Ivana Books Are Magic's Reviews> The Telling

The Telling is a novel set on planet Aka but its female protagonist Sutty is an Ekumen visitor from our own planet (Earth/Terra). Sutty's Ekumen mentor/diplomat is from another planet as well (the two of them are only representatives of the Ekumen planets on Aka) but Sutty is left on her own most of the time. Sutty, the Anglo-Indian protagonist that acts as an observer for Ekumen is faced with a hard task of exploring this planet while not compromising budding diplomatic relationships.

A few words about the Ekumen to clear things up. The Ekumen (also known as the League of All Worlds ) is a future organization of humanoid governments, numbering many planets and willing to explore and discover new ones. Ekumen wants to share its knowledge/technology with Aka and they are willing to take it. Nevertheless, the Ekumen is worried as there is proof that Aka's atheist and technologically hungry government is oppressing its own population, banning religion and philosophy in the name of progress and reducing people to closely monitored 'consumers'. Since Ekumen is helping planet Aka in their technological development, this is obviously a concern.

Sutty has grown up in times of religious terror and wars, a fact that is relevant for understanding of her contradicted emotions while she serves as an Ekumen observer (as well as her motif for becoming Ekumen observer in the first place- she wanted to leave her native planet Earth). Sutty is named after an Indian goddess that walked into fire after her god husband, a fact that is clearly symbolical and references a horrible custom of burning woman alive. Religion can be used for good, but also for bad. Things have taken a turn for the better on her native Terra under the Ekumen Watch, but Sutty is often haunted by her past and sad memories. There is irony in the fact that someone who has grown up under religious terror now must examine communist/capitalist/technological terror. Religion is banned on planet Aka but its totalitarian atheist government is just as oppressing as a one composed of religious fanatics would be. Militant communism/atheism fanaticism doesn't differ at all from the religious one. Sutty gayness is a factor as well, but perhaps mostly a symbolical one. Sutty's sexuality doesn't really play a key role in the novel, as she is grieving for an ex-lover and not romantically motivated in her actions (she's not falling in love any time soon). On planet Aka, homosexuality is banned because to them it doesn't make sense from a biological point of view. Apparently, science (and not just religion) can be used to oppress others. All in the name of progress.

Set in the future, like all of Le Guin's Hainish novels, The Telling explores many interesting sociological themes. However, it is closely bound with our recent history. You could say this is Ursula Le Guin's take on the Chinese Cultural Revolution set in the Hainish Universe. So much so that I felt at times like I was reading about Chinese Cultural Revolution and not about another planet. The analogy was a bit too strong for my taste at times, in the sense that this novel didn't seem as imaginative as her other works. While I fully understand Le Guin's need to criticize fanatical and oppressing governments and to warn us of perils of cultural assimilation/colonization, the close parallels with the Cultural Revolution made it harder for me to enjoy this novel as a work of fiction. Don't get me wrong. There is plenty of food for the thought in this novel. The author often presents her arguments in an intelligent way (even if the writing leaves something to be desired at times). Nevertheless, I found that The Telling was not nearly as imaginative and well crafted as other works by Le Guin. The book is at times too close an analogy.

The Telling was my first Le Guin novel that didn't feel like science fiction at times. I had to remind myself that it was set on another planet. I could swear that its Anglo-Indian female protagonist Sutty was in fact visiting China during the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward. When Sutty recounted her growing up in India and arriving to Canada, I could imagine her our contemporary, a investigating journalist setting off to China. Her emotions would certainly match that scene. When she explores planet Aka, she is mistaken for a native. Sutty is fluent in the local language and can read the ancient script. So, the native population often excepts her as one of their own, even when Sutty struggles mimicking their customs (both the modern and the old ones), you can still imagine her as being a native of the planet. While Sutty's research was certainly interesting, it could have possibly happened on our planet as well.

On the other hand, there were times when cultural parallels were well explored. I loved Le Guin's take on Taoist inspired Aka's religion/philosophy know as 'The Telling' in the novel. It seems to me that Le Guin is well acquainted with Taoism and Buddism, so well acquainted she is able to summon some of the complexity of Asian theologies, myths and philosophy in this novel, something I imagine is not easy to do. Sutty's sincere devotion to discovering and saving the forbidden semi-religion known as The Telling is very convincing, but Sutty as a protagonist sometimes falls short. I enjoyed Sutty's thoughts, reflections and observations. Nevertheless, the character of Sutty remained something of a mystery. At times Sutty seemed a bit preachy, as when she verbally attacked another character and showed poor self-restraint. This combined with convenient plot developments seemed to weaken her character somewhat. I wanted to know more about Sutty and to see more character development. When Sutty finally shares her personal tragedy with the Monitor (another important character), their connection seems a bit unconvincing. I didn't feel like that relationship was explored as well as it could have been. Perhaps I just wanted Sully to be a stronger presence in the novel. Maybe it is not supposed to be like that. Perhaps 'The Telling' is the central point of the novel. It is certainly a beautifully explored concept but still I wanted a protagonist that would feel like a part of its all. I'm not sure I felt that in the end, that the observer Sutty was fundamentally changed by her experience. Not in the way I felt the protagonist of The Left Hand of Darkness was changed, if you know what I mean.

In some ways, this was the weakest Le Guin's novel that I have read so far. It is still pretty amazing, though. Le Guin was an accomplished writer and based on what I have read of her so far it seems that she couldn't do no wrong. I'm happy I had the chance to read this novel. On overall, The Telling probably is not one of her best works but it is still a very interesting and educating read.