I leaved through, but wasn't able to beef up my general impression much. There is Estraven's undeniable loyalty and affection for Karhide, and in Karhide the shifgrethor of the land is the shifgrethor of the king.
And at the end, where Argaven is talking about Estraven after his death, it feels to me as though Argaven has an affection for Estraven, despite his lunacy - and of course he does make him prime minister and give him the special house. Genly Ai thinks that Estraven arranged for Argaven not to make a big mistake when it came to the Ekumen - somehow I read that as a personal gesture as well as a political one. But it is hard to separate the land from the king.
I know Estraven says Argaven is insane and stupid, but that is SUCH a blunt statement - by Estraven's standards - that it reads to me that there is a great affection behind it. Ai, of course, takes it as treachery to the king, but I think if there is one thing we can be clear on, it's that Estraven is not a traitor.
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And at the end, where Argaven is talking about Estraven after his death, it feels to me as though Argaven has an affection for Estraven, despite his lunacy - and of course he does make him prime minister and give him the special house. Genly Ai thinks that Estraven arranged for Argaven not to make a big mistake when it came to the Ekumen - somehow I read that as a personal gesture as well as a political one. But it is hard to separate the land from the king.
I know Estraven says Argaven is insane and stupid, but that is SUCH a blunt statement - by Estraven's standards - that it reads to me that there is a great affection behind it. Ai, of course, takes it as treachery to the king, but I think if there is one thing we can be clear on, it's that Estraven is not a traitor.