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Review - Voices
Sep. 3rd, 2009 10:28 pmA lot more seems to happen in Voices than in the first book of the trilogy, Gifts. It has more tension, more drive, and it feels more full. Ursula Le Guin has a habit of writing very beautiful books that aren't very immediate or exciting because they have very little by way of plot. I still like them, but plenty of people won't stop to read them. Voices isn't like that -- there's a plot, as well as compelling characters, beautiful writing and careful worldbuilding. Nothing slips, here.
Gry and Orrec, from the first book, are important in this book, too. Orrec, particularly, in terms of the plot, but in terms of the emotional part of the book, Gry is very important to the narrator, Memer. It's good to see these characters, good to see how they've grown. But then again, if you haven't read Gifts, it's actually okay, I think, just to read Voices. You're missing out, I think, but you could read Voices on its own.
Le Guin's "agenda" is more obvious in this book. Parts of it -- the idea of the people of Ansul being peaceful people, and "set free to be free" -- remind me of The Eye of The Heron. For most of the book, there's a powerful, oppressive, occupying force, which has to be overturned. I really like that the people of Ansul remain relatively peaceful -- not unnaturally so, stretching belief only a little, but still, peaceful. There's food for thought about the nature of liberty, religious/cultural conflict, politics...
Funny that I have rather less to say about this book, in which rather more happens than in Gifts. Perhaps that's because it's easier to let it speak for itself.
Gry and Orrec, from the first book, are important in this book, too. Orrec, particularly, in terms of the plot, but in terms of the emotional part of the book, Gry is very important to the narrator, Memer. It's good to see these characters, good to see how they've grown. But then again, if you haven't read Gifts, it's actually okay, I think, just to read Voices. You're missing out, I think, but you could read Voices on its own.
Le Guin's "agenda" is more obvious in this book. Parts of it -- the idea of the people of Ansul being peaceful people, and "set free to be free" -- remind me of The Eye of The Heron. For most of the book, there's a powerful, oppressive, occupying force, which has to be overturned. I really like that the people of Ansul remain relatively peaceful -- not unnaturally so, stretching belief only a little, but still, peaceful. There's food for thought about the nature of liberty, religious/cultural conflict, politics...
Funny that I have rather less to say about this book, in which rather more happens than in Gifts. Perhaps that's because it's easier to let it speak for itself.
