The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia - Ursula K. LeGuin Book Review

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Review Summaries

"Shevek, a young man with a great gift for physics, is born on the moon, Annares. He is born among the anarchists which settled that world one-hundred-seventy year before from Urras after social revolution broke out there. He wants to share his theory of time with all, Anarresti and Urrasti alike. And he wants, more than anything, to see humanity reunited. He comes to realize, at the goading of his friend Bedap, that his society is degenerating. It is slipping away from anarchy towards democracy. People no longer act for themselves, but defer to the needs of society. Instead of autonomy, the Anarresti are moving backwards, to the rule of the many. And so, he travels to Urras to share and to learn above the protests of his fellow countrymen."
Matthew Thomas, Resident Ursula K. LeGuin Scholar

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Overall Review

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30%

Tone of book - sensitive (sigh....)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - preventing/managing clash/war between govts/kingdoms
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture Yes
Culture clash- - one human from different culture of other humans
Intense exploration of society's culture? Yes

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - scientist
Age: - 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - society
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount

Setting
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a futuristic society
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - some scientific explanation
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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