"The Left Hand of Darkness" by ursula Le Guin

My reading some Ursula Le Guin was long overdue. Now it's done and i'm very happy of that because she writes with amazing elegance. What a great book, this " Left Hand of Darkness" which tells us about the adventures of an Envoy of the human empire on a newly discovered planet, where an androgynous branch of the human diaspora is living.

Le Guin superbly exposes the political intrigues and other power games that start up to the contact of this "alien". The envoy is confronted to societies that are politically diverging (a nationalist monarchy on one side, a communist bureaucracy on the other side, in open conflict), which is interesting in itself, but he's furthermore confronted to the androginy of his hosts, in the middle of whom his sexual permanence is looked upon as a somewhat perverse curiosity.

It is in the study of the androginy that Le Guinn truly impresses. She describes this human society with a natural and surprising empathy and we are led with the main character to the analysis of the customs and mores of these people, who may not have discovered the plane, but have not discovered war either...

The relationship of love/ hate / friendhip between the characters are put under a scrutiny one does not expect usually from this type of novels, and Le Guin is manipulating our empathy for this world and its inhabitants with a masterful talent. I say "empathy" because it is indeed a central theme of this work, where hospitality and friendship and understanding form a barrage against the extreme conditions of this frozen world (the planet is called Winter).

What starts as a rather political book (first contact with a civilisation) veers slowly towards a more intimate setup, nearly a romance, but it does so in such a subtle manner, i was really impressed. ther si a question of border conflict nad Leguin does describe work camps, deadly ambushes and the new nationalisme on the planet, but it all remains as a background behind the relations and feelings of the protagonists. This personal aspect is re-inforced by the alternating points of view that truly places us in the heart of their reflexions. It is not complex, but it works very well, each chracter trying to decipher the thoughts of the other (really good notions about telepathy as a new form of honesty between humans).

I would have put a higher mark but i cannot help thinking that the so interesting human intrigue is somewhat diluted in rather weak considerations about first contact. But i realize the real focus of the author was indeed more personal.
An excellent read, that i recommend !