While it took me a minute to get into “The Lathe of Heaven,” once I was hooked I could not put it down. It follows George Orr, a resident of the future version of an impoverished and over-crowded Portland, Oregon. George has a special quality to his dreams that alters timelines to make whatever he dreams about become reality. This is a power that overwhelms George and forces him into Dr. Haber’s office, a psychiatrist and dream researcher. Haber manipulates George’s dreams with hypno-therapy and the story winds through multiple versions of reality.
Because of the nature of this story, Le Guin is able to touch on an incredible number of topics. Class, war, capitalism, gender, race and love are all weaved into this narrative in both obvious and subtle timeline shifts. It was originally written in the 1970’s and set in the 1990’s, so it is very interesting to read the past version of the future and find truths there. I am in awe of this book!
Three words that describe this book: mind-bending, evocative, unique
You might want to pick this book up if: you love a story that keeps you on your toes and gives you a lot to think about! There is no predicting what comes next.
-Isabel
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
