This is one of those Le Guin books that failed to engage me due to its theme.

I simply don't have any interest in it. The story, perhaps, had the potential to be captivating, but for some reason, the theme just didn't resonate with me.

It might be that I'm not the target audience for this particular work, or maybe the way the theme was presented didn't appeal to my sensibilities.

Whatever the case may be, I found myself struggling to get through the book, and ultimately, it left me feeling rather indifferent.

I'm sure that there are many readers out there who will love this book and find its theme to be thought-provoking and engaging, but unfortunately, I'm not one of them.

Maybe I'll give another Le Guin book a try in the future and see if I have a better experience.

This Young Adult fantasy series is set in geographically distinct regions on an unnamed planet with a technological level similar to that of medieval Europe.

I read the books out of sequence, and now I have a better understanding of how the final book, Powers, expands upon the world established in the first two. If given the chance, I would read them in the correct order.

I believe this book is the most juvenile of the three. By that, I mean there are relatively few adult themes beneath the characters and plot, which are aimed at a young audience. In this story, young Memer resides in the city of Ansul, where the occupying Alds severely restrict all learning to the extent that owning a book is a capital offense. Young book lovers will be delighted by the respect for readers in the oppressed culture of Ansul and will be excited about the impending revolt that Memer finds herself drawn into.

Based on its own qualities, I cannot recommend this book to adults. However, it should be read as a middle chapter between Gifts and Powers, which I do recommend.

7/10 en 2010.

This book continues to develop the worldbuilding that was initiated in the previous book, "Los dones".

Doña Úrsula immerses you in the actions, thoughts, and feelings of the protagonists (basically those from the previous book) in an endearing way.

There is action, yes, but as in all of UKL's books, the main focus is on the characters.

As I said in the previous one, it is not a minor work of the author although it is not mentioned anywhere.

This book builds upon the foundation laid in the previous one, expanding the rich and complex world that UKL has created. The characters come alive on the page, their emotions and experiences palpable. Doña Úrsula's writing style draws you in and makes you feel as if you are a part of their story.

While there is action to keep the plot moving, it is the characters' growth and relationships that truly drive the narrative. Each character is unique, with their own flaws and strengths, and you can't help but become invested in their fates.

Overall, this is a wonderful addition to UKL's body of work and a must-read for fans of her previous books.

Memer is a girl from an oppressed minority with sheep hair. She lives in a manly warrior society that views reading as evil. How does she combat the book-burning Nazis? With the power of understanding. Oh, and there's also some kind of crazy, incomprehensible magic that occurs about once. It's horrible, disgusting tripe. The paper dolls have more genuine personality than these characters.

For example, in the dialog (completely fictional, but in character):

Memer: I am extremely oppressed. It's because I'm a minority who loves to learn and read. Why do you oppress me so?

Oppressing oppressor: It's because I loathe reading! Books are the wicked tools of the great Satan! My religion blinds me to the goodness in others! (evil snarl!)

Memer: I will strive to understand your culture so that I can defeat you with the power of my knowledge, love, and understanding, although I'm very afraid of your power to oppress me even more than you already do.

The only reason I completed this book was because I was on a road trip. Even so, I'm a bit disappointed in myself for doing so.

The speaker in the audiobook didn't vary her voice to a great extent. As a result, I found my attention wandering while listening.

Consequently, I will have to go back and reread this particular work.

It's important to note that this is the second book in a series, yet I wasn't able to pick up on that fact initially.

Nevertheless, LeGuin is an outstanding writer. Her prose is engaging and her stories are rich and complex.

Despite the issue with the audiobook narration, I'm still looking forward to exploring more of her works.

Perhaps on a second reading, I'll be able to fully appreciate the nuances and details that I may have missed while listening.

I'm hopeful that the next audiobook in the series will have a more dynamic and engaging narrator to bring LeGuin's words to life.

I liked it more than the first one. It has a bit more action, combined with some political intrigues of a people who have been subjugated for so many years... I liked it, really! It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a YA saga. I realize it's lighter than her other works, but it's still good.

And it earns points for a couple of things that I thought were going to happen and didn't happen (even though I wanted them to happen), so... I guess it gets a plus for contradicting me?

This YA saga offers an engaging storyline with a nice blend of action and political elements. The subjugated people add an interesting layer to the plot, making it more than just a typical YA adventure. Although it may not have the same depth as some of the author's other works, it still manages to keep the reader entertained. The unexpected twists and turns also contribute to its charm, as they keep you on your toes and make you question your assumptions. Overall, it's a great read for fans of YA fiction.

