Kitty G Books’s Comments (group member since Dec 14, 2014)

Kitty G Books’s comments from the SFF Readalongs led by Kitty G group.

This thread is for all thoughts and discussion of Her Smoke Rose Up Forever by James Tiptree Jr.. Let us all know who you are and why you're excited to join in with reading this book below!

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget to use the hashtag #HerSmokeForever or #SFFMistressworks on Twitter/Instagram whilst you're reading to update thoughts and also to share photos.

This thread is for all thoughts and discussion of The Riddle-Master's Game by Patricia A McKillip. Let us all know who you are and why you're excited to join in with reading this book below!

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget to use the hashtag #RiddleMasters17 or #SFFMistressworks on Twitter/Instagram whilst you're reading to update thoughts and also to share photos.

What do you think was the best and worst bit of this story for you?
The best bits for me were the ideas, and I think the development of these ideas and the view of this universe is excellent.
The worst bit for me is I sometimes feel I can't quite connect with Le Guin's characters as I want to becuase they are such intellectuals and they do have such big ideas.

Would you read more from Le Guin in future?
100% - She's a firm favourite for me now :)

Did the book surprise you in any way?
Constantly! I feel like it was a whole lot more than I had initially bargained on getting and I really, really enjoyed being able to explore themes and yet also enjoy the story :)

Were you expecting the ending?
No! I kind of thought that maybe the Hainish might play a bigger role or the Terras people, but I didn't see the alliance he formed with them coming or the fact that they would come to his planet to see what it was like there. I loved that element, but although it's hopeful it also made me sad that we don't know what will happen there to them...

Is this a story you're happy you read?
Very much so!

Would you recommend it to a friend? Why?
Yes, I think that loads of people I know would really love this book and Le Guin in general :D 4.5*s from me :)

We're closing in on the ending now so how are you finding this book overall?
So far, I'm really really enjoying it/ it's happily sitting at a 4*s for me, so interesting, and yet if the ending is epic that could easily jump to a 5* rating!

What do you think of the themes Le Guin is exploring?
Amazing. The last section I read where Shevek is finally realising he needs to fight for something bigger and that there is this hierarchy and nasty under-current was inspiring. I loved seeing him reunite with Tavek and their relationship and discussions are so genuine and raw.

Is there more than meets the eye going on under the surface?
YES... Always. I can't wait to find out how it's all going to end. I hope it's a happy ending and not the tragedy it could so easily become. I hope humanity wins and loyalty and empathy become the real traits of the book, not loss and missed opportunities. I think right ow it could go either way!

Which characters do you think seem the most unique?
Of all the characters we've so far met I think Shevek and the prople he surrounds himself with are fascinating. Shevek is not, by nature, a revolutionary, but as this story has unfolded and we see his society (supposedly a fair and equal one) manipulating him he starts to question more deeply.

What is one thing that has surprised or resonated with you?
I think the interesting thing here is that although both societies think they are leading the right way of life, they both have big flaws and problems. On one planet the problems are prominent, but beauty and fine things can be made and enjoyed and so there is a sense of, maybe it's worth it?
On the other planet life is harder and more people have to pitch in and work together. This put people on a more level playing field, but behind this fair facade is a darker threat of an unknown power play...

Can you guess what might happen as the story goes on?
I wonder which planet Shevek will choose to stay on. We know he goes to Urras and leaves his family behind, and we see him struggling to fit in there, but when his home-world seems to be against him can he really live under the silent oppression? At least on Urras he's more free...or is he?

Okay, chapter 6:

So my thoughts on this one are interesting because Shevek has returned to Anarres after his stint in Urras. Whilst there he meets the lady he's been waiting for and forms a partnership with her.

In between all of this we have some interesting things going on. I love the fact that Le Guin is totally happy for homosexuality and heterosexuality to co-exist on this planet. She doesn't believe you have to have one or the other, she's definitely someone who writes that all love is equal, and I am so happy about that.

We also see in this chapter the stirrings of unrest within Shevek's society. Some of his friends and his partner begin to question what they really live for and who they really serve. In theory everyone is equal, but of course the reality involves far more corruption and seeing Shevek process the downfall and disillusionment with his own home is both sad and exciting for me. I want to know how he's going to react!

