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Cover of The Left Hand of Darkness

The Left Hand of Darkness

Ursula K. Le Guin ()

Subgenre
Age groupAdult 18+
Content ratingPG-13
Pages (Standard (250-400))
Setting
CSM age16

Content levels

ViolenceMild
Sexual contentMild
LanguageMild

Trigger warnings

Not yet tagged

Positive tags

Self-DiscoveryFriendshipAdventure

Tropes

First ContactAlien InvasionSocial SFFish out of WaterPlanetary RomanceReluctant Hero

Themes

Gender and IdentityCultural DifferenceDiplomacyIsolationTrust and BetrayalUnderstanding the OtherPolitical Intrigue

Synopsis

Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards. A groundbreaking work of science fiction, The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants can change their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters. Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction.

Tags

Literary FictionAnthropological SFPhilosophical SFLGBTQ+