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The Left Hand of Darkness has been a sentimental favourite of mine since I was first forced to read it in college. Here’s a funny story for you: when I decided in the 11th hour to change my major from Theatre to Comparative Literature, I had to take 3 lit classes in one semester. One was required of all CompLit majors, another I was delighted to squeeze into (Women in American Literature, yes!) and one I took because it was the only one with any space left: Science Fiction. Yes, I was forced to take a Science Fiction class and I was certain I would hate it. But I didn’t. And I suppose the moral of the story is, be careful what you don’t wish for, you just might get it.
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Whatever your wishes, The Left Hand of Darkness is cold and aloof but still captivating and addictive. Something about the cold and the journey. There’s a fierce imagination at play here, and the characters are just endearing enough to allow you to bond with them without becoming soft. Like I said, a sentimental favourite. It sits on my shelf, like a treasured snowglobe, beckoning every once in a while to be lifted and played with, as I keep returning to reread it over and over. It’s no small coincidence that the book is well-loved over the world, and perhaps, on others as well? Be careful what you wish for – you just might fall in love with this book.
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