Ursula K. Le Guin's way of interpreting the world is something that I admire more and more each passing day. She has become an author who, for me, suddenly starts to create a void regarding her pen, turning into a necessity. I also especially like her productivity for this reason. My story of reading "Magic" began in a similar way. Reading was necessary to get rid of the viruses and worries that have infiltrated our lives and seized our minds. Ursula was a somewhat more luxurious need. When I thought I had no book in my hand, of course, I was very happy to realize that I had forgotten to return one of the books I borrowed from my friend to her. The reason for telling the story part is that it was one of the best things that happened to me within the period of a few days of the book and I don't want to forget the feelings I felt.

When it comes to the book, "Magic" is a work in the style of a long-breathing fairy tale. Our narrator Orrec has a very beautiful language in this regard, conveying his worries, joys, questions, and happiness to the reader and listener with his own fabulous magic. Although the story seems to be formed around the magic passed down from father to son and mother to daughter in a world similar to the one we live in, in fact, as the author usually does, it turns into a deep questioning process. I will also express what I have dreamed and thought through Gry, Melle, Brantor Canoc, and Orrec as a result of this questioning.

The representation, use, and effect of power on people were all things that we can find even without magic in real life. Genetically, who knows what kind of powers we are endowed with? Power is actually an element that also gives birth to weakness. We often see this in the book. The fact that there is no free privilege actually exists in many of our author's books. This is a reality that also defines life itself.

In the story, we read about a child's discovery of his own power in the turmoil of growing up. Even if he does not echo the magic belonging to his father unexpectedly, the process of understanding what he has, the conflict that the presence/absence of power creates in a person during this period, and finally, we witness his deprivation. It allows us to believe in and not be afraid of many things that are not based on the desires at the foundation of humanity. It is necessary not to go into details without spoiling the surprise in this regard. But if I focus on the feelings I felt again, there is an essence within us that is independent of rules, legends, and the patterns that confine us. It is when we listen to that place that we have the chance to reach our identity beyond time. When we follow someone one after another, we completely miss the opportunity to fall into our own illusions. The closer this person is to us, the more exciting everything becomes.

If we have to continue from the content of the book, the parent-child conflict was presented in the best possible forms that can happen for every gender. We can also call this part the struggle to exist with adults despite being adults. I really liked the character of Melle, who was an oval far from the worlds of the mountains and magic users. She had a spirit that could resist every kind of wind. Indeed, the corruption of Brantor Ogge stems from her gentle resistance. We get to know the jealous and malicious minds that are even more hated because they cannot be frightened. These types also await us at every step in our lives.

Canoc was someone we met again and again as a father, a spouse, a child, and a brantor. This expression can actually be valid for everyone who changes and transforms. In the stories told by Orrec, in fact, you are getting to know the layers of a person. If we think that we are moving forward without knowing what we are turning into in this era that we all go through, it is good to take a break. It was a book that provided this pause for me. At the end of everything, it is strange to decide to walk towards a world where we are relieved of what is expected of us, we hold our sorrows in our hearts, and we remove and throw away the bags under our eyes. Maybe magic lives by finding its own path independently of powers with sight, hands, breath, and will.

I don't know why I put other books by Le Guin in a long box, probably because of the lack of Ukrainian translations.

But it's so good to immerse oneself in her magical worlds, forgetting everything around! I read the little book at the Yanivske deposit among young dogwood trees until a local dog chased me away from there.

The high mountains are inhabited by the residents of ancient clans, each of which has its own special gift. But what should a boy do whose gift is so terrible that it can destroy everything around? Because of these abilities, all the neighbors are afraid of and envy them. The main hero, Orrec, blinds himself so as not to harm anyone. All this is in a wonderful setting that reminds one of the Scottish Highlands.

Just as in other books by Le Guin, here good lives and the heroes strive above all to fight the evil within themselves.

Orrec is a member of the Caspromant family, which possesses the gift of disfacimento. He lives in the Altelande, wild lands divided among families with diverse gifts.

The disfacimento is an extremely destructive gift, capable of killing anything and/or anyone with just one look. However, Orrec, our protagonist, is much more than that.