I don't really know what to make of this book.

On one hand, the characters were indeed very likable. They had their own charm and personalities that made them interesting to read about. However, on the other hand, the book was extremely hard to understand in certain places.

I found myself just drifting through the last hundred pages, not really engaged with what was happening. And when the problem was finally resolved for their town, I didn't feel much of a connection with their relief and excitement.

Maybe it was simply the vocabulary and the difficult names that made this novel a bit of a struggle to enjoy. Or perhaps it was just badly written. It's hard to say for sure.

Like I mentioned earlier, I did enjoy the characters (the ones that I could actually keep track of). I looked forward to hearing them speak to each other in their powerful and unique dialogue.

Overall, it's a relatively quick read, but one that I was eager to get off of my bookshelf. I'm excited to move on to the next book and see what it has in store for me.

I didn't enjoy this story as much as the first one.

However, Le Guin is still brilliant. Her writing style is unique and captivating, and she has a way of creating vivid characters and worlds that draw the reader in.

Perhaps my lack of enjoyment with this particular story was due to personal preference or maybe I was expecting something different. But that doesn't take away from the fact that Le Guin is a masterful storyteller.

Even in this story that didn't quite resonate with me as strongly, there were still moments of beauty and depth that made it worth reading.

I look forward to reading more of her work in the future and seeing what other wonderful stories she has to tell.

According to the advice of my friend, I took a vacation in Italy! It's a wonderful and light fantasy (really very light, almost no magic), and yet incredibly charming.

The only thing that bothered me was the library in the cave with water (when you actually work in a library, it's hard not to shudder just at the thought of mildew).

But in other aspects, it's wonderful. It's careful, logical, but not literally historical!

I will read the other two books in the series.

This story takes me on a journey to a fictional world that combines elements of history and imagination. The description of the library in the cave is quite vivid, making me feel as if I am there. Although there are some small flaws, overall, it is a very enjoyable read. I look forward to exploring more of this series and seeing what other surprises it has in store for me.

This is a sequel of sorts to Gifts.

It features two of the same characters, yet it takes place at least eighteen years later.

There is a new young protagonist, a new setting, and a new question regarding the nature and use of power.

The book offers commentary on a number of significant themes. Among them are education, war, forgiveness, books, responsibility, honor, religion, and loyalty.

All of these themes are hung on an earnest teenager named Memer.

Memer's journey through this new story allows the author to explore these complex and important topics in depth.

Readers will be drawn into Memer's world and will be compelled to consider their own thoughts and feelings about these themes.

The sequel builds on the foundation laid by Gifts while also introducing new elements that will keep readers engaged and interested.

It is a thought-provoking and engaging read that is sure to appeal to fans of the original book as well as new readers.

This second entry in the Annals of the Western Shore series, I discovered, was far more captivating and intellectually stimulating than the first.

While Gifts was a typical coming-of-age story, Voices grapples with the intricacies and conflicting emotions of a nation that regains its freedom through negotiation rather than war.

All of this is presented in exquisite prose through the eyes of a 17-year-old "reader" in a city that has been seized by fundamentalists from a militaristic monotheistic nation that views the written word as demonic.

However, what could have been a straightforward hero's vengeance against the Big Bad Guys narrative instead adds depth to the "enemy" and demonstrates a way in which rational minds can triumph, even after subjugation and hardship.

(Coincidentally, I had been perusing snippets of The Darkening Age by Catherine Nixey, which is essentially a historical account of early Christianity's destruction of the ancient Western pagan world, and the parallels are astonishing. Sadly for historical Alexandria, the outcome was not quite as favorable.)

A fantastic follow-up to ‘Gifts’, this book truly tackles a plethora of interesting themes. The worldbuilding within it only grows more complex and utterly intriguing with each passing page. It's a captivating read that keeps pulling you in.

However, I can't quite give it the 4 stars that I'd really like to. The reason being is that my experience of reading it was rather scattered. Throughout the semester, as my classes got increasingly hectic, I would pick it up briefly and then put it down again a number of times. This stop-start reading pattern unfortunately affected my overall enjoyment to some extent.

Nonetheless, it was still thoroughly enjoyable. The story and the ideas presented within it have left me with a sense of anticipation. I'm extremely excited to read the next installment, ‘Powers’, and see where the author takes this amazing world and its characters.