected given the late 90s publication date. But there weren't any great dealbreakers here.
It's definitely not for everyone. The writing is dense at times, but not overly complicated. More in a way that makes you want to slow down and pay attention. Some of the language use and jargon takes time to get used to. And the pacing is slow. This is not an high-action book. It's really more slice-of-life science fiction. So some people are definitely going to bounce off it.
I'm just glad I didn't. I really did enjoy it again, and I don't think that's just the nostalgia talking, considering I'd remembered very little of the actual plot.
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