The story mainly focuses on Orrec and his family. It is an introspective account of the protagonist as he grows from a child to an adolescent, exploring his relationship with his parents and the difficulties in maintaining the standing of his clan.

This book is extremely easy to read yet has an unexpected depth. Frankly, I don't know how the author managed it, but I could sense everything the characters were feeling. The empathetic level to which the reader is drawn is something I have rarely experienced.

I want to clarify that it wasn't the magical system itself that impressed me, although it is quite cool. Rather, it was the family involvement and the dynamics created by them. The eternal contrast between father and son, as the patriarch tries to mold the eldest son in his own image and likeness to strengthen the spirit within him, which will be needed to lead an important clan. The son, extremely respectful yet rebellious to the right extent, in search of his own identity and what it means to do things his own way.

It also touches on the affectionate aspect with Gry, his best friend and peer. Regardless of how things go, they are always there for each other. Indissoluble and inseparable.

The author has a warm, clean, and not at all wordy writing style. Genius in interpretation and the message she wants to convey.

If you haven't read it yet, get it. If you don't want to read it, I'm sorry for you because you're missing out on a small magical masterpiece.

By the way, it is the first in a trilogy, but for me, it could simply be a standalone.

This wasn't even remotely the kind of book I had expected.

I was really looking forward to an in-depth interrogation of the violent morality that exists within clan feuds. Or perhaps an exploration of the gifts being used as a metaphor for violence. However, to my disappointment, the book didn't seem to have any interest in either of those aspects.

Instead, what we got was a collection of rather mundane events that were presented in an extremely straightforward manner.

Contrary to other reviews, I don't believe this book is very thoughtful. It merely skims the surface of certain subjects and presents vibes that some types of readers might find significant.

The character of Ogge made me think about how often Le Guin includes pure evil characters in her books. Of course, not the typical evil Dark Lords, but characters who embody bad things in a simple and uncomplicated way and eventually meet their downfall. Quite a few of them end up dying violently as well.

But does it really matter that I didn't like this book? After all, this book wasn't written with me in mind. It was intended for children. They might be able to resonate more with the emotions portrayed in the story. Or perhaps the revelations that seemed so obvious to me might come as a surprise to them, instead of feeling like there had to be a double or triple twist.

The world is extremely gloomy with sad people who are endowed with such dangerous abilities. The characters have obtained themselves and also the message of the story. I am curious about what/whom the remaining books will be about.

This dark and melancholy world seems to be filled with mystery and danger. The people here, despite their sadness, possess powers that could potentially cause great harm. It makes one wonder how they came to have these abilities and what purpose they serve.

The story's characters have taken shape, and their journey has begun. They carry with them a message that is yet to be fully revealed. As I read, I find myself constantly asking questions, eager to uncover the secrets that lie within the remaining books.

Will the characters use their abilities for good or will they be consumed by the darkness? What challenges and obstacles will they face along the way? These are just some of the questions that fuel my curiosity and keep me engaged in this captivating tale.

I can't wait to see what lies ahead for these characters and how their story will unfold. The world they inhabit is both fascinating and terrifying, and I am eager to explore it further with each new book.

Ursula LeGuin's 'Gifts' is a work of remarkable intelligence and parable-like lyricism. Were it not for its subject matter, it would be as musical as dreamy poetry in prose form. It's a beautifully crafted coming-of-age story.

'Gifts'描绘了一个父权制社会，它与世隔绝，处于近亲繁殖、部落主义和岛屿文化的落日余晖之下。除了被当作奴隶和妻子的被俘低地妇女和儿童，没有人能读会写。在被允许的时候，她们会教那些感兴趣的山地人，但除此之外，识字并不是一项被珍视的技能。被珍视的是家族传承的“天赋”，从父亲传给儿子，从母亲传给女儿。由于每个家族都由一个领袖，即“父亲”领导，这些“天赋”被用于战争和破坏，并因此受到重视。

