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Ursula K. Le Guin: Annals of the Western Shore (LOA #335)
Ursula K. Le Guin: Annals of the Western Shore (LOA #335): Gifts / Voices / Powers | Ursula K. Le Guin
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Ursula Le Guin's beloved YA series gathered for the first time in a deluxe collector's edition for every reader This fifth volume in the definitive Library of America edition of Ursula K. Le Guin's work presents a trilogy of coming-of-age stories set in the Western Shore, a world where young people find themselves struggling not just against racism, prejudice, and slavery, but with how to live with the mysterious and magical gifts they have been given. All three novels feature the generous voice and deeply human concerns that mark all Le Guin's work, and together they form an elegant anthem to the revolutionary and transformative power of words and storytelling. In Gifts, Orrec and Gry will inherit both their families' domains and their "gifts," the ability to communicate with animals, or control a mind, or maim or kill with only a word and gesture. Both discover their gifts are not what they thought. In Voices, Memer lives in a city conquered by fundamentalist and superstitious soldiers who have made reading and writing forbidden. But in Memer's house there is a secret room where the last few books in the city have been hidden. And in the Nebula Award-winning Powers, the young slave Gavir can remember any book after reading it just once. It makes him valuable, but it also makes him a threat. Gav sets out to understand who he is, where he came from, and what his gift means. This deluxe edition features Le Guin's own previously unseen hand-drawn maps. Included in an appendix are essays and interviews about the novels, as well as Le Guin's pronunciation guide to the names and languages of the Western Shore.
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This review is for “Gifts.“ Gifts is the first book in a trilogy completed by Le Guin towards the end of her career. It tells of bordering domains in the Uplands, ruled by brantors, some benevolent & some cruel. The brantors have hereditary powers (the Gifts of the title) which they use in practical ways & to also protect their lands, I really liked this initial entry; as with other LeGuin the world is immersive & convincing without pages (CONT)

vivastory of exposition & infodumps. As with her other works, LeGuin is interested in exploring philosophical concepts alongside interesting characters. This is described as YA, but to me didn't really read as such, I will definitely be reading the other entries. 3w
TheBookHippie I need to revisit her writings again. 3w
vivastory @TheBookHippie Any personal favorites? 3w
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TheBookHippie Left hand of Darkness & No time to Spare. Oh and Woman in the Edge of Time. When I was a teen they were so dark and soothing to me 😵‍💫 lots of heavy things but written so very well. I‘ve had good discussions with these books about feminism and gender. They are very thought provoking. 3w
vivastory @TheBookHippie Ive only read two of the ones you listed: No Time to Spare & Left Hand etc I really like NTTS & LOVED Left Hand etc There are certain scenes in Left Hand that I still think of years later 3w
TheBookHippie @vivastory I agree. Her writing sticks with you. 3w
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