Are you enjoying the writing tone/style?
Yes! I think the meandering pace of Le Guin's stories always keeps me excited, but never feels rushed. She writes in a fairly easy style that I find very approachable as someone who's not read a whole load of SF and I love that.

What has been the most exciting/problematic bit of the story so far for you?
The most exciting bit for me is seeing the differences in cultures. I love Shevek's musings over his world and the world he's now on, becuase they have such vastly different ways of considering things. Even the most basic elements of their societies are so extremely different that he has to ask about how things are done.

What do you think might happen next?
Honestly, I couldn't really say. I think the theory Shevek is working on sounds interesting and want to find out more about that, but also I just love the musings. I would like to see if the two societies can co-exist or if they will fight over the proper ways to do things...

pg.120 - "Your duty to your own people, your own kind" - this quote gave me creeps becuase up til now it's not been about one vs. the other, but more about co-existing and understanding one another. This makes me think maybe this will soon change...

pg. 121 - "In his own person he must represent, the solidarity of the Two Worlds." This is definitely a big burden for poor Shevek to uphold... I feel for him having to be the one to unite two such disparate peoples.

Pg. 122 - I liked hearing about Shevek pining for the company of women, not becuase they are just sexual objects, but becuase he realises that they have just as much value as men. When the wife, Sewa, talks about nursemaids Shevek doesn't even know what they are. He considers them not to be needed, and realistically they are probably more of a status thing on this planet than otherwise anyway.

Pg, 125 - "There is no other reward. One's own pleasure and the respect of One's fellows. That is all" - to think of a world where it was so much a utopia that respect and equality was just the norm is so hard for me. It's a really foreign concept, but when you think about it the logic here really does make a lot of sense...

Are there any characters you're rooting for or more interested in?
I'm not sure I've fully connected with Shevek yet as he's a peculiar character. The world he comes from is so very different to how we as humans are. It makes him seem a little alien (probably intentionally) to me. Also he has the aloofness of a super-genius :D

What themes are the most interesting to you?
So far I most like the clash of cultures. This is always something I like seeing and I find the navigation of political and social currants can be really engaging when it's done in Le Guin's fantastic style :)

Is there anything in this book you've not seen done before?
I think Le Guin always manages to surprise me with her stories becuase they are always far-reaching, yet they also manage to feel intimate and contained within their universe. I feel like I always have a good grounding in the world, and so when new ideas are brought in or character I never feel overwhelmed.

Things I want to mention:
- on Pg. 64 I really liked this quote, 'We ignore you, you ignore us. You are our history. We are perhaps your future. I want to learn, not to ignore. It is the reason I came...such ignorance is a wrong, from which wrong will arise. So I come to learn.'
This is a quote from Shevek/Le Guin which I just feel is so incredibly poignant and still hugely relevant to today. Imagine having the chance to meet someone who is kind of like you, but also totally alien to you. They may have lived on another planet, or they may just have grown up in a different way/place/time to you, but that is no reason not to learn from them and listen to them, in fact, it's the perfect opportunity to do so!

Another moment I liked was on pg. 94
"Didn't everybody at every refectory...get the same, share and share alike? He had always been told so and had always found it so. Of course, there were local variations...Most refectories served dessert once or twice a decad. Here it was served nightly. Why? Were the members of the Central Institute of Sciences better than other people?"
In this one Le Guin is challenging the social expectations of privilege. I love seeing how she subtly takes something that is so common and unfair in our real world and cleverly inserts it into her own story. The way that Shevek's upbringing has made him see the world is vastly different from how the people of Urras see it, and so he does silently question these strange ranks they place on themselves.

Just the very first sentence - There was a wall - is so ominous... later it says, 'The wall shut in not only the landing field but the ships that came down out of space, and the men that came on the ships, and the worlds they came from, and the rest of the universe...It enclosed the Universe leaving Anarres outside, free.'

I wonder if this planet really is free or if it's not quite as free as some would have them believe!

Initial thoughts:
Upon starting this read through I knew I was probably going to get sucked in quickly (and that has certainly been the case). The book begins by introducing the idea of two planets that orbit each other like moons. This already seems like a cool concept. Just as we have managed to put a man on our moon, these people manage to set up whole worlds on their and even have a trade and such.

The main character at first seemed a little aloof and distant to me, I think that works with the fact that he doesn't really know what he's going towards or what he's leaving behind.

The set up of his society on his planet is SO regimented... Why???

