Reviews

The Wild Girls by Ursula K. Le Guin

outcolder's review against another edition

5.0

This novella is up to the high standard you should expect from Le Guin. This series has "bonus features" and in this volume there are poems which were interesting, an interview that was kind of obnoxious, and an essay on publishing that I really enjoyed.

eroviana's review against another edition

3.0

I really enjoyed the novellette "Wild Girls" - no happy ending, of course - but I felt really cheated by the size of the book. I mean it has a RRP of 12$, for 100 pages. You can finish it in two to three hours, what's up with that? I love her essays! I'm always amazed by her clear views and decisive writing. Anyway, one novellette, two essays, an interview and some poems; I'm not satisfied.

souplover2001's review

overall enjoyable + loved "staying awake while we read" + realized i am less inclined to borrow physical copies of books from libraries bcos i am always inclined to annotate them and keep them forever get sad when i can't :(

sheva's review

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

andalicesays's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

south_of_south_farthing's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

aardwyrm's review

challenging emotional funny informative reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The Wild Girls is lovely and dreadful, the poetry is beautiful and strange, and the essay bits are... About 1/3 really clever thoughts expressed flawlessly and 2/3 Le Guin being an unabashed crank. Shed certainly earned the right, and she makes fun of JKR a lot (like, a lot a lot) so it's pretty fun.

laurbergo's review

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

Aaaaamaaaazzzing, as always. Ursula rarely misses for me. And even her misses are leagues better than most author’s wins.

This is a super short book featuring a fictional short story/novella, two essays, a few poems and an interview with Ursula. 

Every piece of this, including the interview, showcase Ursula’s insights and her ability to tightly and plainly say very much in few words. 

She’s one of those authors that makes me feel like my brain, essence and worldview are being poked at their very core. 

The short story here was the standout for me. Part sci-fi, part fantasy … part whatever the hell it wants to be. Depressing but hopeful, ugly and beautiful. Her ability to do immense world building in absolutely no time and maintain a real subtlety and beauty in the process is mind blowing. Contemporary fantasy authors just aren’t doin it like her, sorry.

A great read if you like Ursula, but probably not a good place to start with her. You’ll get a lot more out of it if you’re already familiar with some of her work. 

bluestarfish's review against another edition

5.0

Lovely gem, if far too short. One sad tale where an absence of a solution does not mean the absence of right and wrong, beautifully written. Poems, an essay and an interview. More pelase.

blampe's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25