故事以一个少年的第一人称叙述，他没有意识到自己所揭示的潜在真相。奥雷克爱他的父母、他的山脉和一个邻居女孩格里。小说开篇时，格里和奥雷克正在讨论他们所称的“逃跑的人”，一个来自低地的人，告诉他们的关于他生活的事情。他们并不完全相信他所解释的，但奥雷克知道这往往证实了他低地母亲的故事。（这些名字让我想起了漫画《大力水手》中的穴居人故事）。当奥雷克的眼睛被真正打开时，这些信息将变得至关重要，因为随着他从一个孩子成长为一个男人，他的文化中涌动的暗流开始显现。他意识到那个低地人不会活得太久，因为他不相信“天赋”，所以尽管格里和奥雷克警告过他，他最终还是离开去高地进行更多的冒险。然而，当奥雷克生活中的幻想被揭露时，由于那个人的故事，他获得了一条通往其他选择的生命线。

“天赋”是心灵感应和心灵致动的精神力量，被用于对遥远的部落、邻居和家庭成员发动或大或小的战争。所谓的家庭联系只是表面上的忠诚，但族长们很容易为了个人的生存和领导地位而牺牲他们的盟友、自己的孩子和妻子。当然，考虑到家庭动态，没有人会关注以家庭和群体生存与爱的名义，个人自由和成长被腐败和服从于领袖的生存。山地家庭正在慢慢自我毁灭。然而，这只是隐藏在背景中的隆隆声，仅由作者的一些暗示所表明。

这本书是一个蜿蜒曲折的故事讲述和世界创造的小溪流。它不是一部惊悚片，而是一部文学作品。“天赋”表面上把这本书归为科幻小说类别，但我认为这些“天赋”是一个转移注意力的东西。

罗伯特的评论比我的好：

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

他说出了所有需要理解的东西——至少，这也是我对这本书的理解方式。

像这样的小说总是让我咬牙切齿。我在一个父权制家庭中长大，当我长大后，我被期望成为一个顺从、赤脚和怀孕的妻子。当我在高中毕业时准备上大学时，我让父母失望了。公平地说，我有屋顶遮头，有饭吃，有衣服穿。但是，当我找父亲共同签署我的大学贷款文件时，引用他的话说：“没有男人会想要你！”，语气中充满了恐惧和震惊。

他现在已经去世了。不需要慰问。

某些书籍会自动激怒我。这本书就是其中之一。当我阅读时，我必须压制住我被激起的厌恶，并坚定地戴上我的评论家帽子。

父权制社会让我充满厌恶。当这样的社会根据一个权力狂、独裁的男性领袖的心血来潮来定义社会空间时，不会有任何好的事情发生。幸运的是，许多这样的社会都有一些角落和缝隙，在那里儿童和妇女被允许有个人生活。

自我欺骗，如宗教、斯德哥尔摩综合征式的忠诚、以社会指定的*填空*的名义殉道，以及在残酷、贫困、毫无意义的社会强加的障碍和惩罚面前的爱——所有这些都让受害者觉得他们无论如何都有一个美好的生活，比如，哦，快乐！我通过完全埋葬自己的需求和欲望，按照完全疯狂的指令、他的自私欲望和摧毁灵魂的行为规则，让我的主人/父亲/老板/丈夫/领袖感到骄傲！我很高兴为了以我的牺牲来增加族长的快乐和权力而压抑自己！至少，在我看来是这样的。

不幸的是，我从来没有这些“天赋”来欺骗自己。当有人要求我放弃个人的需求、愿望或欲望以增加他人对我的权力时，我总是知道，即使这是一个以宗教或社会习俗的权威给出的指令。

当我能够阅读时，我做的第一件事就是探索为什么我被期望以牺牲自己为代价来增加“那个男人”的财富和权力。所以我学习了历史、哲学、宗教等等。

教育真的很强大。也许它不能让人们摆脱社会的期望，但它给了你找到绕过独裁者的方法的能力，就像渗水一样。在父权制下，每个人都被束缚，包括那些如果被允许就会变得不同和民主的男人。每个受过教育的社会的人都知道，这就是为什么这样的父权制社会会阻碍阅读、写作、教育和书籍。

理解父母有时会为了自己的扩张和致富而牺牲孩子，这对每个处于自恋父母掌控之下的孩子来说都是一个强大的时刻。

母系社会会是毁灭灵魂和奴役人的吗？谁知道呢，因为到目前为止还没有发生过。然而，古代有记录的口头故事表明不是这样的。

The first book I read from this author truly left a lasting impression on me.

