A quiet and unhurried story. There is a sense of calm in the writing, even when it describes action.

The author tells very little about the world around the "beginning place", and that creates a sense of mystery and wonderment that I enjoyed. I'm still curious, though. ( )

Basic Reason for Beginning: Well, I have to read some LeGuin at some point, no? This was one of the first books I found, so...
Basic Reason for Finishing: Stubbornness. Morbid curiosity. Certainly not empathy for the characters.

Full review here. ( )

The story itself is not nearly as interesting as the way it's constructed. While the plot itself is simple – two young people meet in a magical, peaceful world, but soon they find their refuge becoming a place of horror and nightmare – Le Guin's writing style (at least in this book) is incredibly rich and complex. Her language is sumptuous, like a banquet of meaty, delectable words, strung together in unexpected, astonishing ways. (For example, "then he put his hand into the water and felt the musculature of the currents press against his palm." – yum!) Symbolism abounds and some symbols change meaning, paralleling the lives of the main characters and giving the story multiple layers of depth. The vocabulary itself isn’t difficult, but this is not an “easy read.” Its literary artistry and complexity requires a good deal of concentration from the reader. This book is fertile ground for fascinating discussions in advanced literature classes; and yet could still be appreciated by somewhat less proficient readers… just ask them to be patient, as the “real story” begins some 30 pages into the book! ( )

The Beginning Place begins as the story of Hugh Rogers, a young man who lives with his demanding mother, works in a grocery store, and feels "kinda stuck." Trying to run away from his painful life, Hugh accidentally discovers a portal into another place, a sort of twilight land, which eases his spirit. He begins to visit the place regularly. One day he meets Irene, who has been visiting the twilight land for years, and who regards it as her own special place. Irene resents Hugh's masculine intrusion into the place that serves as a refuge from her own unpleasant life.

Irene takes Hugh to meet the inhabitants if Mountain Town, where she has been welcomed and has fallen in love with the Master of the town. The town's inhabitants can no longer travel on the roads because of a nameless fear. Hugh, who does not feel the fear, agrees to confront it on their behalf. He has fallen in love with Allia, daughter of Lord Horn and a rather insipid creature who reminded me of Lucy Mannette. Resentfully, Irene translates for Hugh to enable him to communicate with the residents, and agrees to lead him where he must go.

Irene accompanies Hugh on his journey to meet and confront the monster that threatens the town. In doing this, of course, both are facing the fears and conditions that have made their lives miserable, and they can succeed only in each other's company.

One could read this as an allegory describing how readers use books (the twilight land) to find a way to safely confront the issues with which they cannot deal directly in their daily lives. This is no unsubtle Narnia, however; LeGuin weaves mythic elements and everyday details into an adventure story that is both eloquent and moving. Hugh and Irene are well drawn characters, and the characters and the events support each other to create an interesting and rewarding read. My favorite of this great author's "minor" works. ( )

A Great Introduction to Ursula K. Le Guin

The Beginning Place was one of the first books I read in Science Fiction/Fantasy and it has stayed with me ever since. This is simple tale of Hugh Rogers, a board young man who discovers a gateway to The Beginning Place and Temreabrezi – or Mountaintown – an idyllic and eternal world of twilight. Here he finds an escape to the monotony of his life in the “real world”.

Hugh is not the first to discover The Beginning Place; seven years before, Irena Pannis came to this land when she was thirteen. She has come to know Mountaintown and its gentle residents very well, and Hugh’s intrusion is seen as trespassing and Irena becomes very protective.

But, when a dark shadow threatens to destroy Temreabrezi and its inhabitants, Irena realizes that Hugh is not the threat, but an ally in the struggle to save The Beginning Place. And, along the way, their partnership blossoms into more. ( )