Looking forward to seeing how these two cultures merge or clash as the story goes on and also seeing what he is hoping to discover there...

This thread is for initial thoughts and discussion of chapters 11, 12 and 13 of The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin. You can also leave your final thoughts below for the whole book and try answering some of the questions below to give us an idea of how you enjoyed it :)

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget the hashtag for this readalong if you're using Twitter/Instagram - #TheDispossessed17 *

A few questions to help:
- What do you think was the best and worst bit of this story for you?
- Would you read more from Le Guin in future?
- Did the book surprise you in any way?
- Were you expecting the ending?
- Is this a story you're happy you read?
- Would you recommend it to a friend? Why?

This thread is for initial thoughts and discussion of chapters 9 and 10 of The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin.

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget the hashtag for this readalong if you're using Twitter/Instagram - #TheDispossessed17 *

A few questions to help:
- We're closing in on the ending now so how are you finding this book overall?
- What do you think of the themes Le Guin is exploring?
- Is there more than meets the eye going on under the surface?

This thread is for initial thoughts and discussion of chapters 7 and 8 of The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin.

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget the hashtag for this readalong if you're using Twitter/Instagram - #TheDispossessed17 *

A few questions to help:
- Which characters do you think seem the most unique?
- What is one thing that has surprised or resonated with you?
- Can you guess what might happen as the story goes on?

This thread is for initial thoughts and discussion of chapters 5 and 6 of The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin.

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget the hashtag for this readalong if you're using Twitter/Instagram - #TheDispossessed17 *

A few questions to help:
- Are you enjoying the writing tone/style?
- What has been the most exciting/problematic bit of the story so far for you?
- What do you think might happen next?

This thread is for initial thoughts and discussion of chapters 3 and 4 of The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget the hashtag for this readalong if you're using Twitter/Instagram - #TheDispossessed17 *

A few questions to help:
- Are there any characters you're rooting for or more interested in?
- What themes are the most interesting to you?
- Is there anything in this book you've not seen done before?

This thread is for initial thoughts and discussion of chapters 1 and 2 of The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin. Let us all know who you are and why you're excited to join in with reading this book below!

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget the hashtag for this readalong if you're using Twitter/Instagram - #TheDispossessed17 *

A few questions to start us off:
- Who are you and why are you joining in?
- Have you read any other Le Guin books?
- What are you hoping for from this read?
- How were the opening chapters for you?

This thread is for initial thoughts and discussion of parts 7, 8 and 9 of The Female Man by Joanna Russ.

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget the hashtag for this readalong if you're using Twitter/Instagram - #FemaleMan17 *

A few questions to help:
- What do you think was the best and worst bit of this story for you?
- Would you read more from Russ in future?
- Did the book surprise you in any way?
- Were you expecting the ending?
- Is this a story you're happy you read?
- Would you recommend it to a friend? Why?

This thread is for initial thoughts and discussion of parts 4, 5 and 6 of The Female Man by Joanna Russ.

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget the hashtag for this readalong if you're using Twitter/Instagram - #FemaleMan17 *

A few questions to help:
- Are there any characters you're rooting for or more interested in?
- What themes are the most interesting to you?
- Is there anything in this book you've not seen done before?
- Are you enjoying the writing tone/style?
- What has been the most exciting/problematic bit of the story so far for you?
- What do you think might happen next?

This thread is for initial thoughts and discussion of parts 1, 2 and 3 of The Female Man by Joanna Russ. Let us all know who you are and why you're excited to join in with reading this book below!

*** As always, if you're going to spoil anything please remember to use the Spoiler tags ((click on '(some html is okay)', copy in the spoiler tags, remove the '...' and write out the spoiler-y stuff where it was and everything inside the tag will automatically be hidden)) ***

* Don't forget the hashtag for this readalong if you're using Twitter/Instagram - #FemaleMan17 *

A few questions to start us off:
- Who are you and why are you joining in?
- Have you read any other Joanna Russ books?
- What are you hoping for from this read?
- How were the opening three parts for you?

Krazyaboutbooks wrote: "I really liked this book and I am currently reading scarlet tides. The ending was quite exciting and I cant wait to read about the war and also to find out how Ramita's children will save the world..."

I loved this and I think it's a series which just goes on to get better. The second one was action packed straight away and a lot of fun!