I thoroughly enjoyed every page, getting lost in the captivating story and engaging characters.

It was such a great experience that I couldn't resist buying the second book at the annual library book sale.

The anticipation is killing me as I eagerly await the opportunity to dive into it.

I'm sure it will be just as精彩 as the first one, if not better.

I can already picture myself curled up with a cup of coffee, completely immersed in the world that the author has created.

I have high hopes for this second book and can't wait to see where the story takes me.

It's going to be an exciting read for sure!

I truly relished this experience. The book was concise and it simply flew by. However, despite its brevity, the pacing was never once amiss. It was a refreshing change to read a young YA book. The story was captivating and engaging, keeping me hooked from start to finish.

My one significant gripe was the ableism present in the portrayal of Orrec as "being useless" for three years and his subsequent rage about it. Ursula, it should be noted that real people who are blind exist! Perhaps such a depiction could have been avoided.

Nonetheless, I really liked this book and I am eagerly anticipating commencing the next one. If you are seeking a quick and highly satisfying read, I would recommend this, but just be cognizant of its flaw.

If you have a penchant for Ursula K. Le Guin’s ‘Earthsea’ novels, then you are likely to have an affinity for these three books that constitute the ‘Chronicles of the Western Shore’: ‘Gifts’, ‘Voices’, and ‘Powers’.

The magic in this series diverges from that of the Earthsea wizards. In the first book, ‘Gifts’, it centers around a plethora of isolated communities. Each community is led by an individual who possesses one of the gifts, which they employ to safeguard their respective communities. One such gift is known as ‘Unmaking’, and it has the power to literally slay people by obliterating their internal organs or causing them to burst open. Moreover, not all those who have these gifts are benevolent!

The narrative revolves around a boy who is patiently awaiting the development of his gift while the menaces from others escalate. I have a penchant for this book as it offers a refreshing departure and a captivating twist on the typical magic encountered in fantasies.

However, a word of caution is in order. Books two and three do not simply continue from where the previous story left off. Nevertheless, some characters do make appearances in all three books.

I relished all three books in the trilogy, yet my favorite remains the first one.

This piece of writing may not be as revolutionary as some of her other masterpieces.

However, it is still written with great elegance and finesse, just as she has always done.

The author's unique writing style shines through, captivating the reader from the very beginning.

Although it may not bring about a paradigm shift in the literary world, it is a pleasure to read nonetheless.

The carefully chosen words and phrases create a vivid and engaging narrative that draws the reader in and keeps them hooked until the end.

Overall, while it may not be her most innovative work, it is a testament to her writing skills and talent.

It shows that even when she is not breaking new ground, she can still produce a piece of writing that is both beautiful and enjoyable.

Marifetler is the first novel of LeGuin's Western Shore Years series. It is categorized as Young Adult; however, in my opinion, The Tombs of Atuan is more suitable for younger readers. There is nothing wrong with this classification, but the language and the pace of the story are a bit heavier.

It is a fable about a people living in a mountainous region, each of whom has "marifetleri" as a gift from Allah, and they usually use these marifetleri to protect their lineages and win in blood feuds with other lineages. It is also about love of country, heroism, and political power games.

The story of Orrec, with one or two scenes that stuck in my mind, made me think that whatever Ursula writes, it must be read.

It took me a while to adjust back to UKLG's unhurried pace, where the plot takes a backseat to philosophical musings and beautiful prose.

Once I adopted the right frame of mind, I truly relished this coming-of-age narrative. It's about a boy who perhaps possesses the gift of undoing (a more poetic way of saying killing), yet he is too fearful of the potential consequences on himself to actually put it into practice.

This is a highly thought-provoking story that delves into what we expect of ourselves and what others expect of us. It explores how we strive to mold our lives within the confines of these two opposing forces.

It makes us reflect on the complex web of expectations that surrounds us and how we navigate through it in our journey of self-discovery and growth.

The boy's internal struggle serves as a powerful metaphor for the dilemmas we all face in life when trying to balance our own desires and the demands of the outside world.

Overall, it's a captivating and profound read that leaves a lasting impression.