Rating: 
Summary: I've read it 25 times and I find something new every time.
Review: This is a truly glorious book! It combines linguistics, science fiction, feminist thought and alternative history all in one. The introduction of Laadan as a women's language fascinates me with its concept. The characters are extremely well-drawn and believable. The little side jaunts to the average woman's life in this time period is almost scary to imagine possible. It's enough to make a woman look at men differently for awhile. For men, it provides excellent insight into women's perspective.
Rating:
Summary: Bitingly brilliant
Review: This is my favorite book. It is delightful, disgusting, intriguing, exaggerated, and true. Contrary to what another reviewer wrote, that the feminist storyline detracts from the other ideas, I find the feminism, while extremely bitter, adds immeasurably to the depth of the story. I read his other recommendations and they were good, but not nearly as compelling as this book.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Book
Review: This is my favorite book. It is delightful, disgusting, intriguing, exaggerated, and true. Contrary to what another reviewer wrote, that the feminist storyline detracts from the other ideas, I find the feminism, while extremely bitter, adds immeasurably to the depth of the story. I read his other recommendations and they were good, but not nearly as compelling as this book.
Rating:
Summary: Bitingly brilliant
Review: This is truly a brilliant book. Like "The handmaiden's tale" it sketches a future in which women don't have equal rights. Like "Memoirs of a spacewoman" it is written from a distinctly feminine perspective. However, it quite outclasses these books, by at least two orders of magnitude. It is believable science fiction, full of interesting ideas and truly mindstretching. In addition it is warmly human, at least for such a bitingly incisive book. As I said, a brilliant book!
Rating:
Summary: Bitingly brilliant
Review: This is truly a brilliant book. Like "The handmaiden's tale" it sketches a future in which women don't have equal rights. Like "Memoirs of a spacewoman" it is written from a distinctly feminine perspective. However, it quite outclasses these books, by at least two orders of magnitude. It is believable science fiction, full of interesting ideas and truly mindstretching. In addition it is warmly human, at least for such a bitingly incisive book. As I said, a brilliant book!
Rating:
Summary: The Gentle Bite
Review: This novel has the gentle bite of the author's personality and revealing insight of society.It is a novel regarding a future society ruled by linguistics, Ms. Elgin's own area of expertise. In order to understand the alien species humanity encounters in space, linguistics holds the economic key to the universe. However, in the novel as perhaps it is in life, linguistics is ruled by men, and their wives and children are subject to their plans and demands. In the course of the novel, the linguists use genetics to breed for better linguists, but learn that their wives and children are not subjects of their control. Ms. Elgin's able to make this seemingly far-fetched idea a very realistic one. She does this through the strength of her characters, and her understanding of human nature--a very well thought out novel!
Rating:
Summary: Native Tounge
Review: This was an excellent book, especially for a student of lanugage, such as myself. I would highly recommend it to anyone!
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